Head gasket mounting direction

[tschisi]

Hi!

The (metal) head gasket of my 1990 is not symmetrical.
The holes for the water channels are approximately one third bigger on one side than on the other.
If i remember right there were two holes on each side.
Unfortunately i found no info about that in the top-end rebuild instructions.
Can anyone tell me if it should be mounted and what could happen if it is mounted wrong?

thx

[Larry Wiechman]

The small holes (greatest restriction) go on the right side. The coolant enters the cylinder on the right side. The restriction forces most of the coolant to flow around to the other side and then enter the head.
 
Larry

[tschisi]

Ok, so if the gasket is mounted wrong the head will heat up on the left side?
Arrgh, i don?t know any more...

[Friar-Tuck]

 By Jove I think you've got it!
   I was looking through my service manual & Clymer last night to try to find a definitive answer for you and some other guys and could find no other
specifics on head gaskets other than the "fold" of the steel ring in a composite gasket.  As yours is stamped steel it does not apply.

   Larry makes an excellent point.  If the larger holes in the water jacket were inline with the supply side of the pump, you would have little circulation around the other side of the head as water
(like electricity) will take the path of least resistance.   

Restricting the supply side of the cyl head will force water around to the left side of the cyl and then through the larger hole in the gasket up through the head.
   ( If this just makes things more confusing I'll come back and delete the post as irrelevant.)
   Tuck\o/

[stewart]

The small holes (greatest restriction) go on the right side. The coolant enters the cylinder on the right side. The restriction forces most of the coolant to flow around to the other side and then enter the head.
 
Larry

larrys right on this