I am going to be installing a set of Eddy RPM heads on my motor and I will be using Fel-Pro 1009 head gaskets. The heads are new and the block has been decked. Would it be best to install the gaskets as-is or should I spray them with a gasket dressing such as Copper-Kote?

Lay that 1009 Head Gasket on your head and line up the head bolt holes to make sure the fire ring isn’t in the chamber. That’s been an issue with that gasket at times.

Which block are you building? The 1009 was designed for the smaller bore 426,383,(4.250 size)413 and 361 blocks(4.180), not for the larger 4.320 440 bores
I bought the 1009 for the 413 truck block build with the bore at 4.250 I'm assembling now with 440 source heads, they barely fit properly on it

use the 8519 gasket. don't take a chance with 1009.

Per the gasket manufacturers, gaskets go in dry.

Or if you think you know more than the guys who designed the gasket, go ahead and slather it with goop.

What the goop does is provide another liquid layer between gasket and surface.

The last engine I took apart had some sort of graphite colored stuff on each side of the gasket. It took real effort to scrape it all off the block and heads.

Note: There are some gasket holes on some engines that tend to leak either oil or water. On these engines, a light coating of Hylomar Blue just around the offending holes will keep the assembly from leaking.

R.

It's a 400 block.

Don't use the 1009 on it

"Or if you think you know more than the guys who designed the gasket, go ahead and slather it with goop."

I don't think I know more than the guys who designed the gasket. If I did I wouldn't be asking for advice.

I always put them on dry

We had a 440 block that had a large chamfer. We couldn't use the 1009 gasket because it hung into the bore.

When we have used that gasket we always put it on dry.

The bore is easy to catch but a lot of guys never lay it on the head to do a test fitting to see the fire ring in the chamber

They didnt work on my Stealths which were the first set.I used the felpro marine gaskets.Fits perfect and have been on at least 6 years.rocky

The FP 8519 is NOT a performance intended head gasket... it simply has the additional spark plug stem holes.. as used on the common motorhome engines.

The FP marine head gaskets have stainless steel instead of tin plate metal (both core and armor)... to prevent salt water rusting. The cylinder armor is also SS.. so that is better than the tin plate armor used on the standard head gasket (7891 PT).

There is no need to apply any chemical to a fiber-faced gasket. Further, the FP gasket already has a pre-applied facial sealer simply to add release agent if/when ever removed. Read the instructions.

The bore diameter can be an issue... always safe to double-check both the head chamber and block chamfers... can be an issue with any gasket and any casting.

I was a former FP engineer.. I know the product and design.

So which FelPro head gasket would suggest for a high performance application Mitch?

I used this one for a lot of 8 second passes with zero issues on my 440 based builds.


https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fel-17059/overview/

Has anyone tried the Superformance head gasket?

And why I've been running the Marine gasket for 16+ years..........

Do these have a lock wire in them?