O-Rings (Block) sorry no EFI

[Dave Williams]

-> If it deforms then how does it aid in gasket sealing?.

 It deforms, but it's trapped and can't go anywhere.  You get a wider,
flatter pressure ridge compared to harder wire.


-> How much preload would do that?.  I never saw any serious warping
-> from using "safety" wire, with AL heads, course was 3" bore.

 I'd guess in the vicinity of .015.  Iron heads warp anyway, even if you
surface them flat, they'll warp a few thousandths just bolting them down
to the block.

 I have a pair of aluminum SVO heads sitting here with ring-shaped dents
around the chambers at least .020 deep.


-> Please explain, Wills rings

 Wills rings are metal O rings, like little hollow tubular rings with a
slot on the inside.  They clamp in a receiver groove much like the
Fel-Pro receiver gaskets.  The Wills ring is a spring, sealing against
the block and the head, and if pressure causes the head to lift, the
spring - aided by combustion pressure - keeps the head sealed.  This is
what Ford used on the 255 Indy V8s, the "T" BOSS 429s, and some of the
Trans Am BOSS 302s.  Those engines used Wills rings for compression seal
and a handful of rubber O rings for water and oil seals.  During
maintenance, you just pulled the head off, did whatever, wiped the joint
with a rag, replaced the rings, and dropped the head back on.  No
peeling, scraping, or cursing required, and all the parts are reuseable
indefinitely.  Now compare that to one-time-only $100 head gaskets...

 Another factor on the Wills rings - even if you manage to unload the
joint so far that the ring let gas pass, they're self sealing as soon as
the joint returns to normal configuration.  They don't "blow" like
conventional gaskets, though continuous operation in a non-sealed state
would eventually erode the seal areas.

 Old, old technology, of course.  Dates back to the 'teens, from
aircraft engines.  In a few years the Japanese will "invent" it again,
and all the techno-pundits will swoon in delight, as usual...

==dave.williams at chaos.lrk.ar.us======================================
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