flexsteel head gaskets??

[Glamis400ex]

I've heard that flexsteel head gaskets require only one torque down and thats it, once a re-build is complete. The oem or cometic needs to re-torqued after its run the 1st time....is this correct?? Flexsteel worht the money???

Glamis

i dont think the type of gasklet has anything to do with it, OEM head baskets are the best in my opinion...ive tried cometic...blew out twice..and i ahve had no problems with OEM.....everytime i put a new head gasket on i seal it with copper gaskert sealant in the aerosol can....then once you get the gasket installed...torque the head down...put the cam and everything back on....then put the valve cover back on....just sit the gas tank on top and connect the carberator..airfilter etc...mount that all...just leave the gask tank sitting..then strart your motor..let it run for about 45 seconds.....then turn it off and remove your valve cover,cam,sprocket...and tighten all 4 head bolts down as tigh as you can go......i did this every time with the cometic and oem gaskets..and guess what...OEM worked the best

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by Glamis400ex
I've heard that flexsteel head gaskets require only one torque down and thats it, once a re-build is complete. The oem or cometic needs to re-torqued after its run the 1st time....is this correct?? Flexsteel worht the money???

Glamis
Sound like your getting ready to do some wrenching;)

[Glamis400ex]

just getting all my ducks in a row. I REALLY dont wanna run race gas, or a mix so I havent totally decided yet.

Glamis

[Dune Surfer]

You can run a setup for pump gas, just get a 10.1 piston and a cam. I wouldn't go higher than that though. Not with the heat at Glamis. If you did that and a carb later you would beat me..... You might not even want the carb. You know me I like to haul....

and tighten all 4 head bolts down as tigh as you can go......i did this every time with the cometic and oem gaskets..and guess what...OEM worked the best

Just curious that the over tightening could have any effect on the leaks?

Honda claims 33 ft lbs on the head bolts.

Originally posted by 440EX4me
Just curious that the over tightening could have any effect on the leaks?

Honda claims 33 ft lbs on the head bolts.

i had mine tightened to 33 ft lbs and they still blew a head gasket....the very first time it happened...then after that i bought new cometic gaskets....then sealed them etc...tightened as tiht as i could go....the gasket lasted longer but still blew...i found this to work the best for me

[BigThumper33]

my flexsteel leaked after about 30 minutes time on the motor after my 416 kit was installed. I was alittle worried. I did a retorque....and I must say I was surpised how much the studs loosened up. Since my retorque I probably have about 15 hours on the motor, and she's still good ;)

Originally posted by BigThumper33
my flexsteel leaked after about 30 minutes time on the motor after my 416 kit was installed. I was alittle worried. I did a retorque....and I must say I was surpised how much the studs loosened up. Since my retorque I probably have about 15 hours on the motor, and she's still good ;)

yup...i forgot to mention this earlier alos...but if you have a fresh top end....wait to re-torque the head bolts until after the break in

[GB440]

Where do you get the flexsteel head gaskets from? I just put a 440 kit in mine. Started it up, broke the cam in, then retorqued the head when it had cooled off. Took it to Pismo blew the head gasket. Put a new one on there, and that one blew too. Maybe I should of left it stock.

GB

[Glamis400ex]

The site sponsor...CD racing has them. $17 bux I believe.

Glamis

[Dune Surfer]

Welcome to the head gasket blowing club. I have blown two of the Flexsteel gaskets. I Installed a Sparks bored Stock gasket this weekend. I have my fingers crossed. I think I will warm it up and open it back up to make sure it's still tight tommorow.:huh

[Glamis400ex]

oh boy Tony....I'm thinking twice about doing this now...:( I wanna ride the thing, not worry about is this the day it will blow...

Glamis

Originally posted by Glamis400ex
oh boy Tony....I'm thinking twice about doing this now...:( I wanna ride the thing, not worry about is this the day it will blow...

Glamis

get the OEM gaskets from powroll...put copper gasket sealant in the aerosol can on them.....and if they last for a day of hard riding..you wont ever have to worry about it

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by Glamis400ex
oh boy Tony....I'm thinking twice about doing this now...:( I wanna ride the thing, not worry about is this the day it will blow...

Glamis
I blew it before because The guy who built it over tightened the acorns and pulled the studs. This time it was my fault, I installed the piston backwards (duh) and tried to reuse the gasket (duh, duh):huh I can't blame you though. Although most people don't have problems. Also I might ride it to hard:devil

[GB440]

Hey no offence, but I don't know if I want to be part of "The head blowing club" Has anybody ever tried O-ringing the head?

GB

[Dune Surfer]

This time the gasket wasn't blown. It just had a small leak. I could have probably just tightened it. I'm kinda anal though. and replacing it is no big deal. Also you won't be running as high of compression as I am.

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by GB440
Hey no offence, but I don't know if I want to be part of "The head blowing club" Has anybody ever tried O-ringing the head?

GB
that does sound kinda gay huh. If I knew anybody that would O-ring the head I would do it and up the compression.

Also you won't be running as high of compression as I am. What actual comp you running (not the piston rating but the "real" comp)?

I am over 12.5:1 actuall and though its hard to tell from the head cover leaks I cant see anything leaking from the head gasket and the mech measured comp is fine.

Do any of you think there may be problems other than the gaskets?

[GB440]

My Piston is 11:1, I'm running a cometic paper base gasket and paper head gasket, and my head has not been resurfaced. I would assume I should be relatively close to 11:1. How do you know for sure? The only way I know would be to fill the cylinder with liquid at BDC, than fill it at TDC, than divide the difference.
Also I was wondering since the sleeve is nikel cast iron and the cylinder block is aluminum, the expansion rates due to heat are different, therefor if the sleeve was installed at the incorrect height, that could be a factor in separation of the head gasket seal. Sorry guys, did'nt mean to ramble on.


GB

True comp can be done two ways. The easier (and less accurate) is to get all the info needed to use one of the online calculators and the other is detailed below. Borrowed from the Q&A with M Dunlap from the tech section.

As far as figuring out what your compression ratio is when your engine is completely together, you need to measure the cc's of fluid it takes to fill your combustion chamber up to the bottom of the spark plug hole, make sure your engine is at top dead center and you tip your motor back and forth to make sure there are no air bubbles in the combustion chamber. For example, if you have a 440 motor and it takes 50cc's of fluid to fill it up, you would take 440 + 50 divided by 50 to give you 9.8 to 1 compression. To get a true 11:1 440, you will have to have a 44cc combustion chamber volume. Most so-called 11:1 pistons will have closer to 50cc's. You can get a syringe that measures in cc's at your local pharmacy and you can use just regular motor oil to fill your combustion chamber.


There have been issues in the past with the sleeves expanding and causing the cases to crack. Some of the mfgs have handled this by using tapered sleeves but there were some probs with those also. Do a search and see if you can find any old threads.

As long as there is some clearence from the sleeve to the cases most times theres no problems.

[GB440]

Thanks for the info. The clearance I'm referring to is expansion in height differences, due to the different metals. One nikil cast iron, the other aluminum. I'm sure they each have different expansion rates, so if the top of the sleeve was'nt set at the right height, the aluminum could expand higher away from the top of the sleeve, and break the gasket seal. Just trying to figure out what might be going on.

GB