[TR] Could a steel shim head gasket be the answer to blowing head gaskets

[emanteno at comcast.net]

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Allan Reich <areich at telus.net> 

> Greetings ... 
> Still having problems with my TR3 and blowing head gaskets (and other stuff) 
> Talking to a respected british car mechanic today, discussing my 
> problems and told him my cylinder compression readings were 170 to 175, 
> and he suggested that was pretty high and could be a problem. 
> So the thought came to me that maybe one of the Moss Steel Shim head 
> gaskets could be an answer. I understand they were originally used to 
> lower the compression ratio in countries with lower octane gas. 
> Have any listers had experience with this?? Would you use a regular 
> gasket as well? If both, which would go on the block first? 

The steel shim gaskets are typically used on race engines to increase compression. They are a huge PITA to install, because to get them to seal properly, you have to SuperGlue .0015 copper wire onto the gasket to mate up with the top of each liner. Then, when you torque the head, the copper wire crushes and effectively that is your seal. I had one for a while on my vintage race TR4, but found it was way easier to go back to the stock head gasket. I lost a bit of power, but I never had one fail at the track. My cylinder compressions were about 200-210 per cylinder. 
HTH,
Irv Korey
74 TR6 CF22767U
Highland Park, IL