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A cylinder head gasket is required to effect a seal between the cylinder head and block of a gasoline or diesel engine. It is an integral component of the engine and is requires to perform many functions at the same time during engine operation.

The head gasket must maintain the seal around the combustion chamber at peak operating temperature and pressure. The gasket must seal against air, coolants, combustion and engine oil at their respective peak operating temperature and pressure. The materials used and design employed must be thermally and chemically resistant to the products of combustion and the various chemicals, coolants and oils used in the engine.

When assembled, the head gasket becomes an important part of the total structure of the engine. It supports the cylinder head along with its operating components. It must be able to withstand the dynamic and thermal forces that are transmitted from the head and block. The type of engine application will be the determining factor in cylinder head gasket design. With engines ranging in size from one cylinder gasoline fired engines up to twelve cylinder, turbocharged or supercharged high-compression diesels, the material and design of the gasket is paramount to it's functional life span.

Every application requires a unique cylinder head gasket design to meet the specific performance needs of the engine. The materials and designs used are a result of testing and engineering various metals, composites and chemicals into a gasket that is intended to maintain the necessary sealing capabilities for the life of the engine.(See Fig. 1).

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14y ago

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