Head Gasket Fitting

XJ
1

List:

The head gasket I purchased which is made mostly from some non-ferrous material, does not have any marking as to which side goes to the head and which to the block. One side of the gasket has what appears to be a light duty metal rim on the cylinder openings. The other side of the gasket also has a metal rim in the same place. But there is also a continuous piece of metal surrounding all the cylinder openings. On that side, there is also a small, rectangular opening on both corners of the rear of the gasket. The first side no metal rim. On the second side, there is a metal rim.

I am uncertain which side goes to the block and which to the head.

Regards
Lou

2

You did not say which year your XJ was. Most of them did have different size water holes exhaust vs inlet. Inlet being the smaller.

3

Sorry Dick. . It is a 1971 XJ6.

Lou

4

That head gasket should have larger water holes on the exhaust side.

1 Like
5

OK Dick, that nails it. If I put the larger water holes (which I assume are the two holes for each cylinder, along the long side of the gasket) on the exhaust side, then the side of the gasket with less metal faces the head, as in the attached photo, and the extra metal faces the block.

Thanks

Lou

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