to O ring or not to O ring

[bigkatboat]

"O rings are a pain in the ass" YES! if you don't use your head! If building big power were SIMPLE, everone would do it. But more often than not, you see blown boats being towed back to the ramp. Why? Many blown motors in larger/ heavy'r boats are being built like they were in small boats. The load (boat size/ weight) is the most critical factor in building the motor. The next area is the RPM range. If ANYONE makes a FAIL PROOF BLOWER HEAD GASKET, I would like to know about it. PLease tell me! ALL OF THE PRODUCTS OFFERED TODAY HAVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. Do what works for your set- up. After 33 world champions in drag boats, I'm not going to change until a better solution comes around. Good luck to you all!

[Infomaniac]

Everyone has their parts and methods that they use and really no reason to change if whatever you are using works. I dislike "o" rings and copper gaskets because they are a bitch to seal up and it is impossible to get an optimum "quench" clearance. The gasket thickness has to be "x" times thicker than the "o" ring is tall. No way to hold to a .030 to .040 quench unless the piston is .010 out of the hole.
We buy Wire rings from Brad Anderson all the time to repair top alcohol and fuel heads.
Honestly I have not seen the need for them on pump gas or milder race deals.

[steelcomp]

Hey Ron, How many miles of wire you think we went through ar Dart and AJ's?
There were times I spent days just grooving heads and tapping in o-ring wire.
Tell ME it's not a pain! Then you get one that won't stay, 'cause you tapped a little too hard and flattened the wire and widened the groove. Back on the mill, set up the groover, bigger groove, bigger wire, time's a tickin. AAaghh!
Tapping wire in a groove is an art, and took a long time to get good at it. At least the TF guys have gotten smart and come up with a better mouse trap. Even those fail from time to time!
No wire for this guy, if it can be avoided at all!!

[revndave]

I just found out I have 2 blown head gaskets.I'm O ringed with copper head gaskets.I ran 10 lbs. of boost.Also had broken valve spring,2 bad valves,2 bent wrist pins and 2 bent rods.Other than that not too bad my engine build says.

[steelcomp]

"O rings are a pain in the ass" YES! if you don't use your head! If building big power were SIMPLE, everone would do it. But more often than not, you see blown boats being towed back to the ramp. Why? Many blown motors in larger/ heavy'r boats are being built like they were in small boats. The load (boat size/ weight) is the most critical factor in building the motor. The next area is the RPM range. If ANYONE makes a FAIL PROOF BLOWER HEAD GASKET, I would like to know about it. PLease tell me! ALL OF THE PRODUCTS OFFERED TODAY HAVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. Do what works for your set- up. After 33 world champions in drag boats, I'm not going to change until a better solution comes around. Good luck to you all!
Bigkat...I didn't see where anyone's asking you to change anything. After your 33 world shattering records that you've made us all very aware of, you've obviously got it figured out. But I'm wondering...how many motors have you put the new Cometics on? How will you know if a better solution comes along if you're not willing to try something new?
And o-ringing IS a pain in the ass to do right. That's why it's a paiin in the ass. It's not simple.

[steelcomp]

I just found out I have 2 blown head gaskets.I'm O ringed with copper head gaskets.I ran 10 lbs. of boost.Also had broken valve spring,2 bad valves,2 bent wrist pins and 2 bent rods.Other than that not too bad my engine build says.
Dooood...WTF is up with THAT??? Who built your motor...Pep boys??? I thought that thing was the shiot! Sounds like water got in the motor.
Not too bad, huh. I wonder when it get's to "bad".
I'm bummin for ya! :frown:

[revndave]

Dooood...WTF is up with THAT??? Who built your motor...Pep boys??? I thought that thing was the shiot! Sounds like water got in the motor.
Not too bad, huh. I wonder when it get's to "bad".
I'm bummin for ya! :frown:
The assembly of the motor was top notch.No signs of water in motor.Engine builder said injector could of done it.I dont use a fuel shut off.Anyways I sold injector.Going with Dominators.

[steelcomp]

The assembly of the motor was top notch.No signs of water in motor.Engine builder said injector could of done it.I dont use a fuel shut off.Anyways I sold injector.Going with Dominators.
My bad...just bs'n...wish I'da known you were sellin the hat. GOOD LUCK!

[bigkatboat]

With a .039" groove in the block, and a .041" stainless steel wire in the groove, the copper gasket is displaced (at a 90 degree angle) into the receiver in the head. The displacement (of the ring into the gasket, into the groove) makes the gasket thickness relative. The fact that the flame travel is STOPPED by the displacement of the gasket at a 90 degree angle, makes this method the MOST COSTLY BUT MOST SAFE for blower motors (the FAA agrees). Yes, you can run Cometic gaskets on a MILD blower motor, but if you want the most trouble free PROVEN (FAA!) method, go with the O- ring and receiver. It won't fail, if put together CORRECTLY. In fact, I ran a totally stock 1979 454 Chevy truck with a 5lbs turbo system on it for 221,000 miles, so yes you can run ANY head gasket on a MILD blown motor. But what is the cut off point for MILD? I like to put them together once.

[steelcomp]

With a .039" groove in the block, and a .041" stainless steel wire in the groove, the copper gasket is displaced (at a 90 degree angle) into the receiver in the head. The displacement (of the ring into the gasket, into the groove) makes the gasket thickness relative. The fact that the flame travel is STOPPED by the displacement of the gasket at a 90 degree angle, makes this method the MOST COSTLY BUT MOST SAFE for blower motors (the FAA agrees). Yes, you can run Cometic gaskets on a MILD blower motor, but if you want the most trouble free PROVEN (FAA!) method, go with the O- ring and receiver. It won't fail, if put together CORRECTLY. In fact, I ran a totally stock 1979 454 Chevy truck with a 5lbs turbo system on it for 221,000 miles, so yes you can run ANY head gasket on a MILD blown motor. But what is the cut off point for MILD? I like to put them together once.
What's the FAA got to do with anything here? Last I looked, Lycomings and Continentals don't even have head gaskets...not that they're the only thing going, but you keep throwing in FAA like it means something.
You didn't mention groove depth, or wire height, either, wich is as, if not more, important than the press fit of the wire in the groove.
OK...everybody do it Bigkat's way.
We can stop thinking now. The FAA says so. :sleeping: