Well, I hate to write this butfolks should know. I bought a B motor with a cragar OHC head that has a Dan Price Side cover, really cool finned aluminium. Nice, right? Well it is a porous casting a pisses oil all over when thins warm up a bit. I called Dan, not always the affable guy. He saidm yeah they are all like that. i asked what do we do with this? He said he could send me another but it would leak too. then he said he had more cast by a different place but I'd have to wait a month or so u ntil he macnied the raw castings. i said no problem, send me a casting and I'll machine it, no worries. he said sure. Then I asked if he had head gaskets for a cragar head, yes, they are 155.00. I emailed him my info, said the gasket wasn't in the budget right now. he replied that since I wasn't going to buy the gasket, he wouldn't send me a new cover. I think that stinks. Be careful. He has some really nice parts and I have a bunch of them on my B but I'll be damned if I'll ever have another. Learning is expensive. Matt Picaro Cream Ridge, NJ
Man, I just checked out his site. Lots of kool banger parts. If I were you and I liked the side cover, then I would seal the inside of it so it does not leak. Here is his site. http://dan4banger.com/products.html
Just soak the cover in some thinner to remove what oil may be in it and paint on a coat of Gliptol http://www.glyptal.com/. The product has been used inside engines for years. Dan has been a friend for 35+ years and produces great stuff IMO. Bob
Either glyptal or there are a half dozen epoxies that will work also...Easy fix. Porus castings are a way of life sometimes.
I bet you could buy your own gasket material and make your own gasket. Make a paper template first, trace it onto your gasket material and then cut it out. If you want it really nice have it water jet cut and make several at one time as spares. Heck, you could even make them and sell them.
I think you missed the part that the head gasket was looking for was the head gasket for a Cragar. Charlie Stephens
Dan is a really nice and knowledgable guy-I have been buying his speed parts for years. Limited run castings tend to have porocity issues which are easily solved. Like the other posts above suggested, clean and coat with glyptol or any other sealing varnish. If the oil is really soaked into the casting, put it in the oven at a low temp and it will boil itself out.
I have the cover worked out, thats not a problem. the guy may be wonderful and if I never asked about a head gasket my post would be all about what a great stand up guy he is. How ever that isn't how it went down. He promised one thing and then went back and said Nope. That is where I have the issue. I'm not currently working, there is no work to be done so the cash isn't exactly all over the place here just now. Time, I have lots of, cash, not so much. I simply believe that someone in business ( and in all aspects of life) should do what they say they will do and if they go back on their word then that needs to be known. Matt Picaro Cream Ridge, NJ
I have found over the years, that in Hot Rodding, most everything needs to be re-worked a tad......J/S
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