Corvair Forum

Been so long ago but on my engine I am changing the head because of that stripped out plug hole
and bought new gaskets
I f I remember right you put them in the freezer for a few hours
do I need to put the head in the oven and expand it?
Dick

dick2256 wrote:Been so long ago but on my engine I am changing the head because of that stripped out plug hole
and bought new gaskets
I f I remember right you put them in the freezer for a few hours
do I need to put the head in the oven and expand it?
Dick

Gasket should fit in easily without any heating/cooling. The biggest problem I've seen is that folks install the gaskets upside down. Clean up the cylinder head area where the gaskets set, install gaskets, and be careful the gasket doesn't move and get pinched when installing the head.

are we talking about the same thing I am talking about a round metal ring and I didn't see any right or wrong side I don't have the new ones here yet but the ones that I took out look the same on both sides
3 rings to a head

I wasn't trying to be smart after I went and got one of the gaskets I took out of the head there is a difference
one side seems to have a little sharp flange to it and the other side is smooth with a slight bevel
\So I need to know which is the up side?

The steel gaskets "compress" when the head is torqued down. The copper gaskets compress little.

While some get away with re-using cylinder gaskets (especially the copper type), it is NOT recommended, new ones are not that expensive!

I've never seen a mention in the shop manual about how the cylinder/head gaskets go in, but Clark's says to install their steel "stock type" gaskets with the FLAT side against the aluminum head surfaces. I've read that steel is better, other say copper is better - no consensus on which is best, lots of anecdotal claims.

DO NOT OVER TORQUE THE HEAD NUTS!! GM changed the specification several times. Now the consensus is to torque in sequence starting at 20ft. lbs. then 25ft. lbs. and finally 30ft. lbs - DO NOT EXCEED 30ft. lbs. Of course the stud and nut threads must be CLEAN.

the head gaskets arrived today and there is no way they will fit inside the head
I ask the place where I bought them if maybe I
ordered the wrong size for a 1965 110hp corvair and they said no they only list one size
Just guessing but it looked about 3/16 bigger than the old ones

dick2256 wrote:the head gaskets arrived today and there is no way they will fit inside the head
I ask the place where I bought them if maybe I
ordered the wrong size for a 1965 110hp corvair and they said no they only list one size
Just guessing but it looked about 3/16 bigger than the old ones

Clark's gaskets fit fine. Did you get them from one of those parts places that sell Corvair radiator caps.

I got them from Rock auto.com
They ask me to measure my head and the rings they sent and email that to them

What is the casting number on your heads? Sounds like you may have early heads and barrels.

after looking at clarks deal about make sure you use the head number
I haven't checked it yet but I am sure you are right