Making A Cylinder Head Gasket
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- I needed a head gasket for the small bore Model AF Ford engine that I'm modifying to Pietenpol plans. I used .050" (1.2mm) copper sheet. Main tools used were a Unibit drill and a Bosch jigsaw, with fine tooth (1mm pitch) blade.
Music: ‘Honeysuckle’ by Honeyroot
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Dish soap . . . Had a gasket for an old inboard boat engine that just would not seal despite applying gasket cements of every kind. An old gentleman gave me the tip of using dish soap. When the engine warms up it hardens without gettting brittle and it worked like a charm. -Been using it ever since even on new gaskets.
Furthermore,-if copper gaskets are not available you could use gasket material intended for steam equipment since it can handle both high pressures and temperatures.
Thanks, both useful information 👍 I might well try the dish soap as an experiment. I tightened the head down again on Sunday, after 3 days I believe the copper had deformed more. I'll try again in a couple of weeks.
Olson's Gaskets, Port Orchard Washington have been gathering original OEM tooling and patterns for many years and use OEM materials. I recall they have gaskets for all combustion engines 1900-1970. Even complete overhaul sets. Fair prices and actually very nice folks.
That's great stuff, thanks for posting 👍
You are indeed to be complimented for making the cylinder head gasket from raw sheet copper to finished product.Not too many people are competent enough to do that well done you.
Back in the day I used to make all my head gaskets for my racing bikes. Misteriously, sometimes the gaskets did not work and under close examination it became evident, that the stock copper was inconsistent in thicknes. Subsequently I ran a dial guage over any material used. Just saying.
Nice video, thanks for sharing.
Thanks, that's a really good piece of advice. Another commentator mentioned a possible source of a NOS head gasket; it was correct and I've bought one as a spare if the home made version is a failure.
Very informative thank you for posting. In the absence of a calibrated Torque wrench I have always uttered the Word "Click" at what feels about right with the spanner. Some times works!
I shall adopt your budget wrench straight away. Nearly typed ‘budget wench’; an entirely different device.
@whathasxgottodowithit3919
Did you formerly work at deHavilland Aircraft in Canada? That's the method we used when the inspector was across the bay doing something else, but when we shouted "CLICK!!" and he was within earshot, he would later approve the torque. 🥸
Nice DIY work and a pleasure to watch. I was amazed at just how much 'squidgification' the copper clearly underwent, judging by how loose some of the bolts went after initial tightening. Here's to the next instalment - thanks for uploading.
If I ever remove the head then I'll measure the thickness of the gasket. It's probably a couple of thou of squidge.
I bought a 14.9 small bore gasket from belcher engineering a couple years ago. It was new old stock when arrived
I called them but no luck. Same with O'Neill. Do you run a 14.9? I hear they are generally thought of as smooth running.
@@PhillipSmith-q7o I had a look on their site this morning. More than 10 NOS in stock! I've bought one, in case my home made version doesn't work very well.
@@FlyingForFunTrecanair
I don't I was repairing it for a customer, it was smooth and went along the road alright. I know of a model b 14.9 if you wanted a spare?
Fantastic! Great work for sure! I liked your description of “softer than something soft “. 😎
There seems to be a bit of compression with the plugs in, so fingers crossed it works.
@@FlyingForFunTrecanair looking forward to hearing it make some noise!
@@grandpadansfixit2080 Ignition system next....
G'day,
Yay Team !
Great stuff, I've never seen any work done on these old Fords, but my father started his career going from Coachbuilder to Engine Reconditioner by pulling the first A-model Ford to come to town to pieces, reassembling it, running it, and doing that two more times - then the Sign went up,
"All Automotive Repairs...".
His 1928 Dykes Automotive Encyclopaedia tells that one way to achieve the much sought-after Higher Compression was to give up on Metal Gaskets entirely, and instead make up a Gasket from 2 or 3 layers of Brown Paper...(!).
I have no idea how long that would last, in service...(?) ; but, it IS literally "In The Book"...
You'll have a better idea than me, as to whether it was an actually workable option, or an apocraphyl way to waste a day and wreck an otherwise workable Motor...
Such is life,
Have a good one...
Stay safe.
;-p
Ciao !
Step bit on a drill press….I like it. Always learning something from you!
@@dcmflydude6320 Using a step drill was a new one for me. Works very well although it leaves quite a burr on the backside of the hole. If I ever make another solid gasket then I’d probably go up a metal gauge from 18 to 16. That’s .050” to .064”, the slightly thicker metal would be (paradoxically) easier to work.
Great job. Well done. I might have to make my own head gaskets for my Rovers and Wolseley's here in NZ. Like your use of the old ' Economy 7' bricks ! I think it will work fine. Probably better than a remanufactured one. Certainly better than Elon Musk's rocket ! Thanks for the video.
The big advantage of the solid copper gasket is the ability to cheerfully hack bits off to get a good fit. No crimped edges to damage.
Nice work. Very Allen Millyard, he makes his own cyl head gaskets from copper for his highly modified engines.
If you got a shallow plastic tray (flower stand?) and filled it with citric acid solution (cheaper than chips and very bio-friendly, it’s “food safe”) you could have spared yourself much wire brush scrubbing. Used by model engineers etc. for cleaning off copper and brass parts after silver soldering. Works a treat.
You didn’t say whether you made a pattern from your finished gasket, but that might be handy either for you or any other A-model owner in future.
Intrigued by your reference to ‘Vauxhall gaskets’.. I worked in a Vauxhall-Bedford garage in the 60s, but never saw a SV Vauxhall, as they abandoned SV engines many years before. Which model of car did those gaskets come from, please? I think I’ll be subscribing to your channel! Thank you. Les
Think I’ve answered my own question by looking through your “back catalogue”! Vauxhall 14/40 - nice car! Good to see the old bonnet flutes again! Thanks.
The descaling only took minutes although citric acid is a fine idea and, should I repeat the exercise, then I’ll use it. I didn’t make a pattern although I’ve kept the big bore gasket and the combustion chamber template. The Vauxhall 14/40 is the last of the ‘Vauxhall Motors’ cars, before GM revamped everything.
@@FlyingForFunTrecanair Thanks for reply! Indeed, the 14/40 is a fine looking vehicle, nicely proportioned. I didn’t much like the shape GM gave to their Vauxhall cars, though the early ones weren’t too bad. Post WW2 were hideously ‘American’ TBH (E-models, PAs, F-models etc.). Nice little railway you showed in the Vauxhall run-out. Thanks for the videos. Les
So many new technical terms to learn: bodging, squidgification, titibating (or was it titillating??), etc. My dictionary is getting a real workout and I am the better for it.
It’s an endless tirade of nonsense!
Curiously, the ad that rolled for me at the end of this video showed a computer controlled laser cutting out a metal sheet. I bet you had more fun 😀
Yes, I probably did 🙂👍
Thanks for the jumpscare, Nick. Now I'll watch the video. ROFL
@@kbjerke I don’t improve with age!
@@FlyingForFunTrecanair Few of us do, unfortunately. Also, now I'm craving a slice of toast with Marmite. I think the Trouble & Strife hid my supply in the back of the pantry.
GREAT job on the gasket!
Enjoy your sense of humour
Welcome to the inside of my head!
Just in time for my morning coffee.
"softer then a soft thing". Are you related to Baldrick by ay chance?😊😊😊
Probably more Flashheart by nature 🤣
@@FlyingForFunTrecanair well you certainly are more intelligent than the anyone in the Baldrick clan.😃😃😃
This is a work of art not a gasket. Frame it and turn it in to Sotheby`s.
It's not so pretty close to. However, the motor seems to have some compression in each cylinder (I put the spark plus in) so it works so far.
Do you know how much the gasket compresses?
@@loomisgruntfuttock No, but I guess no more than a thou or two.
Ok, I haven’t watched video yet. With this type of video, I’m hoping that I get to see use of a hand file, hacksaw, and a hammer….😅. Nick uses these to fix or make just about anything.
I fear you might be disappointed; a file was used (off camera) but a jigsaw and unibit drill did most of the work. I had considered a fretsaw but the thought of such tedium made me reach for the electric device!
I've used "C" clamps here in the states for 50 years, I keep hearing you Brits calling them "G" clamps. I think you may be smarter than us
It’s a spelling thing, although what we trying to spell is beyond me. Variants of CCCC or GGGG I suppose 🤣
Normally we also call them ‘G-cramps’, at least woodworkers do. Les