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William,I think your theory about the overlap is a good one and makes the =
most sense to me. I have heard from more than one 100 owner who experience=
d very similar problems with head gaskets. Some repeatedly, so rather than=
fall into that trap, I think aluminum is in my future.Thanks all for the =
comments and suggestions.StevenOn Feb 23, 2022, at 9:02 AM, WILLIAM B LAWR=
ENCE <ynotink@msn.com> wrote:I had a bunch of trouble with head gaskets be=
fore my last rebuild. It occurred to me that the laminated copper gaskets =
I was using had an area of overlap in the combustion chamber that exposes=0A=
the thin copper to erosion by hot combustion gases. My theory is that the=
copper burns away and exposes the asbestos core which is then gradually b=
urned out until the gasket fails catastrophically. I used a solid copper g=
asket for a time with good results,=0A but couldn=E2=80=99t get it to seal=
between the oil and water systems. At the last rebuild I installed the De=
nis Welch competition gasket and had both surfaces tried and finished. The=
results have been great.From: Healeys <healeys-bounces@autox.team.net> on=
behalf of Steven Kingsbury via Healeys <healeys@autox.team.net> Sent: Wed=
nesday, February 23, 2022 4:34 PM To: Healey Mail List <healeys@autox.team=
.net> Subject: [Healeys] Head Gasket Woes Part Three =C2=A0Let me start wi=
th a little history with this email. My engine has just a shade under 3,00=
0 miles on it since rebuild. The head was checked for cracks, none found a=
nd was ever so slightly shaved to make sure it was completely flat. The ma=
chine shop I use=0A builds race engines and they do really good, reliable =
work.Then the block was gone through, new sleeves inserted and bored so to=
fit my new pistons. Again the top of the block was checked and double che=
cked to make sure it was flat and mated to the head.When I fired this engi=
ne up for the first time after rebuild, she lept to life! No turning it ov=
er and over and over. She fired right up. I was quite pleased. I ran the e=
ngine for about twenty minutes at 2,000 RPM, never got above 180 degrees a=
nd then took her out on the road. I took care not to over rev, and drove u=
p a long hill in third gear at low RPM to help set the rings.=C2=A0I did h=
ave some problems with the distributor, but that was fixed and at fifty mi=
les I checked the head again for torque. I drove the car more and retorque=
d the head again at 150 miles, all was fine.I checked again at 500 miles a=
nd again at 1500 miles. All was fine.=C2=A0Anyway, this history is to let =
you know I think I did everything I could and did everything overly cautio=
us to break this engine in correctly. And this engine was running great! M=
y car was a joy to drive and loved cruising down the freeway at 80 mph! Se=
venty=0A was a sweet spot and was a joy to drive. I'm now thinking of goin=
g with the aluminum head thanks to the combined wisdom of this list. Alumi=
num head with the steel gasket. I've heard nothing but good news about the=
m and I don't want to have that worry/doubt while driving down the road. I=
am also=0A going to continue down the path of fixing this head as I think=
it's worth it in the long run.=C2=A0I want to thank all of those sending =
in suggestions and tips and cautionary tales and things to look for and al=
l of the views have led me to believe, bite the bullet and spend the money=
.Thank you all and I will report back!Steven KingsburyBN1=C2=A0
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<html><body><div><div>William,<br></div><div>I think your theory about the
overlap is =
a good one and makes the most sense to me. I have heard from more than one=
100 owner who experienced very similar problems with head gaskets. Some r=
epeatedly, so rather than fall into that trap, I think aluminum is in my f=
uture.<br></div><div>Thanks all for the comments and suggestions.<br></div=
><div>Steven</div><div><br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>On Feb 23,=
2022, at 9:02 AM, WILLIAM B LAWRENCE <ynotink@msn.com> wrote:<br></=
div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div style=3D"font-f=
amily: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: inherit;">I had a bunch of trou=
ble with head gaskets before my last rebuild. It occurred to me that the l=
aminated copper gaskets I was using had an area of overlap in the combusti=
on chamber that exposes=0A the thin copper to erosion by hot combustion ga=
ses. My theory is that the copper burns away and exposes the asbestos core=
which is then gradually burned out until the gasket fails catastrophicall=
y. I used a solid copper gasket for a time with good results,=0A but could=
n=E2=80=99t get it to seal between the oil and water systems. At the last =
rebuild I installed the Denis Welch competition gasket and had both surfac=
es tried and finished. The results have been great.<br></div><div><hr styl=
e=3D"display:inline-block;width:98%"><br></div><div dir=3D"ltr" id=3D"divR=
plyFwdMsg"><div><span style=3D"font-family:Calibri, sans-serif" class=3D"f=
ont"><span style=3D"color:#000000" class=3D"colour"><b>From:</b> Healeys &=
lt;healeys-bounces@autox.team.net> on behalf of Steven Kingsbury via He=
aleys <healeys@autox.team.net><br> <b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, February =
23, 2022 4:34 PM<br> <b>To:</b> Healey Mail List <healeys@autox.team.ne=
t><br> <b>Subject:</b> [Healeys] Head Gasket Woes Part Three</span></sp=
an> </div><div> <br></div></div><div><div>Let me start with a little =
history with this email. My engine has just a shade under 3,000 miles on i=
t since rebuild. The head was checked for cracks, none found and was ever =
so slightly shaved to make sure it was completely flat. The machine shop I=
use=0A builds race engines and they do really good, reliable work.<br></d=
iv><div>Then the block was gone through, new sleeves inserted and bored so=
to fit my new pistons. Again the top of the block was checked and double =
checked to make sure it was flat and mated to the head.<br></div><div>When=
I fired this engine up for the first time after rebuild, she lept to life=
! No turning it over and over and over. She fired right up. I was quite pl=
eased. <br></div><div>I ran the engine for about twenty minutes at 2,000 R=
PM, never got above 180 degrees and then took her out on the road. I took =
care not to over rev, and drove up a long hill in third gear at low RPM to=
help set the rings. <br></div><div>I did have some problems with the=
distributor, but that was fixed and at fifty miles I checked the head aga=
in for torque. I drove the car more and retorqued the head again at 150 mi=
les, all was fine.<br></div><div>I checked again at 500 miles and again at=
1500 miles. All was fine. <br></div><div>Anyway, this history is to =
let you know I think I did everything I could and did everything overly ca=
utious to break this engine in correctly. And this engine was running grea=
t! My car was a joy to drive and loved cruising down the freeway at 80 mph=
! Seventy=0A was a sweet spot and was a joy to drive. <br></div><div>I'm n=
ow thinking of going with the aluminum head thanks to the combined wisdom =
of this list. Aluminum head with the steel gasket. I've heard nothing but =
good news about them and I don't want to have that worry/doubt while drivi=
ng down the road. I am also=0A going to continue down the path of fixing t=
his head as I think it's worth it in the long run. <br></div><div>I w=
ant to thank all of those sending in suggestions and tips and cautionary t=
ales and things to look for and all of the views have led me to believe, b=
ite the bullet and spend the money.<br></div><div>Thank you all and I will=
report back!<br></div><div>Steven Kingsbury<br></div><div>BN1 <br></=
div></div></div></blockquote></div><div><br></div></body></html>
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