16hp Onan

[bellevillerod 835]

Hey guys I took my 16 hp onan  heads off in order to decarb. And I put the same steel head gaskets back in. After reading some on the subject I'm beginning to wonder if that was a good idea. Can I run the old head gaskets, they looked in great shape or do I really need to order a new set and install. Before I put my tractor back together what do you think?

[doc724 925]

If I went through all that work to pull the motor, remove all the tins, remove the heads and decarb them, I would certainly invest the $ to buy new head gaskets.  After all, how will you feel if the old ones leak and then you have to do it all over again.  My motto has always been, "if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right"

[The Tuul Crib 7,339]

13 minutes ago, doc724 said:

If I went through all that work to pull the motor, remove all the tins, remove the heads and decarb them, I would certainly invest the $ to buy new head gaskets.  After all, how will you feel if the old ones leak and then you have to do it all over again.  My motto has always been, "if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right"

[JoeM 8,351]

You'll probably be okay, I used many a flat head gasket over. There is no water jacket etc. to worry about.

I know a OEM decarb kit for a 20 is about $49, plus shipping. Might be better if you can go after market, but I would say that is limited. Maybe one of the Onan experts will have a line for cheep parts. 

[Ed Kennell 42,047]

I have reused head gaskets on many Kohler singles w/o any leaks.

But , it is a lot more work to replace a leaking gasket on a twin....are you a gambler?

[pacer 3,177]

No doubt re-using gaskets is frowned upon by many, but in my some 50 yrs of 'shade tree' mechaniking I have done so MANY times. Of course it depends on the condition and type gasket, Many - most? of the gaskets are of the metal type and come out looking almost like a new one. In the end it will come down to whether YOU feel comfortable re-using a gasket!

[oliver2-44 10,734]

2 hours ago, doc724 said:

If I went through all that work to pull the motor, remove all the tins, remove the heads and decarb them, I would certainly invest the $ to buy new head gaskets.  After all, how will you feel if the old ones leak and then you have to do it all over again.  My motto has always been, "if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right"

 

However. Back in my high school tractor shop flunky days, the shop fixed up many old 8N,9N, etc flat-heads to paint and resell. If we had to pull the head, we would clean and soak the metal gasket in water overnight, then put it in the freezer (for the water it absorbed between the 2 metal layers) to swell it. I always wondered if they really absorbed any water, but never had one leak in the 2 years I was there. (did I mention the Boss was a very wonderful, conservative old German fellow)

[bellevillerod 835]

Thanks for the reply's, so it looks like its 50/50 on it. I was told by my dad that on the tractors we had growing up that it was a bi yearly action he did to all his engine's. We always just reused the old gaskets if they looked good. Now that being said they were Kohler/briggs engines, easy to get to. This one is an older 74 Onan in a SS16 Roper tractor. There is a lot of work involved to pull if there is an issue. I think after all the painting an Restoration work I have done to this tractor it would be best to just buy new and be done with it. Thanks for the push in the right direction, kinda what I needed. At least I will have a spare set should I ever need one in a pinch.

[JoeM 8,351]

14 hours ago, bellevillerod said:

Thanks for the push in the right direction, kinda what I needed. At least I will have a spare set should I ever need one in a pinch.

 

Good and thanks for letting us know what your doing.