Head gasket visual

[playdiesel]

 Admittably my experiance with this particular engine is not what some other's is but I have spent some time inside of engines over the years. In my opinion there is no reason for the gaskets to be a problem on a Lister CS or copy. Unlike some applications there are plenty of bolts in a good pattern around the cylinder nor is there pressurized water or oil pressure to deal with. In general it's just and easy application to seal, or should be. My Metro was a slobberer when I got it but when it went through the shop for desanding that was easily fixed. My 24 HP Powerline also slobbers but has yet to find a place in line at the shop.

Here is the offending part. The 1920s design headgasket as supplied. A leak waiting to happen when made right, let alone made of the wrong material and poorly executed.


Here is another picture, Think that gasket is copper? look closely. Hard to get a picture but that gasket is made of aluminum that has been thinly plated with copper, may not even be copper may just be copper anodized?. I am not sure if all Indian gaskets are like this but I have two sets of replacements that are made like this and the supplied gaskets on my Metro and Powerline engines are both like this one, pure  garbage unworthy of installation on anything I own.


Here good quality modern gasket construction. This one happens to be from John at Gaskets to Go but places like Lubbock Gasket can make them also (for lots more money). They will seal with no goop and last as long as the engine does.


Sorry if I am stepping on some suppliers here. If India is suppling real copper gaskets that are properly made to certain suppliers then maybe we should know about them? As it stands now there is no place I am aware of that you can get a complete overhaul gasket for decent money that contains both all the gaskets you need and acceptable quality. The GTG sets do not contain shimming gasets for deck height or roller type mains. I have been using GTG sets and shims from Indian sets.

One of the GTG gaskets on top of a Dursley 6/1 that is currently gracing my shop. Pefect fit.

[Crofter]

The Dursley has extra head bolts compared to the copy, so I would not say there are lots of bolts to give good even clamping. I agree though that the Indian gaskets may be pretty chintzy. Mine appears to be copper at least but the filler is very porous and totally exposed at all the perimeter and passages. It seems to be hit and miss whether the cylinder sleeve has proper and consistent protrusion.

[playdiesel]

Frank you are of course correct about the number of bolts clone vs Dursley. I should have said "enough" bolts not plenty. I also made the assumption that people check the deck for imperfections and also the stand out,,bad move maybe? LOL ) .
I cannot remember exactly when I finished the Metro but it was early summer and it is full of antifreeze. One thing the Indians had right on that engine was sleeve protrusion. The junction of head and block looks like the day I painted it. As you know too much sleeve height will cause leaks at the water passages and too little will cause blown fire rings. It would be nice to be able to simply order a gasket kit of quality componants that has all we need to properly do the job on every type, a lot to ask I guess.

[Bottleveg]

It would be nice to be able to simply order a gasket kit of quality componants that has all we need to properly do the job on every type, a lot to ask I guess.

I am sure you could ask Gaskets-to-go to fill out their standard kit to include shim gaskets and the roller mains gaskets.

I have spoken to John about this but haven't had time to follow it up.
I use his cylinder head gaskets, with excellent results' so it would be good to buy the 'full set' from him.
GTG's Dursley full gasket set is short of one cylinder door, oil pump, oil drain plug, cast iron fuel filter, oil feed pipe gaskets, bump stop and mains gasket shims.
John did say he could produce the extra ones at extra cost.


One tip I've learnt on head gaskets is, with the engine running, spray the area with soapy water, with a spray bottle. I've had engines running but blowing bubbles on Indian gaskets. Around the compression change over valve is also a good place to check for leaking copper washers.

[Crofter]

I think with the different bore there will be a change in gasket size when you jump from 6-1 to 10-1 and larger (and the respective twins)  One assumption you cannot make with the clones, is that any specification will be correct. Surfaces that should have been hardened may not be or be brittle as glass. We get misses too in North American manufacture - I think it was when the Ford 332 cam on the scene, one hit the road with NO piston rings on one bank- another, GM product, had two oil pump relief valve springs behind the plunger and pressure was up over 175 psi and pumping up the hyd. valve lifters! Shit does happen but on the clones you really have to constantly watch where you step, lol!

An engine assembled here has a better chance but it is not cheap to correct if you put a price on your time or have to farm out machining work.