residue on head face

[miked]

I just pulled a recently built motor apart to just sort a couple of minor issues. Water pump bearing play due to alt' belt over tension and also poor threads on the chain tensioner. Everything is sweet (per the receipt evidence).

However, PO has used on of these thick new fangled head gaskets. Gasket faces are perfect, no evidence of any leaks, combustion, water to oil or oil to water etc. However there is a varnish type residue on part of the head face that has the gasket pattern (or whatever you call it). Gasket is grey with little white stipple marks and a red outer seal. Inside it is alloy looking with indents, that I quess squash under compression. It seems to clean but I am not sure yet if it has affected the face. A scraper turn it to powder, so it looks like it is on top. Then rubbing with fine wet and dry starts to shift it, but it seems to leave a bit of a stain. It is clear from the rest of the face that the head was faced off and in very good condition.

I have only ever used copper gaskets with Welseal and never had any problems. This is what I am doing here, however I am not keen on what this new gasket appears to have done to the head. I have not started/finished cleaning yet but wondered has anybody else seen this. It is like a fine scale that is on a kettle. I hope it is just sat on the surface! I am going out after to clean it all.


Mike

[mark030358]

Hi Mike,
The Gasket is either an "Adjusa" or a "Cometic" one, probably an Adjusa as the other is ?100+.

Yes I had the same "stains" from mine (like little spot) after I opened up the engine to do the 420 cams, however I did not have the powder residue. Hope its not ally corrosion....

cheers

Mark

[miked]

Hi Mark,

I think you are right, I can see something in the gasket that looks like Adjusa.

I have cleaned it off and is does not appear to be corosion. Seems like some varnish. I can't help thinking that the Welseal protects the alloy on a standard copper gasket.

Mike

[SJ Lambert]

Has there been a head gasket pros and cons with respect to the various types and their best applications including Cometic and standard copper ones?

Best seal and most likely to do no harm to the cylinder head etc???

[miked]

Update. Everything clean and back together except head on block. Waiting for paint to dry etc. However when I got to the block cleaning I found the same pattern had transposed itself onto block face, also sone kind of staining. I shifted it but wonder what the hell goes on with these gaskets. Of more concern on alloy!

Mike