FELPRO 1043 head gasket.

Randy Wells · 02-06-2021, 01:35 PM

Has anyone use a Felpro 1043 head gasket with any luck on a 624 cast head? 4.080 bore .038 compressed thickness. I have a set I would like to use on my I/S 350 motor. Will buy Cometic if these are not a good choice. They say Aluminum heads or Vortec style combustion chamber, not for cast OEM heads. I have read on other forums where they claim they have used them on OEM cast heads successfully .

Thanks
Randy Wells
I/S 5628

FED 387 · 02-06-2021, 01:55 PM

will not fit conventional OEM type combustion chambers---according to FELPRO for small chambered aluminum race heads some Vortecs sometimes used for uneven head or block surfaces

Rich Biebel · 02-06-2021, 09:08 PM

Lay the gaskets on the block dowel pins. If the sealing ring hangs into the bore at all I wouldn’t use them.

Put dowel pins in the heads and lay the gasket on the pins.
See how it fits the chamber shape.

That should be all you need to do to see if they can be used.

Randy Wells · 02-06-2021, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

Lay the gaskets on the block dowel pins. If the sealing ring hangs into the bore at all I wouldn’t use them.

Put dowel pins in the heads and lay the gasket on the pins.
See how it fits the chamber shape.

That should be all you need to do to see if they can be used.

Rich,

I did that, the gasket clears the bore and the combustion chamber, the fire ring on the 1043 is pre-compressed for aluminum heads. Maybe that is the issue with steel on steel. The fire ring is not as wide as a 1003 gasket. I think I will order a set of Cometic gaskets just to be on the safe side.

Thanks

Randy Wells
I/S 5628

Glenn Briglio · 02-07-2021, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Wells

Rich,

I did that, the gasket clears the bore and the combustion chamber, the fire ring on the 1043 is pre-compressed for aluminum heads. Maybe that is the issue with steel on steel. The fire ring is not as wide as a 1003 gasket. I think I will order a set of Cometic gaskets just to be on the safe side.

Thanks

Randy Wells
I/S 5628

We have used the 1043 fel pro on 350/255 sb chevy for years with no problems.

Randy Wells · 02-07-2021, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn Briglio

We have used the 1043 fel pro on 350/255 sb chevy for years with no problems.

After looking at it and checking the fit, I am going to use it. Brother Bob says no problem using it also.

Thanks

Randy Wells
I/S 5628

Greg West · 02-08-2021, 01:42 PM

We put the note in the catalog because the bore opening does not have the usual small block Chevy gasket shape (valve pockets). If the gasket doesn't fall into the combustion chamber in the head or the bore opening in the block the gasket will perform fine. The gasket has a pre-flatten steel wire-ring which will work fine with either aluminum or cast iron heads.

02-06-2021, 01:35 PM	#1
Randy Wells Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Warsaw, Mo Posts: 643 Likes: 558 Liked 987 Times in 302 Posts	FELPRO 1043 head gasket. Has anyone use a Felpro 1043 head gasket with any luck on a 624 cast head? 4.080 bore .038 compressed thickness. I have a set I would like to use on my I/S 350 motor. Will buy Cometic if these are not a good choice. They say Aluminum heads or Vortec style combustion chamber, not for cast OEM heads. I have read on other forums where they claim they have used them on OEM cast heads successfully . Thanks Randy Wells I/S 5628 Last edited by Randy Wells; 02-06-2021 at 01:40 PM.

02-06-2021, 01:55 PM	#2
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,349 Likes: 328 Liked 280 Times in 150 Posts	Re: FELPRO 1043 head gasket. will not fit conventional OEM type combustion chambers---according to FELPRO for small chambered aluminum race heads some Vortecs sometimes used for uneven head or block surfaces Last edited by FED 387; 02-06-2021 at 02:01 PM.

02-06-2021, 09:08 PM	#3
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,275 Likes: 25 Liked 510 Times in 200 Posts	Re: FELPRO 1043 head gasket. Lay the gaskets on the block dowel pins. If the sealing ring hangs into the bore at all I wouldn’t use them. Put dowel pins in the heads and lay the gasket on the pins. See how it fits the chamber shape. That should be all you need to do to see if they can be used. __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479

02-08-2021, 01:42 PM	#7
Greg West Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 55 Likes: 11 Liked 46 Times in 19 Posts	Re: FELPRO 1043 head gasket. We put the note in the catalog because the bore opening does not have the usual small block Chevy gasket shape (valve pockets). If the gasket doesn't fall into the combustion chamber in the head or the bore opening in the block the gasket will perform fine. The gasket has a pre-flatten steel wire-ring which will work fine with either aluminum or cast iron heads.