I'm about to install my cylinder heads (I did not remove the cylinders) and I don't want to miss any gaskets. The push rod tubes will get new o-rings, the exhaust ports will get new copper gaskets, and there will be new gaskets between the tops of the cylinders and the heads. What else is there?

Also, I bought a gasket kit, but I'm not sure which gaskets to use at the tops of the cylinders. There are 4 gaskets that look about right shrink-wrapped to cardboard, there are four more in individual bags, and there are four MORE in with some exhaust gaskets. Which are the right ones?

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Thanks,

Mike

One crusty guy here uses them, many of us toss them in the bin and don't use any head gaskets.

One of those sets are for the base of the cylinder, the other is the head gasket.

Run for cover ...............
The shxxs going to fly now...........................

I built mine without. I followed a certain persons video.

Anneal the copper exhaust gaskets with a propane or MAP gas torch before installing them

I'll be doing those soon. How do you know when they're done? Color change?
Sorry for hijack.

Yes. Just soften them up a bit so they'll conform better to any irregularities between the head and the exhaust pipe(s).

It's also a good idea to use some copper paste anti-seize on the exhaust studs/nuts

Heat until they're, well, nice and hot, quench in water. If annealed correctly, they'll go from a "ping" sound to a "thud" sound when you taps them against pavement or anything metal.

Anneal the copper to redhot careful not to start melting keep the touch moving
around evenly. Yes they will thud instead of ting.

My understanding of metallurgy is that you do NOT want to quench them in water.
Quenching typically hardens metals. Heating and letting them cool as slowly as possible makes them softer.

At least with Steel. Copper I am not as sure.

I do NOT use head gaskets.

Stu

Copper is the opposite of ferrous metals and quenching will soften

......Some say use them & some say don't?( )
(I don't)

OK, so I'll try without quenching and see if I get the thud. If not, Then I'll try again with quenching. Will report back in about a week.

Well, I did it. I used a small propane torch and heated them up. I could see a change in the metal where the flame was. I'm a little color blind so I'll leave it at that. It took 5-10 seconds to appear and only lasted while the flame was on it.

As far as the sound changing... a little bit. There was not much "ting" to them to begin with. After I did the first one and let it cool on its own, I compared it with a fresh one by twisting them. Slightly. There was a noticeable difference in the feel of the two gaskets. The annealed one was a lot easier to move. Almost like lead, firm lead. I did the rest the same way.

I am happy with them now and see no need for quenching.