MTFCA Forum

The '22 center door I bought in September leaked coolant out the front of the engine so I went in to replace the head gasket.

This is what I found. I'm new to Model T's but besides no copper sealant used, what's wrong with this picture???



Regards,
Rich

Looks like it's on backwards. Look at the semi-circular holes in the block vs. whats on your gasket. That's the tell-tale.

The picture doesn't show well enough, and has been sized to small to blow up for enough detail. So I can't be certain from the picture.
However, I suspect the head gasket was installed backwards/upside-down. The water passageway the "bumps out front and rear has a front and back. The difference is small, and for some reason a lot of people insist on putting them on wrong. The difference, being small means it quite often works okay backwards. One of the cars I had a couple years ago had that done to it by a previous owner. It worked fine. One thing and another I never got around to correcting it and it was still working fine when I had to sell it.
Lack of the copper spray usually doesn't cause trouble. It is a good idea to use it, but it wasn't around when the cars were new, and being fairly low compression they don't really need it.

If the leak is at the front where the outer edge of the large front gallery is, the block may well be low at that point. It should be checked with a good straight edge. Any low spot can be compensated for by inserting brass shimstock of suitable thickness between the gasket filler material and the copper outer. Use your usual gasket sealer and tension as usual.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Was cause of your leak at the front edge, that gasket, being placed in error, had its 'big' rear outlet hole placed up front. That let little gasket to seal as it overhung the front of the block. New gasket will fix.

And do use favorite sealer (alum paint or Copper Coat) on that gasket, minor surface depressions in head or block surface can prevent good seal.

Here is comparison a copper gasket placed dry, without sealer, note carbon blow-by, and another copper gasket with alum pigment spray enamel, which looks like the best seal?