Head to Block Alignment CYLINDER HEAD GASKET 9 The cylinder head gasket is made of one piece of sheet steel with vulcanized elastomer seals on oil and coolant conduits. The design of the engine and head gasket requires a unique procedure for installation of the cylinder head. The screws and washers at the side guide the head into side-to-side alignment as it is laid on the gasket and block. Screws passed through the timing gear plate into the head pull the head into alignment fore and aft. Small, stamped bosses on the gasket hold the head clear of the seals and allow it to glide accurately into position against the plate during installation.
Tightening the head bolts flattens the bosses on the gasket. For this reason, a new head gasket must be installed whenever the head is removed. 10 Figure 9 — Head to Block Alignment Screws and Washers Three screws and washers installed at the side (two in the block and one in the head) align the head from side to side at assembly. Fore and aft, the head is aligned by contact with the timing gear plate. Figure 10 — Cylinder Head Gasket The head is aligned with the timing gear plate by screws passed through the plate into the head and tightened securely. It is extremely important to remove these screws before attempting to remove the cylinder head from the block.
Failure to heed this caution may result in severe damage to the timing gear plate and other engine components. Page 19 DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION 1. Cylinder Head 2. Alignment Screws and Washers 3. Cylinder Block