Copper spray head gaskets

Tony8470

Registered User
I redid my heads a few years back and I have a slow small leak of exhuast into the coolant system. I know I installed the heads correctly and even retorqued them.

I read recently of people using it on their gaskets. Looked around and found that people are either against doing it at all, or have done it with good results. I don't want to have this happen again when I get my ported heads done. So I've been debating on whether or not to do it and would like to hear both sides of the story. Do you just hold it up and spray the whole thing across? Both sides?
 
I have several friends that do it with their MLS's on the boosted Talons. I did it on mine as well with no issues yet. I sprayed both sides of my MLS's with it.
 
I found some others that did the same. But it really looks like there is wayyyy too much on there?
 

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If I was going to do it, I wouldn't spray the gasket. I'd spray the head and block surface. I would also let the spray dry enough so that it's not tacky anymore before putting the gasket on and bolting the head down. The idea is that you are filling irregularities in the surfaces not so much as sticking the gasket to the deck or building up the gasket.
 
Going by the recommendation I had using MLS on a non machined block surface. I hung the MLS headgaskets and sprayed the block side only. First with a light coat then a second till it was a uniform color. What a minute or so before installing for it to become tacky.
 
When using the original (4.2 1997 F-150 MLS gaskets from Ford) I added two coats of copper spray to the block side only. The reason for this was because the block was decked for traditional composite gaskets and had visible milling serations, the heads were machined super smooth. With a smooth surface on the block and heads, no sealer is required.

When using the Felpro Permatorque gaskets for a 3.8 mustang with the rubbery coating, no sealer should be used on either side, because the rubbery coating performs the same function.

David
 
When using the Felpro Permatorque gaskets for a 3.8 mustang with the rubbery coating, no sealer should be used on either side, because the rubbery coating performs the same function.

David

I'm using Felpro headgasket (whatever the auto part store lists, dont know if there are mustang or not), so there needs to be no sealer on either side? I cant remember what I did on my last one. I seem to recall putting copper rtv on both sides :confused:. Maybe I wasnt suppose to do that. What about the intake manifold gaskets??
 
i would follow the directions on the can, permatex if I am correct says to apply to both the gasket and the maiting surface. let stand till taky and assemble. i deffinatly would not suggest spraying on valves and combustion chambers as in that pic of the eclipse head (i think thats the head in the pic).

we used it on a BMW cyl head that had a coolant leak problem in the gasket area of the head. and it worked good but customer kept coming in complaining of gold flakes in the cooling system. no matter how many times we flushed the cooling system there seemed to be more and more of it in the system.

i do not believe you would need it on the fel-pro gaskets as said earlier. the gaksets feel like they have a somewhat clear coating on them that is designed to take up the small imperfections on the block and head.

just my .02$
 
I'm using Felpro headgasket (whatever the auto part store lists, dont know if there are mustang or not), so there needs to be no sealer on either side? I cant remember what I did on my last one. I seem to recall putting copper rtv on both sides :confused:. Maybe I wasnt suppose to do that. What about the intake manifold gaskets??

If they are the felpro Permatorque MLS head gaskets (metal gaskets with a black coating over them) the you do not want to use any copper spray. They go on dry.

If they are a standard Carbon/graphite gasket (gray in color) then you can use copper spray with them if you wish.
 
i use the rtv spray on my head gaskets all the time. sc,sho,and few other i have done for people i know..

no issues. tho i havent drove the sc yet.
 
direction with my fel-pro set (perma torque) states that no coating is to be applied to either side of the gasket.

hmmm so I guess felpro says no.
 
What I'm getting out of this though. Is no one has had, or has heard of anything going wrong when applying the coating.

When I did my heads I could put my nail into some serrations that were every 3/4" or so on the block. I knew it wasn't supposed to be like that but I assumed it was within factory tolerance. I think I just got a bad block surface. Which is where the exhaust and coolant are getting through.
 
well everything has a time and place, and if you have scratches running down the block, then i would suggest using it.

sure would beat taking motor to machine shop to have it surfaced.
 
I use it on EVERY head gasket I have ever replaced, since I found the product.

Thin coat, both sides, let dry then another THIN coat on both sides again.

The old grey composite style headgaskets seem to suck it in/absorb ALOT of it so they have been sprayed a 3rd time.

I personally have NEVER had a headgasket failure after I use it, but then hey, MAYBE without it I would not have either? just saying

Word of cautin as stated before...
MAKE SURE IT IS ON THE DRY SIDE OF TACKY!!!
Ruined a Headgasket when the new kid at the shop tried to put it on when still wet and it slid a little! then it had little globs and THAT would not have been good when torquing down the head.

Good luck
 
I got the gray composite gaskets, How many coats do I spray on them? Do I need to let it dry first or put them on when tacky? I'm also confused about the arp headstuds. I ordered some today and was reading on how to use them. Where do you use the moly lube? Some are saying to use rtv on the short bolts and some are not. I'm confused:confused:???
 
anytime that you use arp headstuds you always want to put a little rtv on the ones that go in the water jackets. and as far as the copper spray if you have the cometic gaskets you do not have to use it...on the mls gaskets you do not have to use it unless you are re-useing the gasket for the 2nd or 3rd time. and i know this why and it is because i did this on my 10 second mustang and never had a problem that is until i broke a valve spring and had to take them off so i just got new ones after that.
 
None of the bolts go into the water jackets. you may have to chase the threads in the block to get the ARP studs to sit all the way into the bottom of the holes. If they don't sit all the way down, you can have issues installing your exhaust manifolds as it's a tight fit there.

The studs go in finger tight. The lube goes on the threads that the nuts turn onto and the facing of the washers.
 
So how much do need to spray on them? Do I need let them dry and then install, or install when spray is tacky?
 
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