# Why is my new head gasket messed up?



## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

I put a new head gasket on my Ford 960 ... then due to another mishap, had to pull the head to extract debris from intake valve #4.

And I find the head gasket damaged between cylinders 2 & 3.

Hoping you can see these pictures ...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...2334633859857.90096.1670152527&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...2334633859857.90096.1670152527&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...2334633859857.90096.1670152527&type=3&theater

Any idea what caused this? the thing ran less than 2 hours with this gasket. I'll put in a new gasket, but do I have a fundamental problem to address?

Thanks!


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

It looks as though you either have a low spot at that point in the block,a high spot at that point,in the head,or a crack in the head/block areas. If there was no coolant leakage ,its a high or low spot,and the block(low spot) or the head(high spot) will have to be milled.Check both with a straight-edge,held at different spots,across the two cylinders,and try to put a .002 feeler under the straight-edge at different spots,to see any gaps.


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

Thanks. You,re right. The block is low at that point.

If I take the block to be resurfaced, do I have tostrip it down? Remove water pump, distributor, crankshaft, pistons ... everything?

Is there a hillbilly fix for this soet of thing? I could imagine sticking a feeler guage in there with some RTV and putting in a new gasket and reassembling. Crazy? Some other fix that wouldn't involve pulling the engine & taking it to a machine shop?

Thanks!


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

Depending on how bad the block is, you could do a quick and dirty fix by using a very large flat file to help even out the area. You'd have to do a large area to blend it in. A local mechanic did that on our 574 years ago due to a groove between the center cylinders on the block. We didn't have a lot of money to spend on the tractor at the time, so he did that. It seemed to work and the gasket was still intact when I rebuilt it 7 years ago. I had it machined as long as I had it all apart. If you do need to machine the block, you will have to strip it down to the bare block before hand. It sucks, but that is the only way to get it truly flat and reliable. Take some measurements on the block and head at that point and figure out just what the deviation is. A gasket can generally take care of a .002-.004 deviation, but it depends on the situation.


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

Thanks for the ideas.

The measurement I get really depends on where I place the straight edge. On one diagonal, I get a measurement of .006. Most ways I place it, I get much less, down to no gap at all. So I'm confused ... and thinking maybe all I have is one high corner. But ... something caused that gasket to fail prematurely.

The flat file appeals ... but I'm afraid I could make a real mess!


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

With a .006 dip,the safest repair is to pull the engine,and take it to a machine shop. It's the best way to get a true surface. I have seen some guys try to braze in the spot,but it might worsen the problem.


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## Kevin Beitz (Sep 17, 2003)

The best way is to glue some very fine sandpaper to a sheet of glass. 
Then take your head and light sand it and look for hight spots.
Also do the block. Dont take off any more that needed.


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

sounds cool ... what kind of glue would glue to glass? superglue?

thanks!


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## bstrang4 (Apr 12, 2011)

On any head gaskets that I install I always use Permatex Copper-Coat sealer. This has small copper particles in the mix and will seal when there are small imperfections in the metal that other sealers will not seal. A very fine mill file should be used on the block and head to eliminate any high spots. Use a large heavy file so that the file does not flex when being used.


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