I am putting on replacement/rebuilt heads this weekend and was wondering what you guys recommend for head gaskets? I am using a 1973 block and 452 heads. Any suggestions or tips?

This is a pretty stock rebuild with mild cam/stock compression.

Thanks!

Fel Pro...8519PT

Fel-Pro 17059 Marine

Back in 2002, this gasket was suggested as superior to the standard Fel Pro BB Chrysler gasket.

Copper head gaskets (thin) can be nice for increasing compression and in high-compression or turbo/blown applications.

SCE Titan Copper Head Gaskets 032 inch thick

Back in the day, Steel-Shim gaskets (thin) were also good to increase compression a bit too.

can anyone else confirm? I only want to do this once!

Thanks again!

yes, 8519 is the normal fel pro replacement composite gasket, for stock and mild performance. What is your bore size, and does it have a large chamfer at the top of the bore?

Unless you shave the heads using a composite gasket is going to lower your already low compression ...

Here is a link from Feb 2008 discussing BB Head Gaskets. Second Post down, there is mention of the "17059" Fel Pro gasket on an engine with 12 to 1 Compression, no leaks/problems after three-years of running.

Moparts Head Gasket Post

I can't at the moment recall why (think it had to do with the Fire-Ring,) but the Fel Pro 17059 Marine was supposed to be a superior choice.

I've had my 17059 gaskets in there since 2002.

blue felpro gaskets. quite pricey but there the only way to go.

You need all the CR you can get. I'd 2nd the steel shim gaskets w several coats of alum paint or copper coat but the heads/decks must be FLAT for them to seal. Works best on freshly machined surfaces.

I used the blue felpro permatorq gaskets because they came with my gasket kit. If I had to buy gaskets I would go with the steel shim gaskets.

I have the Marines on my Stealth heads with 12.5 domes.Been on over 2 years and no problems.We have the 09s on the kids 62 413 with 516s.Rocky

I've go a ~76-77 440 apparently RB what ever that means...

my block has 4006630-440-1 on the driver side.

I ordered Complete Gasket Set FS7891PT-13

so are the Fel-Pro Head gaskets thick enough that I will

have problems reinstalling my Intake/Valley Pan?

I know the OEM metal shim gaskets are like .20 and the FP's

are .39 is that enough to throw off my valley distances?

Agree the basic blue Felpro gaskets in the kits are more than adequate for your application... but the steel shim would gain some compression.

running the Mr. Gasket steel gaskets for 5 years now,no issues yet. knock on wood...

What pistons are you using , do you care about compression ratio?

You obviously don't care about quench so I won't open that can of worms ...

No you will be fine , what pistons ? If you still have the stock low compression slugs going to a thicker gasket will lower compression unless you did something wit hthe heads to make up for it .

AFAIK ALL bigblock Mopars came with steel shim head gaskets, and they lasted until you took the engine apart. They weren't coated with anything else on the assembly line, either.

Racers always think they know more than the guys who designed and endurance tested the engines, and they used to spray a coat of aluminum paint on each side before installation. In my mind, Copper Coat has too much stuff in it, it's as likely to make it slippery as help lock it down. I'd put them in dry. Much more critical to get the head properly torqued down.

Mopar bigblocks are either:

B, with a 9.980 deck height, 3.38 stroke. They are 350 (really rare), 361, 383, 400 or,

RB, for Raised B, 10.725" deck height, 3.75 stroke. They were 413, 426 and 440. There are a few RB 383s running around but I have never touched one, only seen pictures.

Unless you have uneven decks or heads, which can be checked out with a straightedge, I'd suggest the steel shim gaskets. Your compression is low enough already, no reason to make it lower with a gasket with 0.051" compressed height. Plus the steel shim gaskets are cheap.

Finally, the difference between a 0.021" gasket and a 0.040" or 0.051" gasket won't make enough difference to spit at regarding intake fit. Think of the thousands of 440s put together by ignorant slobs like teenage me who just took the gaskets out of the box and put them on, step by step, never giving a thought to gasket thickness.

We're just a bunch of crabby old ladies.

R.