VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 1950 235 Head Gasket Installation

I am about to bolt the cylinder head on my engine and I am wondering about something that I read in the May 1951 issue of the Chevrolet Service News. This is the link to the article:

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/bulletins/51csn0502.html

It recommends soaking the head gasket in water for 30 minutes before installing to eliminate the settling and shrinking of the gasket after installation. The head gasket in the new Fel-Pro gasket set seems to be the same type of material that was used when these cars were new. Would I be doing the right thing to follow this procedure with the installation that I am working on?

Install the head with the gasket dry and clean unless the instructions say differently.
Nothing is like it was in 1951 as there is no asbestos in todays gaskets.

Thanks for the advice Gene, I had forgotten about the fact that asbestos had been eliminated from gaskets. There were no instructions with the gasket set so I will go with installing it dry. I have read some articles on the six cylinder engines that recommend a final torque spec of 90 foot pounds on the head bolts. Do you think I would be gaining anything by using this number or should I stick with the 80 foot pounds that the factory books recommended?

What brand is the head gasket you are using?

The manual lists 70 to 80 for the 216 and 90 to 95 on the 235. Clean oiled threads is improtant on old blocks. Would retorque after a few hundred miles. Chevrolet suggested re-torquing wit every tune-up.
The 1950-1952 235 ead gaskets always did seep a bit. They did it when new. Thats why they added some extra head bolts in 1953.

I purchased the valve grind gasket set from Fel-Pro

That can be used dry and no sealers.

Thanks for all the help Gene, I'm going to put it together this weekend per your advice

Gene, one last question if you have the time. From the Chevy shop manuals that I have read the bolt torque seemed to change on the 235 from 80 foot pounds to 90-95 foot pounds at the same time the three extra bolts were added. Do you think it's safe to use the higher torque on the 15 bolt configuration? I guess my thought was that they possible drilled the holes deeper and added more threads on the new engines in 1953 to go along with the additional torque put on the bolt. Thanks again for all your help.

The 1949-1953 shop manual lists 70-80 foot pounds for the 216 engine and 90-100 pounds for the 235.
Using the 1949-1952 truck manual they do not specify a 216/235 engine difference.????
I looked through all the 1953 service news, etc. and they do not list a different torque spec.. They do mention adding the three extra head bolts.
If I were to replace the head gasket on my 1950 235 today I would use the 90 if the bolts looked to be rust free, etc.

OK, found some better info. Go to the Old Car manual project. Find the 1951 Chevrolet passenger car and truck specifications. Go to page 140. See cylinder head....235 engine 90-100 pounds. Note this is the truck section but the car 235 was the same.
Go to the 1952 with Power Glide option 235 cyl. specs (car) same thing.