I'm ready to swap out a 289 in my wife's stang for this roller 5.0. The short block got new bearings, rings and pistons. The E7 head's have been rebuilt also. All it needs are the gaskets. Now her car is nice so i don't want leaks happening so i'm hoping to get tips on how to keep it leak free. Even if I use the most expensive gaskets my engines always end up leaking within a year or two. How do you pros do it?
Also in my competition products catalog they sell two kits that are just dirt cheap. Will they hold up for a car that only gets driven once a week? It'll probably never see past 4K rpm. They are by Enginetech and Innovative Seal. It states "for mild street/strip up to 10:1 compression ratio". The cost makes me iffy though. A kit for $38.99 just sounds too good to be true.
X2 FELPRO the way to go! I like to re-torque headgaskets after run in. You`ll be amazed how much you pick up, I get one flat on nut with studs.
That's what I used on my other two engines. One lasted 1 year and the other 2 before they started leaking. I used the Ford Racing Set. I followed every instruction to a T, torque specs, torque pattern etc. But still they leaked. Do i order the non ford racing felpro set? It's only 2 bucks more but I just want something that'll last five years at least.
Oil pan,valve cover And water pump on the first engine. When I did the second it was the valve cover and timing chain cover. I never overtorqued the valve covers either. And i put a light film of rtv. On the water pump i also put some on the bolt's that pass through the water ports.
I do all my cork gaskets by hand, just snug, then a bit more. I always use black RTV, on one side of the gasket, then stick it to the valve cover, or oil pan. For water pumps, I use gasket shellac. With any stamped steel, make sure the mating surfaces are clean and flat, If the valve cover were all bent out of shape, they will never seal.
Felpro would be my choice also... A car that sits more than its driven will develop leaks due to the gaskets not getting "worked" enough.
Definitely Fel-Pro. The 5.0l gaskets are 10x better than the old cork type(oil pan). It should come as a neoprene rubber type. Don't use any sealer on the gasket except at the corners of the crank hump on the front cover and rear main cap. Use gasket maker at the main cap(rear) to block. Make sure the head and block deck surfaces are very clean and free of machining marks, scratches or scoring and retorque them as mentioned above. If you can, use good cast aluminum valve covers, use the 5.0l metal lined valve cover gaskets. If you use the stamped steel type, you'll need to use cork but I line both sides of the gasket with a very thin bead (3/16 then wipe with your finger) of Ford black silicone in the caulk tube (specified for 3.8l oil pan sealant). The intake manifold gaskets are good as well but I also smear a very thin layer of the black silicone(above) on the coolant port portion of the gasket front and rear. Different strokes for different folks, but I throw away the front and rear valley gaskets (intake to block) and use a thicker bead of that same silicone there instead. Mine has 45k since I resealed it and no leaks at all. Your other option is the OEM Ford gaskets which I like better, but are more expensive. Fel-Pro is the tops in aftermarket gaskets. JMHO X2 on the car sitting tho, especially with cork. It tends to shrink as it dries out which it will do if it is not heat cycled normally.
Thanks for the help guys, I went with the felpro kit following your tips. The engine is in just need a set of wires and an ignition box to fire it up!
