The Red Book advises smearing the cylinder head gasket with grease prior to fitting; it this the best way of ensuring a seal?
Regards
Brian Hutchings

Grease, in my book, is a no no. If you need anything I use Blue Hylomar with great effect on my Ricardo head.

I think the advice about using grease is not for sealing purposes, but to make sure it will come off again later.
One cautionary bit of advice I will give you is DO NOT use silicone sealant on the cylinder head joint, I did that once and it stopped the slight leak I had around one of the studs, but you try getting off again, it is nigh on impossible with that stuff in between. I also use Blue Hylomar by choice, and have spent a bit of time making a solid copper gasket which will last forever, to anneal it all you need to do is heat it up to cherry red and let it cool, then clean the scale off it and Hylomar both sides, then fit and forget.

Phil

I always use Copaslip grease on my head gaskets and it works a treat, the current one has been on for 12,000 miles with a supaloy lookalike head with absolutely no problems. The heads always ( famous last words ! ) come off easily when the mating sufaces of the gasket have been smeared with Copaslip. Ecellent stuff !

Coppaslip on the studs and gasket,ensures both a good seal and easy removal,and you can use the gasket again.

I use Coppaslip also. Makes it so much easier to remove the head. If you make sure the head and block faces are true, no sealer is required.

STEVE

I (and my grandfather before me) have used nothing but the Austin recommended mixture of powdered flake graphite and oil made into a paste. The original head gasket (1927)is still doing sterling service and comes off clean every time. Not sure I'd recommend this for tuned engines though!

Martin

To any beginners to our friendly game I'd suggest that any advice proffered by Ian Dunford is the one to follow with confidence. I'm not familiar with all trade names of products in your neck of the woods, but agree that you should never use Silastic-type adherents. They may do the job on the cylinder head but they also flake/drop off with continual heat and end up in the sump blocking your oil pump. Very expensive. Cheers, Bill in Oz

As always, a big thanks to all who responded with the helpful advice; Copperslip it is (expecially as I have a 1lb tin that does not go down very fast)
Regards
Brian