I am using these head gaskets on my 440 to achieve around 9.6 to 1 compression with stock 452 heads and Wiseco PTS531A3 Pro Tru Pistons. My engine guy says to spray both sides with a light coat of Permatex® Copper Spray-A-Gasket®....what do you guys think?

Never used anything on Fel-Pro head gaskets, I always re-torque after the first fire up as per the instructions.

I never use anything either, no issues ever.

I always use the copper spray, but it probably doesn’t matter.

I never used copper coat on 1039’s and never found a need to retorque them.

Me too
Teflon coated gaskets don't need cooper coat or any other gasket sealer
Beaded steel or solid copper gaskets ,yes

Thanks guys ....dry it is

I’m a big laquer thinner user. When I go to put the heads on I lower the pistons evenly and throughly clean my block deck and head sealing surfaces with thinner. Clean is your friend

[/quote]I’m a big laquer thinner user. When I go to put the heads on I lower the pistons evenly and throughly clean my block deck and head sealing surfaces with thinner. Clean is your friend [/quote]Yep...me too.

Mr onetwo -- Simple rule of thumb: Fiber-faced gaskets require no chemical sealer; metal-faced gaskets should use a thin supplementary sealer coating (unless they are MLS design). Read the Fel-Pro instructions... I wrote them when I was a gasket engineer with them.


The old-fashioned Copper Coat is for metal-shims.

I have always used a light coating of spray gasket sealer on any head gasket I ever used. I figure a light coating cant never hurt any and could help it seal up. Never had a problem and did the same on my Comedic gaskets on my old 440 that I built in 2006 and is still running fine. I have the Felpro gaskets on my eng in my car now and they got a light coating. This eng has been in the car since 2011 and never any issue's and never been apart. Ron

Is the copper spray needed on normal gaskets? NO, probably not.
Will it hurt anything? NO.
I've done it both ways and never had any problems. I use copper spray every time on cometic or any other type of steel gasket.

I use the copper spray on all the head gaskets, never a problem.
I think it may help with very small imperfections...my 2 cents

Joe

The application of copper spray (or any other kind of added sealer applied by the installer) is a complete waist of time (and expense). The Fel-Pro gaskets already have a micro-sealer, which is furthermore an anti-stick coating for clean and easy gasket removal if/when needed. You've already paid for it when you purchased the gaskets.

In more recent years, some manufacturers of MLS gaskets have a supplementary sealer additionally applied at the end of the manufacturing process.

For single-shim old-fashioned original embossed metal gaskets (such as the very old and original BB head gaskets), that is where a thin coating supplementary sealer could be used. And the copper coating is marginal... a "hi-tack" spray coating is better for those as it will have slightly better viscosity.

IF the surface finishes are very good, and without pitting or corrosion, then realistically, there's no need for supplementary coating to be applied at all.