Tips Wanted for Head Gaskets Replacement

AZNEAL311

New Member
Sep 1, 2006
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Phoenix
Im swapping out my head gaskets and Im having trouble getting it on the block with out damaging the gasket. I went to the 24hr Checker and asked for head/block alignment dowels and when they brought them up the were some kind of rubber seals. They didnt know what I was talking about. I thought guide dowels were a pretty common item but i guess I was wrong or they were just retarded. Im leaning towards the later. So now im wondering if any one has any ideas for some thing one might have around the garage or house that could pass as a guide dowel. There was a set of copper gaskets on the heads and was wondering if they are reusable? <--Dumb question? I went cheap and got Felpro and I think Im going to regret it with the amount of mods done to my car. Any one use the Copper Gasket in a can? I have some but am a little sketchy trying it. They only have to last a couple months or so till I can get my 351 buit and ready to drop in. If any one can awnser even one of my many Qs I would aprecciate it.

Mods- Edel. Performer Heads, Edel. RPM2 intake,MSD 6AL/Dist/Blaster2 Coil, BBk 75mm TB, BBK CAI, W/March Ram Air and MAF conversion, Crane Cams Rockers, There Is a Cam but I have yet to identify it, stock headers, Flow. 40s, FFRP Alumin. Drive line, 3.73 gears.:flag:
 
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I definitely wouldn't sweat using Fel-Pro gaskets. I'm running the 1011-2 on my car right now with no headaches. They were even specified by TFS, so I'm going to trust their recommendation. Using studs would make your life easier, but much like doing an intake install, you can use bolts with the heads cut off as studs to guide the head down if you chose to use bolts. I definitely wouldn't recommend reusing your head gaskets, since they're already compressed and may not seal properly, leading you right back to where you are now. Summit sells the head dowels from TFS for $9.95, and they should work with your combo just fine. They're part number TFS-51400420. For what it's worth, if you already have some locating dowels laying around like I did (such as the ones that were on there already), you can re-use those. I just did the same when I put my heads on my new engine before installing it about a month ago. Good luck with your project, it should be pretty healthy :nice:
 
Go to napa and see if those are them. Ive tried putting the heads on even with two people without the dowel pins and and I still couldnt get the gasket to stay. Get the dowls from a junkyard if you have to. Or find someone with a set of stock e7's with them still in the heads.

I went to a parts store to get my head gaskets, they had a set of felpros for stock replacment, or a set of felpros for high performance engines. I told them to give me that one.