Flame ring gasket, which side goes up?

I have a new "genuine" flame ring head gasket for my 850. The flame rings are bridged on one side but not the other (unlike the 750 gasket, which has no bridging).

I have conflicting info on which way to orient the gasket. The INOA Tech Digest says the bridging should face up, towards the head. The other side of the gasket is stamped "TOP". My Chilton manual says the side marked "top" should face up (seems pretty straightforward doesn't it). My factory manual only covers the 750 so it doesn't say.

So, which way should it go? Or does it not matter?

puzzled again,
Debby

I would go with the side marked "UP" facing UP!

The 'top' marking on the gasket does mean top as far as I know?? That's how I fitted mine in the past.

Debby,
I would put the "TOP" facing upward. I don't see how it makes a huge difference, but if the manufacturer says TOP, then I tend to believe them.
I am also amused that these gaskets are marked TOP, but have oil drainback holes on both right and left when only one side of the head and cylinder has an oil hole.

Each face of the gasket appears to be a different material; -grey side to the head and green to the barrel, and getting that right could be more important than the ring bridge?

Ron L said:

I am also amused that these gaskets are marked TOP, but have oil drainback holes on both right and left when only one side of the head and cylinder has an oil hole.

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If they marked TOP TOP TOP... all over the gasket in many different languages, and only punched the one oil hole then no doubt, somebody somewhere would still manage to fit it the wrong way and block off the oil drain?

TOP is up

Ok, I installed it with "TOP" up. That's in contradiction to the sage writings of Brian Slark (the source of the Tech Digest note) but he wrote that a long time ago and perhaps the gaskets were different then. I have a hard time with putting "TOP" on the bottom :lol:

If it leaks I'll get some more practice removing and replacing heads. After another 15 or 20 times I should be pretty good at it. :roll:

I think I hate Mick Hemmings, BTW. I've been watching his videos and he makes everything look so easy. In the amount of time it takes me to post a message about head gasket orientation he can put the entire freaking engine together!

Les, these gaskets don't have a green and grey side. The whole thing is grey. One side has the gasket maker's logos printed on it and the other side is blank except for the "TOP" stamping.

I assembled the gearbox today too. Don't even get me started about that video! But I got it done and everything looks good. I used the roller bearing and shimmed the layshaft. That's how I built the 750's gearbox and it works great.

All in a days work,
Debby

Re: TOP is up

debby said:

Les, these gaskets don't have a green and grey side. The whole thing is grey. One side has the gasket maker's logos printed on it and the other side is blank except for the "TOP" stamping.

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I described the spare head gasket I have on the shelf, and I think that came from RGM, and the one I fitted to my Commando quite a long while ago I think looked the same as that, but came from Norvil, (but it was a few years ago now so I'm not 100% sure) and it was installed TOP-upwards, the 'top' marking on my spare actually being hand written in marker pen and I do remember the one I fitted was also marked the same way, and it has never shown even the slightest trace of oil at the joint, so I think yours will be OK, and I wouldn't worry about the colour difference too much.

Referring to Mike Hemmings engine video, did you notice that he advocates using Stag Wellseal compound on both sides of the head gasket but none on the cylinder barrel base gasket.
Has I not seen this I would have either fitted them both dry or perhaps Wellseal the barrel base gasket but leave the head gasket dry - the exact opposite to Mick.
Any views on this oddity?

lucky you - at least one side says "up"

I replaced mine a few weeks back. The new gasket had print on one side only, but definitely not the word "up," which i was looking for.

Both surfaces seemed to be of a different material. I guessed that the side with the printing was supposed to be up.

800 miles later - so far so good.