Re-using copper head gasket

by **Travis Horton** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:17 pm

What should I do to prepare a copper head gasket for reinstallation?

by **Greenlight** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:48 pm

Check with the manufacturer to get the best advise on the gasket that you are using.
Some gaskets are "anneled" and some are "hardened". The copper gasket manufacturers boost that the gaskets are reusable, so they should be happy to give you the proper preperation of the gasket prior to reuse.

Here are a couple of good links that you may want to read.

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Item/12 ... skets.aspx
And copper gaskets are reusable - at least for a limited number of times.....

http://www.milodon.com/copper-gaskets/c ... askets.asp
Regardless of the type of use, these copper head gaskets are reusable with proper handling and installation........

http://www.headgasketpro.com/types-of-h ... d-gaskets/
It is sometimes even possible to re-use solid copper gaskets more than one time.......

by **MileHighMan** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:45 pm

Travis Horton wrote:What should I do to prepare a copper head gasket for reinstallation?

The trash-can comes to mind....What's your time and labor worth????......Unless I was at the track with no other choice,,I would never consider reusing a gasket......Good Luck!!!.....Dan.

by **raynorshine** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:10 pm

MileHighMan wrote:
Travis Horton wrote:What should I do to prepare a copper head gasket for reinstallation?

The trash-can comes to mind....What's your time and labor worth????......Unless I was at the track with no other choice,,I would never consider reusing a gasket......Good Luck!!!.....Dan.

not with Copper [-X

anneal and re-use

by **boxhead** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:44 pm

X2; we did it all the time. Just Scotchbrite it to remove any scale/crud.

by **Coloradoracer** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:49 pm

I just clean mine thoroughly and reuse..........never an issue so far......

by **rineholio** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 12:17 am

Do it all the time with classic and antique motorcycles. Gently clean it [i]before[i] you anneal it.

by **dhidaka** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:59 pm

I have re-used copper gaskets many, many of times in 4-cyl motorcycle applications. "Dust" the gasket with 100% acetylene until the gasket is blackened. Then heat the gasket with your torch until the blackness disappears. Immediately quench in H2O. Gasket will be annealed. Seems to work OK for me. Seal with Copper Coat or Aluminum paint.

by **Moparious Maximus** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 3:01 pm

Is this an O-ring/reciever groove setup?

by **RichardThiessen** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 3:11 pm

I have a set of copper head gaskets I used on my 427 and took them on and off numerous times... at least 5-6 times... never any problem. Just cleaned them up and resprayed them with coppercoat and re-used with no issues.

by **miniv8** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 3:45 pm

RichardThiessen wrote:I have a set of copper head gaskets I used on my 427 and took them on and off numerous times... at least 5-6 times... never any problem. Just cleaned them up and resprayed them with coppercoat and re-used with no issues.

x2 and If your o-ringed just dont mix them up left and right bank.

Re-using copper head gasket

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