hello, i need a few opinions on a head gasket install. i have a buick 455 1970 block, 1971 stage i heads. i'am building a street motor about 400 hp. i was installing my heads today and the water holes didn't match up. i bought a fel pro head gasket set from summit. some holes are missing. and the end hole are in the gasket and not in the block. do i have the wrong gasket? or do i punch the holes that are missing? also i torqued the 1 head down. is that gasket trash or can i loosen the gasket up punch my holes and re use it. again i bought a gasket set. if they sent me the wrong year set, what else is going to be wrong? next question; i broke a few bolts holding my oil pump housing to the timing cover. do i need special bolts or can i just buy some bolts off the shelf at the hardware store? if i need special bolts. who has them. thanks tom
The gaskets should be used as-is. The lack of holes as well as the undersize holes are by design. Devon
As wildcat said, DO NOT modify the head gaskets, those smaller holes in the gasket that cover the bigger holes in the block or head are to re-direct or restrict coolant and some are "steam" holes, install the gaskets as-is:bglasses: My cousin did that years ago with a Mopar 383, he punched out the gasket to match every hole in the block, we took it for a short ride, stop to get gas, while he was cranking to restart, KERPOW, the oil fill cap went flying across the parking lot (hood was off the car) turns out he cracked a piston, (detonation maybe?)when that cylinder fired, it fired into the crankcase. My reasoning is by him punching holes he shouldnt have in the head gasket, he created a VERY hot spot in the head, which lead to detonation, which cracked the stock cast piston. Mark
