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i've heard a ''rumor'' 1 to many times

blazin_blazer

blazin_blazer

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i have to ask about it b/c i've heard from several sources, that nascar engines are so well machined that they run them w/no head gaskets? I've heard several people over the yrs say this...is it true?...i think surely they run s/s wire or o rings or something...or is the block/head joint machined so perfectly flat, that they seal metal to metal? thanks for the n00b tolerance
 
Does this help?

O-RINGS
On most high horsepower engines, copper head gaskets are used with annealed (softened) stainless steel or copper wire o-rings installed on the gasket, or in grooves machined into the block or head. The wire rings help concentrate loading around the cylinders to prevent combustion pressure from blowing past the gasket. The wire rings are typically .041" in diameter, and are placed in a .039" wide x .030" deep groove. The wires should protrude only about about .010" above the surface of the deck, and the thickness of the gasket should be about four times the protrusion of the wires in their grooves, or about .040".

According to one supplier of copper head gaskets, engines that produce over three horsepower per cubic inch should also have a corresponding receiver groove machined into the head opposite the O-rings in the block for optimum sealing. The depth of the receiver grooves should be 75 percent of the O-ring protrusion and the width of the grooves should be 1.5 times that of the wire.
 
They run head gaskets

nascarshop007.jpg
 
oring heads RULE!.....................but you still run a head gasket. have to keep the water and oil separated.


Oringhead001.jpg


Headgasket005.jpg
 
yeah as far as i knew they had head gaskets. i had a teacher who built world renown engines from nascar to cig boats and everything elsewhere and he always talked about head gaskets and never anything insanely fancy usually.
 
my pic? is my 6B cummins head. with headstuds, the wire bites hard into the center of the fire ring on the headgasket. makeing an "almost" indestructible combustion chamber seal.

can do on any engine. race car guys IIRC usually use that Isky tool and cut the block. same difference.
 
I seem to remember something about old Bugattis or some other brand not using a single gasket in the motor because of the machining tolerances hmmm let me look around see what I can find
 
thats a scenario too, detroit 2 stroke 92s don't use a 1 piece headgasket either. thats out there too. uses little individual rubber seals on the water and oil ports. makes for a bugger when assembling. when a guy throws an extra seal on your bench when you're not looking after you torque the heads on. :haha: makes double and triple guess yourself :haha:
 
DEMON44 said:
thats a scenario too, detroit 2 stroke 92s don't use a 1 piece headgasket either. thats out there too. uses little individual rubber seals on the water and oil ports. makes for a bugger when assembling. when a guy throws an extra seal on your bench when you're not looking after you torque the heads on. :haha: makes double and triple guess yourself :haha:
Click to expand...

They don't use a one piece head gasket but they do use compression seals for the liners and the liners have a very close tolerance for below the deck, and they use shims on the deck at the front and rear to keep the head from deflecting. I think that I've built a few hunderd 92s.

Gus
 
off topic but IIRC the stanley steamer has no gaskets its all machined to exact tolerances
 
DEMON44 said:
my pic? is my 6B cummins head. with headstuds, the wire bites hard into the center of the fire ring on the headgasket. makeing an "almost" indestructible combustion chamber seal.

can do on any engine. race car guys IIRC usually use that Isky tool and cut the block. same difference.
Click to expand...

24 valve head on a 12 valve.....or did you p-pump the 24 valve?? custom pistons or stock 24 valve pistons???


I will never use anything but Copperhead gaskets on racing engines from now on, they are cheap and they work better than anything else weve run.....
 
its not in my sig anymore is thats what your going by. its a 24v ISB head and engine. Ive seen the MLS gaskets work really well on 3rd gens (stock mls gasket) and take alot of abuse. but not so much on the older ones.

Twinsnew003.jpg
 
Speedo said:
They don't use a one piece head gasket but they do use compression seals for the liners and the liners have a very close tolerance for below the deck, and they use shims on the deck at the front and rear to keep the head from deflecting. I think that I've built a few hunderd 92s.

Gus
Click to expand...


yes thats right. point still being, its not a 1 piece head gasket.
 
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