Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all. Just a quickie. When refitting the barrels, should you use two paper gaskets per cylinder as per the manual,or just one as the gasket set provided by our hosts has only enough for one per cylinder, and seem no thicker. Also the pistons I removed have flat crowns and the replacements are domed with valve recesses. Am I likely to have clearance issues. I am aware of the plastigauge (plasticine) method of checking but hoping to make life a little easier. Thanks.

Hi, the gasket sets used to have three base gaskets per cylinder. I would not think it critical. Connies had dome pistons so the originals ones you had could be meteor or possibly low comp for sidecar use. Bear in mind the thickness of the head gasket will effect piston/valve clearance. Vince

Hi, I recently (September) rebuilt my Connie engine & used 2 paper gaskets under each barrel as per the workshop & parts manuals. I managed to obtain some NOS pistons - they have a larger dome than the ones Hitchcocks stock. There weren't any issues with piston to valve clearance. On the advice of a few REOC members & whilst the engine was in pieces I took the opportunity to modify the engine breathing & sort out a few leaks, best thing I've done since owning the Connie. best regards, Mark

Hi Marko. Can you give me more details of your breather mods on the Connie? Thanks. Dez.

Dezzy, I have like Marko has two paper base gaskets under each cylinder bore. I wellsealed each side of gasket while fitting. Also have used composite head gaskets also with wellseal and seems to be working great . No leaks . All the best calv

Hi Dez, my email addr is porcamiseria at blueyonder dot co dot uk . send me an email I can then send you the article (appeared in the Gun a few years ago) as i'm not at all sure I know how to post it on here. If you are on facebook there is a copy of all the details on https://www.facebook.com/groups/6773287 ... =bookmarks in the files section, best regards Mark