I just got a new set of GM gaskets from S&P. On both ends of the gasket, there is a little round metal bushing around the end bolt holes in the gasket. What is this for? It doesn't seem to be installed in the proper side of the gasket. In other words, it will fit inside the bolt hole in the MANIFOLD, but the gasket doesn't line up. (it is reversed) The little metal bushing should go towards the head, for proper install. But it won't fit in the pilot in the head!! Do I have the wrong gaskets, or can I pop out that little metal bushing? It might be useful to hold in the gasket onto the manifold during install, but it is on the wrong side of the gasket.

Anyone else seen these kind of gaskets?

TIA!

 

TTT.......Anyone?

 

Yes, the metal ring goes into the heads, make sure you are trying to put them on correctly and not backwards. (they have a "this side up" usually stamped in the gasketor a small tag that has an arrow pointing foward on the leading edge of the gasket.)

Ive used that type of gasket a ton of times and never seen the rings in backwards.

 

I figured out which way they go, the metal ring can only go toward the head. It does say "this side down", so you really can't screw that up. Just that I cannot get the metal ring to go down in the bolt hole in the head. The gasket will not be flush against the head.

Do these rings just crush when you tighten the bolts down? I suppose I could just pop them out.

Thanks!

 

They do not crush.

If the heads are not drilled out for the metal rings, try pushing them out of the gasket, if they don't push, get a gasket set that does not have them, but make sure the gasket is correct for that year. (most gasket sets don't have them..I know victor usually does, and stock ones...)

Try a different brand.

 

Thanks engineboy. As you said, they do go towards the head. But the rings are for earlier year heads, which had a pilot in them that the ring would go in to hold the gasket. I guess that GM did this so they could just stick the gasket on the cylinder head while it was traveling along the production line. My heads don't have the pilot, so I will just pop them out of the gasket.

End of story!