[TR] Head Gasket Decision Time

[Hickey, Terry]

Hi Terry,

I have used Randall's method, so far very successfully (fingers crossed). I
think one of the reasons that Randall's fix works is that the sandwich gasket
is compressible as is the soft copper wire. I think it would be less likely to
work with a solid copper gasket and steel rings.

I confirm that there is no freeze plug in the area of you leak.

Cheers
Terry2

-----Original Message-----
From: triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of terryrs at comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, 31 August 2011 7:55 AM
To: triumphs at autox.team.net
Subject: [TR] Head Gasket Decision Time

Okay.  Don't think archives are going to help with this one.
Blew a headgasket last season after 50k miles.  Replaced it, blew it again
within 2k.
This time I had the head shaved (yep, it was indeed warped) and sourced a
gasket from Gasketworks.  It came imprinted "TR4."  Don't think that makes a
difference since the holes lined up.
But...also asked for the rings to superglue around the chambers since one of
my liners is no longer proud.  Installed it all. Reassembled everything, and
poured coolant in.  Now have a steady stream of coolant coming from underneath
the manifold.  Can't see it, but can't remember a freeze plug there, so
conclude it's coming from the head/block because of a poor seal.
The gasket is not the usual type.  It's a flat sheet of copper.  And unlike
Randall's fix, the rings were a thin band of steel.  So, ....
How likely is it that the block is warped too, or is it that the rings should
be copper like Randall's so there's more compressability there.
Trying to figure out whether I just give up and pull the engine to break it
all down and take to the machine shop, or whether I should mirror Randall's
fix with the stock gasket and make my own rings to superglue on...out of
copper this time.
Thoughts?

Terry Smith, '59 TR3A
New Hampshire


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