Mack Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 Evening all, A seemingly spiralling set of events has led me to wanting to change the cylinder head gasket. I am unsure of it's condition but I needed to remove an exhaust stud by welding a nut on and even though I covered the ports I want to make sure no spatter got in them. That and taking the 6-3-1 manifold off has been such I pig I don't relish doing it again any time soon. So with the Easter weekend coming up I thought I would have a bash at it then. My question is whether there is a way to know which gasket I need (recessed or not) without taking the head off first? Just so I can get the parts ordered before then. Car is a 72 GT6 mk3. Many thanks Mack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 If it's recessed it will have a sticky out tab on the back, bulk head end, this does nothing but identify it as a recessed head gasket. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 yes heres a pic of one... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Clark Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 By 1972, Triumph sixes were all recessed block with fire rings on the gasket. Guy your car has its original engine, it will have a recessed block. My '72 Mk3 GT6 had engine number KE 14xxx with recessed block. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted March 24 Author Report Share Posted March 24 Thanks for the replies. sorry i had a typo in my first post. My car is a 1971, engine number KE449HE. I couldn't see a tab sticking out the back of the block. Can I assume it is non recessed? Mack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 According to Canleys flat up to KE10000 so I think thats good enough to do your order... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted March 25 Report Share Posted March 25 what ever do not go for a payen gasket we had serious troubles with one on a recessed 2500 the canley supplied gasket solved the disaster. by your engine number it seems you have a flat non recessed block and the lack of tab doubles that thought see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 25 Report Share Posted March 25 If your still unsure Mack the KE10001 and later engines used dome top pistons to go with the new cylinder head design so you should be able to see or feel yours are flat through the spark plug holes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted March 25 Author Report Share Posted March 25 Thanks for the replies. I have ordered a non recessed gasket and will hope for the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 26 Report Share Posted March 26 Could be worse Mack. Could be a mk1 and then the manifolds have to come off again to do the second torque down😭 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted March 28 Author Report Share Posted March 28 That doesn't sound fun! Gaskets have arrived, as well as some new head nuts and washers. Any tips for a first timer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 Do a compression test, dry and wet if necessary, to see if grinding valves would be a good idea while the head is off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted March 28 Author Report Share Posted March 28 Currently without a starter motor so might have to check the compression after the fact. The engine was rebuilt about 10k miles ago ( by the PO so I'm not 100% sure when) so hopefully the valves are OK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Twitchen Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 1 hour ago, Mack said: That doesn't sound fun! You are absolutely correct! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 Well it's not exactly going smoothly. Head seems to be well and truly stuck. I have tried the double nut method to remove the studs but so far no luck, even the inner studs dont want to budge. I have ordered an impact driver and 3 jaw stud extractor so hopefully will have more luck with them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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