Sometimes even here in America we need to put that shit together and run it till parts arrive. Or to test some other work we did when we just have what we have in the engine room and need to go fishing tomorrow to put food on our table.... And yours.
Top Fuel Racing reuses headgaskets regularly. Now those are thick copper gaskets that are torque conditioned, run limited, and used for tuning. This is an extreme example of reusing headgaskets. But even on a modern MLS head gasket it too can be reused. Why do we require them to be replaced? It is because for the amount of work to do headgaskets, your silly to not replace it. Why don't you replace it? Avaliablity usually and the tear down wasn't because there was a problem with the gasket or sealing surfaces. I have used Indian Head Gasket Shelac on a cheap commuter, multiple racecars, and a needed truck. They all worked as the available solution at the time and continued until replaced. The commuter was sold as a running smog passing car after years of service. Racecars worked through multiple races and one by chance a season. I don't know what happened to the truck after a year of running.
@@seanmckay3392 so you’re saying if you’re stranded somewhere with no new part but had to make it work, you’d put no head gasket instead of the old gasket?
On super old engines like flathead I've gotten away with cleaning the metal head gasket and applying copper paint to them and torguing them down a little more then normal .....you shouldn't...but it can work
1. Gaskets are cheap. 2. If you are even cheaper, use copper spray after doing the "glass trick" to level the mating surfaces, and checking with a decent straight-edge. 3. If you are both too lazy and cheap to resurface the head, just sell the car. 4. No really, gaskets are really cheap, but opt for an mls where possible.
Some explanation/commentary as to the what/why your doing would have been helpful. Is that "indian head" your using on the gasket? Im considering re-using the gasket on my 250cc motorcycle, my base gasket is seeping a little though I havent lost any compression.
Head gaskets can be re-used on old air cooled VW beetle engines and push lawn mower engines. Other than that, they can't be re-used anywhere else. I've heard you can re-use the head gaskets on the Slavia 2S90A diesel engine too.
