Cometic Sump Gaskets

[mark030358]

Ordered a cometic gasket set to replace the cork items on my sump for my Elan Sprint. I bought them from one of the more reputable motor factor suppliers (they do lotus and lots of other engine stuff, Cosworth, BDA's etc etc). Anyway, to get to the point of the matter they don't fit the ?lan sump and are 1/4" short where the tab should go into the the end seals. So I took some photos of these cometic gaskets and standard cork gaskets and sent them off to the retailer for their perusal. Anyway, after a while they got back to me and yes yes your right, they don't fit and are for some other Ford Block (711 I think ?). So save your money and don't buy them.

The supplier were excellent by the way and offered me a full refund, but I had oedered a set so kept everything.

cheers
Mark

ps some Cometic 711 sump gaskets for free, just PM me.

[Lyn7]

Hi Mark, pm sent. Thanks

[7skypilot]

I've used Cometic sump gaskets on my twin cam without any problems. I also used 711M front and rear rubber seals which mate perfectly with the Cometic gasket. I did have to reduce the thickness of the front(?) rubber seal to fit the twin cam housing. This was done easily, but carefully, on a bench grinder.

The result is a cork-free engine, with (almost!) no leaks and rusty sump bolts!

I can't recommend Cometic gaskets highly enough. I used them for the head, cam cover and sump in the twin cam, and in my BDA's.

[TroonSprint]

I too used Cometic gaskets on the sump. I put a small blob of silicone sealer at the ends and they don't leak at all. They are also great under the cam cover. Because of their rigid construction they stay in place and don't slip off sideways as you place the cover.

Mike

[mark030358]

Thanks for the comments.
However, they are meant for a 711, not a twincam, as they just dont fit properly.

thanks
Mark.

[rgh0]

I did not believe the sump bolt patterns and diameters of the crank seal carriers are any different between a 6 bolt 1500 block twink or a 711 1600 block. The only difference is the thickness of the groove for the rubber versus cork seals i thought. The sumps themselves are certainly identical.

Looks more like a manufacturing tolerance problem with cometic gaskets than a specific twin cam variation but I stand to be corrected.

cheers
Rohan

[mark030358]

Rohan, you are correct. These Comrtics will work if the rubber type seals are used.

My original point was that the gaskets were being advertised for a lotus twin cam (thats why I bought them), however the "standard" engine does not have this (rubber) sealing arrangement as standard. Thus the unwary purchaser (like me) buys these gaskets (in a set) for around $75AUD only to find they dont fit. And as previously mentioned only a large glob of goo gets them to seal.

thanks
Mark

[rgh0]

I suspect in reality the same large dob of silicone will be needed to properly seal with the rubber gaskets on the later 711 block engines as the sump compresses the rubber to the same O/D as the cork. The sumps I believe are the same from the early to late six bolt motors.

cheers
Rohan