Steel Shim Head Gasket

[1968 Valiant]

I was on summits site about to order my gasket set for my 440. I noticed it comes with composite head gaskets and I remember taking off steel. The summit one says it takes up .040 compressed. and the steel takes up .020

Are the composite ones any better??

I am trying to keep all the compression I can get

Thanks

68 Valiant

 

['64 Cuda]

The main thing I remember from back in the day is that the steel gaskets required the surfaces to be really flat & in really good shape. They worked well on new-from-the-factory builds. I used them when I rebuilt my 273 & had them blow out between the middle two cylinders on both sides. Pulled the heads & had them milled .030" & used the same type of gasket & had no problem. I think I sealed them with silver spray paint. That was the "trick" way to do it back then. Also had one fail on a 225 slant six that had .013" warpage on the length of the head. Had water leakage as soon as the system heated up & pressurized. (Should have know better but my shop instructor said it would be okay.) Milled the head & then had no problem.

 

[HemiDenny]

better keep the steel then......you could always mill the head for clean-up or boost compression...be careful...more compression could lead to spark knock on pump gas

 

[Ajp440]

Look in to summit racing I bought my steel shim gaskets from them. There the mr.gasket brand and the come with some special coating on them already(kind of looks like silver spray paint on them) I used these on my engine with the arp head bolts, there about 20$ a piece.

 

[moper]

Yeah, you have to order the steel shim seperate.