head gaskets

[vj318]

this may sound like a stupid question but on a 318 when installing head gaskets which side off the gasket faces up or faces the head itself. ive never really paid attention to it because the head gaskets ive used in the past have allways said top on one side and the ones I have right now do not say anything. right now I have 2 sets of gaskets one is a felpro solid blue on one side and striped blue on the other the other. the other is a black fire seal with a sort of pinstripeng of silicone around each water jacket on one side of the gasket.

 

[69Bee]

If they do not say top or front, then it doesn't matter which side they go on.

 

[vj318]

is this true for a printo seal head gasket also?

 

[69Bee]

If they are not marked, and if you lay them on top of each other, and they are identical, it doesn't matter.

 

[451Mopar]

I though on a small block the head gasket dowls are offset so the gasket only goes on one way?
The head gasket should block the large front water hole and leave the rear water hole open so the water circulates correctly from front of bloct to rear of block into rear of heads, and out the front of the heads. If the gasket does not block the water hole at the front of the block, then it just goes in the front of the block to the front of the head and back to the radiator.

 

[69Bee]

This is true. As long as they don't say front, they can go on either side, but because of the offset dowels, they can only go on one direction.

 

[383man]

I though on a small block the head gasket dowls are offset so the gasket only goes on one way?
The head gasket should block the large front water hole and leave the rear water hole open so the water circulates correctly from front of bloct to rear of block into rear of heads, and out the front of the heads. If the gasket does not block the water hole at the front of the block, then it just goes in the front of the block to the front of the head and back to the radiator.

This is correct ! Make sure the front coolant passages are blocked and the gasket will be on right. Ron