Trick Flow O-ring heads... where do you get new O-rings?

SadbutTrue · Jun 27, 2008

I got the gaskets for my heads that were specifically designed for O-ring heads. Not sure if I need new o-rings and where to get them even if I do. Any guidance here?

(gonna be asking a lot of questions the next week or so, apologies in advance )

rbohm · Jun 27, 2008

ask all the questions you want. as for the "O" rings, they are just copper wire cut to fit the groove diameter. just get some copper wire of the right thickness, and cut it to fit. also use a composite head gasket as well, like a fel pro permatorque.

SadbutTrue · Jun 27, 2008

rbohm said:
ask all the questions you want. as for the "O" rings, they are just copper wire cut to fit the groove diameter. just get some copper wire of the right thickness, and cut it to fit. also use a composite head gasket as well, like a fel pro permatorque.

I got the Trick Flow head gasket kit that summit recommended. Hope that ones good enough (it was a $100+ set with the exhaust/intake/valve cover gaskets as well). Hre's a link... doesn't say that they're composite that I can see. Ruh Roh. http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=TFS-51400905

Where do these o-rings go/where do I find them (on the head that is)? And is there an easy way to determine if they're good to go or need to be replaced?

I'd probably want to check to see if they're already on there and in decent shape before I go out and try to throw together new ones. They're probably fine but its probably worth a look.

BarnStang · Jun 27, 2008

It's been awhile, so things may have changed, but I got Felpro O ring head gaskets. THe ring is built into the head gasket. ANd they were expensive! I would call Trickflow about that first. I called them with every question I had. I don't know that the Trickflow O ring factory head is the same thing as taking your run of the mill head to the machine shop and having an O ring grove cut into it. If you got a pkg deal, the Summit rep "should" have hooked you up with the correct head gaskets. Trick flow can give you the correct part number for the gasket kit, and for the individual O ring gaskets.

10secgoal · Jun 28, 2008

BarnStang said:
It's been awhile, so things may have changed, but I got Felpro O ring head gaskets. THe ring is built into the head gasket. ANd they were expensive!

Yeah they are. But like them for boosted motors. The bore is a .150 and really drops the CR.

BarnStang · Jun 28, 2008

That was my original goal with the 93, turbo kit. Everything was built toward that. Never did get it done.

10secgoal · Jun 29, 2008

BarnStang said:
That was my original goal with the 93, turbo kit. Everything was built toward that. Never did get it done.

That's arlight. Probably didn't own enough jackstands for that kinda project anyways.

Sicarius428 · Jun 30, 2008

I have trickflow O-ringed heads. They are groved in the heads for the gasket to butt up against. If you don't have O ringed heads you may need to get them machined...
Kevin

blown65 · Jun 30, 2008

Fel-Pro makes loc wire gaskets that go with oringed heads, and also there is the copper wire method which most use copper gaskets with. If your N/A mild build I dont understand the need for them. Heck, even a lot of ppl with boosted motors dont like them necessarily since instead of eating a head gasket you eat a piston.

Mine were oringed, but I had them machined to rid myself of them.

SadbutTrue · Jun 30, 2008

blown65 said:
Fel-Pro makes loc wire gaskets that go with oringed heads, and also there is the copper wire method which most use copper gaskets with. If your N/A mild build I dont understand the need for them. Heck, even a lot of ppl with boosted motors dont like them necessarily since instead of eating a head gasket you eat a piston.

Mine were oringed, but I had them machined to rid myself of them.

I didn't buy my heads new, I got them off ebay for half off. I definitely don't 'need' the o-rings, but I have them.I got the correct gaskets (the ones Trick Flow recommended), is that all I need? If I don't actually need them, can I just ignore them and install the heads without new ones?

Are they just o-rings around the top of the piston bore? I had my heads milled .030 as well... does that eliminate the ring groove?

blown65 · Jun 30, 2008

Does the FelPro ones you have a wire ridge that goes in the receiver grooves? If so, just run those.

As far as running non oring ones, that would probably be best answered by Trick Flow or Edelbrock. Personally I think you would want to run them, they may cause a problem with the sealing of the heads because of the location of the oring.

SadbutTrue · Jun 30, 2008

blown65 said:
Does the FelPro ones you have a wire ridge that goes in the receiver grooves? If so, just run those.

As far as running non oring ones, that would probably be best answered by Trick Flow or Edelbrock. Personally I think you would want to run them, they may cause a problem with the sealing of the heads because of the location of the oring.

Well, I got the Trick Flow gasket (their own gasket line, not Fel Pro, though I think the manual might have said Fel Pro makes them for Trick Flow anyway) kit for my heads part #. So assuming the summit site and the instruction manual are right, my gaskets should be right. I'll check for an o-ring when I get home.

Do you know if my milling job on the heads will affect that groove in any way?

blown65 · Jun 30, 2008

SadbutTrue said:
Well, I got the Trick Flow gasket (their own gasket line, not Fel Pro, though I think the manual might have said Fel Pro makes them for Trick Flow anyway) kit for my heads part #. So assuming the summit site and the instruction manual are right, my gaskets should be right. I'll check for an o-ring when I get home.

Do you know if my milling job on the heads will affect that groove in any way?

Well, it would make the receiver groove shallower so ya, it could I would think. Again, its something probably asked of Trick Flow though. I wouldn't chance it.

Its very obvious though if you look at your gaskets if they have that oring to them. Usually head gaskets are flat rings at the cylinder. The lockwire have a raised ridge all the way around that goes into that groove.

SadbutTrue · Jun 30, 2008

Okay, well... I checked today and I definitely have o-ringed head gaskets (there's a metal ring around the cylinder bores). But on the heads... I don't see a groove. I have some pictures (which show a tiny imprint where the o-rings were when we torqued it down), but its just clean, shiny metal on the bottom of the head. So I guess I'm gonna need standard head gaskets then?

SadbutTrue · Jul 1, 2008

called trick flow, they said if you don't see a groove get normal head gaskets. at least i get to return the pricy ones, i guess

KROG · Aug 16, 2008

SadbutTrue said:
I got the gaskets for my heads that were specifically designed for O-ring heads. Not sure if I need new o-rings and where to get them even if I do. Any guidance here?

(gonna be asking a lot of questions the next week or so, apologies in advance )

the o-ring is built in to the Fel Pro gasket. If you look at the gasket you can see the thicker o-ring than the normal one that is in a standard onr. I was a machinist in a racing engine shop for the last ten years. THEY SUCK! If the grove is to shallow or off center your heads will not seat and you will have water leaks. If they are yo deep you will have combustion leeks. If your head warps and you have ti surface ten your humped. you have to find some ons to re grove them the chances of them doing it right are slim.
If you are running enough compression and need o-rings o-ring the block. larger than the sealing ring of the gasket about .004 '' out of the block.
I would send them back or surface them flat and use a very good gasket not a fel pro #001, Ferrea makes a good gasket and there others.
you can try the o-ring gaskets. I never have been happy with them. Although pnce you use them your stuck with them and the extra expense of doing it over
good lock

CraigMBA · Aug 16, 2008

MOAR

SadbutTrue · Aug 17, 2008

CraigMBA said:
MOAR

lol, i've been slow getting the pics up, my bad. sooon, i promise.

i didn't end up using the o-ring gaskets, my mill job got rid of the grooves, if they were ever even there. normal gaskets seem to be doing fine.

just about done with the break-in, can't say i've been babying it though. definitely a fun engine combo

Trick Flow O-ring heads... where do you get new O-rings?

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