Copper cylinder head washers

Does anyone else, beside me, go through the trouble of re-annealing those four copper washers when reinstalling the head on their vintage KZ 4cyl?

I also do it.

Yep. It's actually kind of fun to do it.

I replace the washers. After use they typically have a heavy depression where the nut sat, and the surface is not flat anymore. If you want to reuse them be sure to sand them flat using sandpaper on a surface plate before reusing.

I've never done it and no leaks. If they're that bad, I just replace them. :whistle:
Steve

I have annealed plenty of them in the past. On engines where only 4 are under the head nuts, I usually replace the 8 steel ones with copper washers as well. I always felt that after you've torqued the head down, you will get a small difference in how much the copper washers will compress versus the steel washers. It probably doesn't make any appreciable difference, but I like matched sets of things when building engines.

Good policy.
Steve

Jeff.Saunders wrote: I have annealed plenty of them in the past. On engines where only 4 are under the head nuts, I usually replace the 8 steel ones with copper washers as well. I always felt that after you've torqued the head down, you will get a small difference in how much the copper washers will compress versus the steel washers. It probably doesn't make any appreciable difference, but I like matched sets of things when building engines.

I do this as well I always use new washers.

I use copper washers on all 12 for the reasons stated previously.
Re-anneal them and if depressed just flip them over.
Never had any leak and never bought new unless buying them to replace the steel ones.

Just a thought.....Do you really need to anneal the copper washers? Copper/brass becomes brittle when work hardened. Not heat cycles. But if I'm putting a head on I just replace the washers. They don't cost very much. And if you are annealing how are you dooing it? Thanks Tim

Z1Driver wrote: Just a thought.....Do you really need to anneal the copper washers? Copper/brass becomes brittle when work hardened. Not heat cycles. But if I'm putting a head on I just replace the washers. They don't cost very much. And if you are annealing how are you dooing it? Thanks Tim

I might be corrected but I thought the whole idea of annealing them is to relieve the work hardening stress and they seem slightly softer when doing it.
I just hold them at a very very tiny spot with needle nose pliers and use my small propane torch to get them glowing orange hot and dip them in water,
Been doing that since the mid 70's on just about all of them and I don't think I've ever bought new ones.
Even though I do it every time, II wasn't sure it was even necessary.

I've never done it. When soldering copper plumbing, you don't want to get the copper fittings too hot thus annealing them. The solder won't stick to them and the metal is junk. I always thought the copper is soft so they will seal better.
Steve