Hi mate, I cant seem to upload any photos to the forum, I will keep trying.

Yer its like the AU MLS one.

Well actually its the same, same sticker and all. Is that ready to go?

Is yours exactly the same as that one?

The missing/small holes there?

Yer, really small holes on exhaust side, no holes on intake side.

I would say exactly the same. even same small metal rings near the edge on either side in the middle (another one at the front too)

The small holes in this AU gasket are the same size as the e-series ford and acl gaskets so I wouldnt worry.

On the intake side they have just turned the two holes into one, so no big deal there.

Well bugger, the mystery of the missing holes the ford guy told me about continues...

Ok managed to get a photo to load, but its small blurry and well you see.

 

 

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Ohh I see now, apparently my car had an acl head gasket. Hmm and I thought the head gasket was original.

I was assuming it was suposed to look like this. With large oval like holes.

But thanks heaps stockstandard. I guess I owe you one. I will donate something to the forum (once i find something worth giving away)
Cheers

 

 

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after the castings were made continual testing was carried on through models changing minute little things like this to improve/retard flow & other stupid little differences. it's these differences you have to look out for when inter-changing any parts between models.
if in doubt, get it lookin as close to the one you took of as possible, that is if the car was ok in the first place

i had the same drams when doing my head gasket in my ef put the new Au gasket beside old original and the water jackets where blocked at the front on the au.. after sum reasearch i found out gasket manufacturers often do this to promote more water into the rear and hotter part of the engine. if it is a original AU gasket i wouldnt modify it.

Yer thanks for the comments guys.

Everything went together ok and all seems fine now.
Very glad it all worked and looking back, it is a big job, but nothing too complicated. Just make sure you always have a backup plan

This is a lesson i learnt years back when toying with a 351 cleveland that i could not cool down. It was in my tow truck and had a HUGE radiator so there was no simple explanation for it.

Eventually i pulled the heads and replaced them and the gaskets. I (foolishly) decided to drill and punch out the water return holes to something like 50% bigger.

It then ran even hotter. I had to do the job again with stock gaskets. Eventually a combination of ignition timing, thermo fans and ducting got it where it needed to be temp wise but ultimately it was due to the 6:1 diff ratio and higher than usual rpms that was heating it up.

The smaller holes are to retain the water in and around the top of the combustion chambers. The bigger the holes the easier that flow and gravity can return the hot water back to the thermostat.

If the gasket is missing holes on one side then that is to promote water flowing ACROSS the head.

+1 DO NOT DRILL

hope this helps.