Head Gaskets & Bolts on Rover V8

r2d2hp · Post by **r2d2hp** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:10 pm

As my engine is out at the moment thought it a good time to seek advise on head bolts and gaskets.

When I removed my heads 2 years ago to have a rocker cover bolt spark eroded the copper gaskets were replaced with composite ones and heads put back on using the standard bolts. As I was going to Supercharge the engine I was not unduly worried by the small loss of compression ratio but just wondered what the advice from the people here would be.

Would it be best to leave it as it is or revert to back to the copper gaskets and fit ARP studs?

Any advise greately received.

v8 jago · Post by **v8 jago** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:36 am

I would go ARP right through the engine if i was you, Just to be safe..
As they are quite expensive its up to you what you want to spend.

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:55 am

I would not use copper gaskets on a road car.

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:14 am

The thin "shim" gaskets are prone to leaking, I would use composites and get the heads skimmed if you want the compression back. In your case you may want the reduction in compression as you are going down the supercharger root.

Even Rover gave up on the tin gaskets.

Don't use the outer row of head bolts either if you've got them, they cause problems.

HTH,

Pete

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:03 pm

Reg,
ARP every time, As for gaskets, I used tins for a very long time and never had a problem,
You will have to work out your comp ratio before deciding what you are going to do do with your engine and its gaskets,
ifyou want to go Copper, and you still have the old ones and want to use them they will have to be annealed bedfore you reuse them.
Ian

r2d2hp · Post by **r2d2hp** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:24 pm

Thanks for the replies.

Not sure if this makes any difference but my heads have a steel ring around each chamber and it was fitted with copper gaskets. It a TVR 4.3 so not sure if these heads were modified by them.

Being its supercharged will the small loss of compression ratio make much differance. Engine was making 220 rwhp with the composites which did not seem to bad.

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:32 pm

I used both ringed, and normal heads on my TT RV8 with factory ( payen ) composite gaskets ( 4.6 )

I never had any gasket issues with ARP studs.