Can somebody explain exactly what o-ringing is and what is needed? special head gasket? Actual o-rings?

 

Its for when you get to a point when you create so much boost that the cylinder pressure exceeds the headgasket rating. Adding a O-ring (a metal wire about .020 inches big) clamps the headgasket metal ring and creates more clamping pressure on the headgasket. The metal ring sticks out about .010".

 

so you need an o-ring kit or something? where would i find such a kit? i am going to have the new head o-ringed i think but im not sure yet

 

You send your head off to a machine shop that can cut the groove and install the rings for you. You then install the o-ringed head on top of whatever head gasket you want to run. It's not something you do in the garage.

 

Unless you happen to have a bridgeport milling machine in the garage and are comfortable cutting grooves in your cylinder head.

Make sure the shop you talk to knows what you want and don't clean out the whole wallet, most performance shops are charging $300 to $350 to do it, so think about that, what are they paying the shop that does it for them.


Here's my setup, I happen to have a fancy boring bar, a simple one will do. The correct groove cutting tool the the wire your using. Most guys use a hard stainless .042" in diameter (I use .050", its what I got), the groove would be around .037" so it will stay in when you push it in. The desired protrusion is between .008" and .012" and the depth needs to be cut according depending on the wire diameter. A head gasket is needed to line up the o-ring on the head gasket fire ring, a used one is prefered for this.

 

You can also use an iske (sp?) tool to machine the o-ring into the top of the cyllinder wall.

 

Back in the day - showing my age -
We used to bore the block AND head on the fuel Hemi's.
When you insert the ring and clamp the head on you nearly have a seal that is blow-out proof.
I haven't personally run high enough to need it, but I knew a couple of racers running over 70psi from 6-71's.

 

Here's another good pic of what an o-ringed head actually looks like.



Mods feel free to resize the pic...

 

so what kind of wire are you putting in there? and do you just over lap the ends a little bit?

 

I found some 304/302 ss spring steel at mcmaster for like 7.50 for 50' I wonder if that would be good. Or go for the ss 304 and it is like 50 bucks per 72".. Not really sure.

 

Can anyone recommend a good machine shop to have a head O-ringed and also have it ported and polished at the same time? I'm in NE Texas, but willing to ship it anywhere to get the job done right.

Thanks,

Eric

 

edwin's machine shop in Mineral Wells,Tx.where about 3.5 to 4 hours west of you.hes his number (940) 325-5381

 

Have you had any head work done there?

 

Is "o" ringing the same as "fire" ringing it ?

 

yes sir.its my uncles place.