Installing 'O' Rings into RB30 Block

[Wrath]

Hey Yall,

I just got my block back from the shop. I had them O ring the block, however I ashumed they would put the wire into the grooves already, to my dismay I recieve my block along with a roll of fence wire (well it looks like).

what I want to know is how do you put the wire in properly?... how does it stay there while you stick the head gasket and head on?... and my main concern what do you do with the ends of the wire once in the groove? do they need to be joined or do they just but up together??????

thanx for ya help

[proengines]

You might be best off taking it back and getting them to fit the wire, I'd say it's part of the job when you o-ring the block. You have to butt the ends of the wire together and it needs to be spot on or it wont seal as well as it should. The wire should be an interference fit in the groove, meaning you have to tap it into the block and you need to snip of the ends square so they can butt up properly.

When you say fencing wire, what is the diameter of it and what is it made of? I always use 1mm copper wire when I o-ring blocks. Also, if the wire isn't fitted by the sounds of it the head hasn't had receiver grooves cut in it? you need to fit the wire to mark the position of the receiver grooves before you cut them. If you're running a copper gasket you are much better off having the receiver grooves in the head.

Ill try to attach some pics of what I'm talking about.

[Wrath]

Do I have to have reciever grooves. I was told i dont! im only running a stnd head gasket for now. i heard that the stnd head gasket starts to fail around 18psi unless you o ring it or put in a metal one.

oh and the metal of the wire isnt copper its ally i think.

[Cubes]

Bodgy/lazy grease monkeys give the rest of the good blokes a bad name.

Its a pitty there isn't a license type setup where if you are caught doing bodgy mechanical/buildups you should have your license removed.

[proengines]

I haven't o-ringed an RB using the standard head gasket, I have done other engines though when customers want them done. You don't need a receiver groove with the std gasket but the ring needs to sit directly below the steel fire ring on the head gasket.

The only problem I've seen with this setup is if the o-ring is too far from the bore it can squeeze the gasket in over the cylinder. You also dont want to run as much protrusion on the o-ring, .010" (.25mm) would be more than enough.

I'd still get the guys that did the job to fit the wire and check the protrusion. It takes a bit of practice to butt the wire up spot on. There are a lot of different ways to do it, I'm not saying the way I do it is the only way but it works for me.

In my opinion though, a MLS gasket like a Cometic or Tomei etc would seal better than a composite gasket with an o-ring. The next step up from those would be o-ringed and receiver grooves with a copper gasket.