# 3 rod bearing spun

Scotty Brown sells the high end gaskets but I think they are about $250... Another option is using steel shim head gaskets if you can find a set... As long as the heads and block are machined well the steel shim work great...

 

Steel Shim GM, .........steel sandwiched between iron. The ones the factory used for high comp. I would hope they will seal well with aluminum too. (L-88/ZL1)

 

Thanks guys,
I'll ask my machinist about the steel shim gaskets.
Seems whenever I read about people using them, they have issues with leaking coolant and such, or is that from "operator error"?

 

Here is the link for the Scott Brown head gaskets;

http://www.buyracingparts.com/gaskets/buick-350-severe-duty-head-gaskets.html

The above head gaskets are from when I was looking for gaskets for Andy's boosted stroker build and Scott had those made with boost in mind, they're suppose to handle 20 PSI of boost.

Maybe contact Scott and ask what he can come up with for a N/A aluminum head sbb 350? Perhaps he'll have the MLS ones made for the sbb 350 to use with aluminum heads? Mention to him that the new heads are going to be a closed chamber design so maybe he'll have gaskets made @ .045" or thinner, rather than the .050" the boost gaskets are to utilize the quench pad?


Derek

 

Thanks Derek!
I believe those are the ones Sean had posted awhile back also.

 

Yeah but he didn't post a link for you and he was off by $20 on the price.


Derek

 

Yes... And I blew the crap out of mine so I need to order more...

 

Thanks again Derek!
Sean, you blew those gaskets out?

 

Yes but I do not think it was the gaskets that was the problem but rather that it was going lean on number 3 cylinder and detonating. I was running 20 psi of boost and 8000 rpm though on a stock short block so I knew something was going to go. Remarkably nothing broke just some bearings that were not super happy. My next move is adding an exhaust temp probe into that exhaust header and another in a happy cylinder so I can see if it is in fact leaning out (which would be seen by the exhaust temps going way too high). I will run the same gaskets on the girdled engine.

 

It was 75* today, good day to finish the removal
I'm glad I'm in no rush, as I was only working on it a few hours every weekend, been working Saturdays the past month, so not a lot of time or energy.
Oh well, I can always drive the (dusty)black car.

 

Nothing wrong with the so called 'dusty' black one

 

Nice!!! And good call to just listen to one guy and let your engine builder sort it all out for you...

 

LOL, yeah I consider the Buick 231 the 350's little brother