Ok, use the damn gasket. I don't care.

Like Dave Rosenthal and Graham Russell, I'm a machinist. I did my own block & head surface grinding.
If you want something done right...

It's not just me.
There were a whole bunch of people on here that had issues with blown smallbore copper gaskets in the last year or two. After switching to ACL Monotorque composition gaskets, the problem ceased. Even on a couple of 1152 turbo motors running 15psi or so.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

WoW wow morris 1100,

I'm seriously not having a go this is the first time I have heard of this happening and I just wnated to find out more. Really not out out to pi$$ anyone off here, I just wanted to know thats all.

Sorry

By the way you never told me who your "Plastic blaster" was? May I ask?

[quote="Phat Kat"]WoW wow morris 1100,

I'm seriously not having a go this is the first time I have heard of this happening and I just wnated to find out more. Really not out out to pi$$ anyone off here, I just wanted to know thats all.

Sorry

By the way you never told me who your "Plastic blaster" was? May I ask?

And drmini in aust, I envy you to no end, I can't begin to tell you how much I wish I had the gear to do my own machining, I'm slowly getting some together but yeah. Sorry, I won't put my foot in my mouth by asking if you checked your own work

About 10,000klms ago i replaced my headgasket with a copper one lying on the shelf at work, i figured it must be pretty good yea? The head was milled but the block was left alone. I put the head on and went for a drive and it was leaking straight away, no pressure in the cooling system (so its possible the block caused the problem, but i think the gasket was part of the problem). I put a packet of sealer in and it never leaked again.

I've got no idea what this sealer is, but it comes in a little packet, only the size of a 20cent coin and it works wonders. And its such a small amount its not going to block up much of your radiator either.

I have to ask... I don't see what difference it could make but are all of you guys reffering to Small bore motors or did this happen on 1275's too?

Smallbore motors tend to blow the current copper ones between 1-2 or 3-4.

1275s can too, but blow between 2-3 (narrower bore spacing here).

The fire rings on a BK450 (aka 1275 `metro turbo') gasket appear to be better material. GR has been known to reuse these gaskets on his dyno development motors, no leaks, they really are that good.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I can add myself to the list. I used a copper head gasket from the standard gasket kit on a 1275LS engine. The gasket leaked oil from the head feed down the back of the block straight away. Pieces of crap, we shouldn't accept them as part of the kit. The BK450 is the only one I use now.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

The 'standard' gasket kit contains a composite aluminum gasket. If you want a copper one you (usually) need to specify that is what you what.

I have seen that a lot of people here seem to favour the 'Monotorque' Head Gaskets. I have to say that I have not used these for about 20 years. They may have improved in that time. I did try some in the mid 80's (after having a visit from the Payon Rep) and as Gaskets I found them OK, nothing that I would write home about and as for being 'Monotorque' - what a load of crap!! Anything but, they still need re-torquing! Has this situation changed? I went off them as they were considerably dearer and took considerable more effort to clean the Block and Head Faces when stripped down.

Also, (as was explained to me by the Rep) do you guys who are using them know what they (at least were) intended for?

They were intended for the workshops who need to turn around customers (daily driver type) cars fast - definitely no go for performance engines - and without the need for the customer to return to have their heads re-torqued and tappets re-set etc. Has this situation also changed?

I have to say that I have used probably most of the available head gaskets available and any that I have had problems with were operator error, not a gasket fault. This also goes for the current range of copper gaskets, which I do like because they usually come apart clean.

I would never use an ACL Monotorque gasket without retorqueing it. As you say, it's a misnomer.
The fact is, on a turbo 1098 running 15psi, these work great if retorqued, but nothing else tried here holds up now. Including the current crop of crappy `non asbestos' copper ones.

BTW these days an ACL Monotorque for a 998/1098 is under 20 bux at Karcraft. Cheap as chips.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

How does this change the way the gaskets are fitted? A few extra pounds of torque applied to the bolts? Or do they need to include a gasket spray to make them a little better sealing? A 1275LS isn't a speed machine either. As I see it, if the surfaces are flat, clean and prepped there isn't any further magic which needs to be applied here unless you need to improve the gasket with a gasket spray.
The addition of a better quality gasket removed the issue with no other modifications which doesn't make the supplied gasket look so good at all.

Joke was, I was warned it would leak prior to using it by the good Doc and Morris 1100 at the time

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Hi all,

Thanks Doc for such a specific answer regarding what type of motor they are most likely to blow in.

As I asked earlier how long does it normally take? As I said earlier before ruffling Morris1100's feathers, I have used copper gaskets on three motors in the last 12-14 months, 2 of them 1275's and one a 998. These motors are fine at the moment but should I expect a problem soon? How long did everyone elses last before blowing? Some people here have indicated instant problems and others have withheld. I just want to know if I should get spare gaskets ready.

Hi Mick,
you just treat the monotorque like a normal gasket, torque it up only to the recomended amount for your studs, and then torque them up again after an hour to 2 hours of running. And if you want to be really particular on a new motor, check it again after its 500km run in period.

As GT mowog said earlier, don't do take it down all the way in one hit, torque it up progresively at 10 foot pound at a time.

HI Phat Kat
I build a lot of 998 / 1100cc race engines for historic racing cars making up to 115hp on 11.5 to 12to1 compression and i can tell you that the current copper type head will not work they leak out of the front of the head and blow out both ends very badley after a few hard runs on the dyno but the ACL gasket stopped this problem may be on a std engine
you may get away with it being low compression and not a lot of hp,
but why take the risk when there is a better product and cheaper.
as for the 1275 type engines if your making any type of hp you wont go past the bk450 gasket.
Graham Russell

I`ve personally never had a copper head gasket blow
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Because i don`t use them

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

I'll add my mate to the list - he needed a 1275 head gasket in a hurry before the Moke Muster, brand new engine machined block and head.

The only one I had was the copper one that came with a gasket set a couple of months earlier, I said "I'll never use it, I don't trust them, but go for it", he put it on, trailered the car up there, and the gasket blew within 100k's

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?