I have no idea what the source of this gasket is. I think I got it with a bunch of other gaskets at an auction, and it's been sitting in my gasket box for a few years.
The bottom side looks like it's been sprayed with flat black paint.
The top side shows copper with black overspray.
I have a regular copper gasket I'll be using on the car, but I'm curious about this one. I'm wondering who painted it, and why. Anybody run into this before?
Perhaps the person who had it used it as a pattern or stencil and laid it on a gasket sheet and used spray paint to outline the cuts.
I don't think the paint will hurt anything.
Is it a new gasket? Is it steel or copper faced? Looks like it might be OK to use.
I have heard of guys using spray paint on head gaskets as a sort of 'sealer'. I've never done it, but I have known guys who did. Maybe that's what someone was doing to that one.
Copper on both sides. In the first picture you can see just a little showing through. It doesn't look like it's ever been used. I expect I'll wipe off the paint and use this one on the next job.
It is probably bbq paint. I have heard of guys doing this, for what reason, who knows.
When old copper gaskets are exposed to the air and dampness as hi humid days in the summer, and even if the box is standing open, they tarnish like that.
It don't hurt any thing.
No different then a Brass Radiator.
I normally use flat silver lacquer spray paint on copper head gaskets. Spray both sides with the gasket hanging from a wire. Let it get tacky and assemble the head to the block. Of course the head and block must be completely degreased.
The head will be securely sealed and you will have to use a gasket scraper and a rubber mallet to separate them if you ever need to take them apart. Works better than anything else I know of, and is dirt cheap.