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Wellseal or not - any advice?


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Along the lines of TR3George would welcome expert or first hand advice only please. About to put the cylinder head back I noticed that the head gasket wasn't labelled "Top". My guess is that putting the folded over lip upmost would be best, and that's what the Roger Williams book shows. Anyway, then reading my (early) workshop manual it says use Wellseal on top of the liners and the "combustion surface" by which I think it means the head. I haven't used Wellseal (or any sealer) on head gaskets before. What's the expert view? Thanks JJC

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I used Wellseal on both sides of the head gasket, and on both sides of the figure of 8 seals. My thinking was that it could do no harm, but could do a lot of good, especially since the liner protrusion will be different for each cylinder and the Wellseal may " take up " the difference. Just my opinion of course.wink.gif

 

Rod

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I did the same as you when my gasket went, ask aound for how i should replace it, I got the whole range, dry, greased, wellseal, diluted wellseal and more. In the end i put it on dry following the advice of the guy that did the head, a thick copper gasket should seal ok without any other compounds, and the more gunk you put on it the harder it will be to seperate in the future.

Good Luck

Steve

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Welseal is excellent for metal to metal joints that do not need to move or be seperated very often.

It is used on the figure of 8 gaskets to protect the Ali gasket from the effects of corrosion caused by the coolant (not the oil).

The head gasket has no need of such protection and on its own forms an excellent seal for the waterways and gas areas.

The liners need an apprx 0.005" protrusion. Even with +/- 0.003" a good seal would still be ensured without any additional sealants.

 

If you glue the head down you may need an engine hoist to seperate it :o:o

 

Roger

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I did the same as you when my gasket went, ask aound for how i should replace it, I got the whole range, dry, greased, wellseal, diluted wellseal and more. In the end i put it on dry following the advice of the guy that did the head, a thick copper gasket should seal ok without any other compounds, and the more gunk you put on it the harder it will be to seperate in the future.

Good Luck

Steve

For the record, the original workshop manual recommends grease or if a sealing compound is used then a non-setting type as otherwise the liners may be disturbed next time the head is lifted.

 

I have used copper gaskets dry, with grease, red/blue Hermetite, Wellseal, etc.

All worked OK, but on the one occasion I used a competition thin steel gasket, I did use Wellseal as recommended at the time, although I would have felt more comfortable with something thicker as the liners were virtually lavel with the block and I didn't have the nerve to remove them just to fit new figure-8 gaskets with all that involves. I don't recall any subsequent head gasket problems, but can't remember how long I ran that engine before the next head change, but have preferred to stick with copper gaskets since, just in case.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello,

the opinon a froggy.

I have several TR3s and one fully dedicated to hard rallye.

On my normal TR3, with the standard copper gasket, I don't put any sealant ... just some oil on the surface to help the gasket to slide, expend, a lit bit as you tighten it from the center to the outside, according a spirale. The copper gasket are thick enought, they don't need sealant.

I never had any gasket problem!

But for my rally TR3, the engine is prepared, head skimmed, large valves, .... the gasket is a thin metal gasket, then I am using the sealant Wellseal .... on both faces.

Rgds and good TRing

GG (www.trmentvotre.com)

 

 

Welseal is excellent for metal to metal joints that do not need to move or be seperated very often.

It is used on the figure of 8 gaskets to protect the Ali gasket from the effects of corrosion caused by the coolant (not the oil).

The head gasket has no need of such protection and on its own forms an excellent seal for the waterways and gas areas.

The liners need an apprx 0.005" protrusion. Even with +/- 0.003" a good seal would still be ensured without any additional sealants.

 

If you glue the head down you may need an engine hoist to seperate it :o:o

 

Roger

 

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