What does a machine shop need to know to o-ring a head

J

JR2

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Sep 30, 2006
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I have been thinking about o-ringing a head for my 24v truck. I have located a great deal on a CR head and thought it would be fun to run that on my 24v. I have read all the threads and have found most of the parts I would need, but now I have a question. What does a machine shop need to know to o-ring a cummins head. I live in Alaska and its not exactly a hot bed of diesel performance (although I tried to get Piers to open a shop here). We have a couple machine shops that build motors for drag racing and drag bikes so they have some knowledge but not about diesel heads. What do I need to tell them or have answers for when I go talk to them about doing the work. I know that gasser motors can be o-ringed so I assume them will be somewhat familiar with the process.

Questions I anticipate:
How wide do you wantthe grooves?
How deep are the grooves?
Where do wamt the grooves?
What size wire?

Thanks in advance.

John aka JR2
 
.039" wide.
.029" deep.
.041" wire.

Give them an old head gasket to line up where you want the grooves.
 
Right on the fire ring in the gasket.

The shiny metal part in the pic.
3283335.jpg
 
Tate said:
Right on the fire ring in the gasket.

The shiny metal part in the pic.
3283335.jpg
Click to expand...

ahh, thanks. now is that the gasket with the o-ring in it? or is that stock gasket and you add the o-ring after machining.

sorry for the newb questions, trying to learn.

Garrett
 
That's just a standard gasket. The oring is pressed into the groove cut in the head and will cut itself into the center of the metal ring in the gasket as you torque the head bolts down. It will force the oring down into the metal ring of the gasket to form a much better seal to hold back all the cylinder pressure.
 
Shall we talk about o-ringed with reciever grooves and copper gaskets?
 
GOT-Torque said:
That's just a standard gasket. The oring is pressed into the groove cut in the head and will cut itself into the center of the metal ring in the gasket as you torque the head bolts down. It will force the oring down into the metal ring of the gasket to form a much better seal to hold back all the cylinder pressure.
Click to expand...

The gasket i got had the stock fire ring cut out of it and the o-ring then was the new fire ring.
 
is the oring in the hea a steel oring? or what kind of matireal is the oring? I would like to know also when should you start thinking about oringing your heads? at what hp or boost pressures?
 
jaybuller said:
is the oring in the hea a steel oring? or what kind of matireal is the oring? I would like to know also when should you start thinking about oringing your heads? at what hp or boost pressures?
Click to expand...

I belive it is stainless wire. If it's a third gen i belive you can get away with 70psi or so with some studs. On a second gen i would start around 45-50psi.
 
Devan, what you describe sounds like fire rings...

A typical oring is usually SS wire...
 
GOT-Torque said:
Devan, what you describe sounds like fire rings...

A typical oring is usually SS wire...
Click to expand...

so do they only usually do the head with fire rings? I thought they did the block too? If it's fire rings i'm alot happier now than when I thought it was o-ring.
 
for a daily driver you are better off with o-rings than aftermarket fire rings. in alaska with the extreme cold i would definately go with o-rings. if they dont work out then you can go to firerings but not the other way around.

ted
 
RacinDuallie said:
Shall we talk about o-ringed with reciever grooves and copper gaskets?
Click to expand...

The more you talk the more I learn.

So o-rings basically squash the fire rings in the gasket to make a better seal.
Fire rings are a replacment ring for the one in the gasket?
And you are talking about grooving both the head and block and putting the big squeeze on a copper gasket?
 
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