Head gasket intentionally blocked? Mystery!

[Catbird]

I pulled the head on my 1926 engine. Noticed that the old head gasket blocks the water passage between the 2 and 3 cylinders.

Do I have the wrong gasket for my engine? See picture. I have a new HG, but still blocks the water. Should I make an opening so the water should go through?

[jiminbartow]

Does it fit better if you turn it upside down? Jim Patrick

[Les Schubert]

Some of the holes in the deck were required for supporting the casting cores. The so called “frost plugs” are a classic example!!!

[Mark Gregush]

Does it fit better if you turn it upside down? Jim Patrick

That hole is on the center line of the block, so no matter which way the gasket is flipped would still cover hole. There is only one way to install the head gasket correct, the water passage holes at front and rear are different size. The holes in the gasket need to match in those locations with the folded over fire rings pointing up. (for the copper gaskets, the comp still needs to be installed with those holes in proper place, but fire rings are crimped on both sides) None of my copper head gaskets have a hole in that location.

[DanTreace]

That round hole in the high cylinder head is just a casting feature, the low heads don't have that round hole, both DO have the oval hole for coolant to the block.. All Ford head gaskets will cover that hole, no worries.


Note this Ford high head on left and a modern Z head on right, they both have that round casting hole. But look close at the block these heads are resting on, only the large oval hole is in the block surface.......no round hole on the opposite side.

[Kerry]

I'd say, can't check as I don't have any pre 15 blocks in at the moment, that the hole in the block may have been there in early ones? 1913 Parts book shows head gasket as having both water holes and also my stash of old gaskets has one with both holes.

[Mark Gregush]

Doesn't the extra hole have to do with the water flowing the other direction down under?

[DanTreace]

An early block, no round hole on the surface, just the oval hole.

And here are the low head (upper one in photo) and high head, note the low head has no round hole, but the high head does have that mystery round hole! Think it may have to do with the casting of the high head, which has larger coolant capacity and that hole likely helped in the sand core pattern.

[Kerry]

Dan, that low head looks like it has the gasket still on it, I have several low heads in stock and all have both holes.