Philo (12/12/2009)
Hello,
Will big bore head gaskets be necessary for a 3.875 bore?Without actually putting the Best Gaskets or FelPro head gaskets on a 3.875” bore block, I’ll step out on a limb and say that the standard gaskets will work without having to move up to the big bore gaskets made by Best Gasket. I use the standard gaskets regularly on 3.860" bores.Rono (12/12/2009)
Ted; I don't know if you use John M's Best head gaskets, but was wondering if you need to re-torque after the motor has been run for a few hundred miles. With the Fel-Pro Perma Torque gaskets, I didn't re-torque and never had any problems. I hate having to remove the rocker arm assemblies and loose my dialed in adjustments. ?Although the original equipment steel shim head gaskets call for being retorqued after the engine has been run, I do not retorque any composition gaskets. If the composition gaskets do not cinch down adequately during the initial torquing of the heads, then there are other problems present that retorquing is likely only delaying. Gasket technology has come too far since the early Fifties for retorquing to even be considered with modern gasket designs. For anyone using the original oem steel gaskets then by all means go by recommendations in the service manuals for those gaskets.I do prefer the Best Gasket brand over the FelPros when given a choice but do not have any performance issues with either. Spongy head bolts are the biggest problem I come across. I do insure that all head bolts are grade eight and not the originals though. The factory installed head bolts were not the best when they are new and a half of century of fatigue has helped either.