Which Head Gasket

[ProPower engines]

Hey guys
I am working on a project BBC and have a set of older 781 castings that were treated to a full port job valve ect and want to use them on a gen 5-6 block and I am in need of a head gasket that will force coolant through the head to get from the rear to front and do a better job of cooling the exhaust area.
I have tried to look through the fel pro HP listings to find a suitable gasket but I don't see anything that has both the coolant holes in the end of the block/head that are open at the rear and blocked at the front.

Is this a custom only gasket?? I looked at Cometic and did not see anything off the shelf unless I am missing something.
My choice 's are a felpro 1037 or a 17046 but they only use a single hole in the rear end of the gasket the front is blocked by the block.

Is there anything out there that has both holes open on the rear of the gasket for more coolant??
This is for marine use so opening a hole in the gasket may not pass an insurance inspection as it is modified.

Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated

Dave

[jred]

i was under the impression that early bbc heads won't work on the late style block as they don't cover up some of the water jacket holes.. I was told that most aftermarket heads will work on the late blocks..

but I haven't done this combo yet...

[Walter R. Malik]

Hey guys
I am working on a project BBC and have a set of older 781 castings that were treated to a full port job valve ect and want to use them on a gen 5-6 block and I am in need of a head gasket that will force coolant through the head to get from the rear to front and do a better job of cooling the exhaust area.
I have tried to look through the fel pro HP listings to find a suitable gasket but I don't see anything that has both the coolant holes in the end of the block/head that are open at the rear and blocked at the front.

Is this a custom only gasket?? I looked at Cometic and did not see anything off the shelf unless I am missing something.
My choice 's are a felpro 1037 or a 17046 but they only use a single hole in the rear end of the gasket the front is blocked by the block.

Is there anything out there that has both holes open on the rear of the gasket for more coolant??
This is for marine use so opening a hole in the gasket may not pass an insurance inspection as it is modified.

Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated

Dave

For using an early head on a late block, I don't know the number but, be sure to use a gasket which does NOT have the big square holes in the ends just like the ones you say with only the small hole in the ends. Don't modify anything..

[blykins]

Last time I did this, I used Victor Reinz gaskets specifically for this combo. I'm looking for the numbers now.

[blykins]

Victor Reinz 4918 and 4923.

I'm thinking a Felpro 1037 will also work.

[n2xlr8n]

The was a in depth thread on this very subject a few months ago - cooling a BBC with differing gen heads-

I think it was Radman or some such that posted it. I learned a lot.

[ProPower engines]

Victor Reinz 4918 and 4923.

I'm thinking a Felpro 1037 will also work.

That was the gasket I was going to use 1st however,
When removing them from the packaging I found to my horror they are a 10746 in the 1037 packaging.

Now I called FM about this and they say they are a similar gasket they could not confirm they had the flattened stainless wire inside the fire ring.
I ordered in several more to confirm they are all packaged the same but I will have to wait till monday to call FM tech again with what I found although they say they are the same gasket more or less but they say you need a good 1/4" from the inside of the valley to the edge of the upper coolant holes to seal correctly with the gen IV heads on a gen V block. The 1037 states on the packaging that they are not to adapt the gen IV head to the gen V or gen VI block.

[Olds455]

If it states on the packaging that they're not for older heads on newer blocks, why try to use them?

[Schurkey]

I am working on a project BBC and have a set of older 781 castings that were treated to a full port job valve ect and want to use them on a gen 5-6 block

Which is it? Gen 5, or Gen 6?

OEM production Gen 5 is a problem child. Gen 6 should be easy by comparison. Gen 5 is going to need the "right" gaskets, AND some luck. The Gen 6, I think, needs only Gen 6 head gaskets.

When it comes to Bowtie blocks, I think Mk IV head gaskets will work, because the Bowtie Gen 5 deck wasn't screwed-up like the regular production Gen 5.

Am I wrong?

[ProPower engines]

I talked again with FM and they tell me the 1037 is the same gasket.It just does not have the stainless wire reinforced fire ring like the 1037 does. Again a red flag.
But could not offer an explanation as to the different part numbers embossed in the gasket.
But the issue is with the block deck width around the hole towards the valley.
They will allow the use of a gen 4 head on the gen 5-6 blocks as long as there is enough deck surface around the upper coolant holes to seal. I have about .375" above the holes so that said I would be good but my concern is the the extra sealing ability of the 1037 with the reinforced fire ring.

I decided to call cometic and get some gaskets made up to suit the application that way I can have the front end blocked and the rear with both opened for more water flow to the head making a left and right gasket to suit my needs better.
They were not bad for cost either so I got 2 sets coming and will be here soon.

Thanks again for all the suggestions

Dave

[Schurkey]

I decided to call cometic and get some gaskets made up to suit the application that way I can have the front end blocked and the rear with both opened for more water flow to the head making a left and right gasket to suit my needs better.

"I" would want the larger hole at the back closed, so as to force more coolant through the three holes between the cylinders. Parallel cooling vs. series cooling.

[pdq67]

.020" thick stock type and go..

pdq67.