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To use a head gasket or not on 38 ES2

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There is no reference to a head gasket for pre war ES2 and 18's in my parts manual and in one of my other manuals I have it makes reference to just lapping the head to the cylinder. There is however reference to gaskets for 16H and 1 models. When I pulled mine off I found one of those aluminium gaskets between. So should I use one or not ? Is anyone running one without the gasket ?

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Hi.

Everytime I've used the aluminium gasket it's blown. I lap the head to the barrel (coarse paste on the main mating surface, fine on the spigot) and a smear of RTV on assembly.

Regards.

Ian.

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Hi Glen, the 16H and Model 1 are side valves and don't have the barrel spigot, therefore they need a gasket to seal the 2 surfaces. The ES2 seals on the barrel spigot being lapped into the head as Ian has said. I lapped mine in and put a gasket as well, but after the head was torqued down I could see the gasket wasn't compressed and is just filling a gap. If the aluminium gasket is blowing, it may suggest wear on the spigot and the thickness of the gasket is stopping it sealing into the head?

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Hi Glen, I run my 35 ES2 as it should bewithout a head gasket and without any form of sealant except a smear of oil and its fine.

 


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