Final Gasket File

The Investigation of cylinder head gasket
failure
By Nathan Douglas
S12796389
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Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction:...................................................................................................................4
1.1 Research Background:...........................................................................................................4
1.2 Research rationale:.................................................................................................................4
1.3 Research aim and objectives:.................................................................................................5
1.4 Research questions:................................................................................................................6
1.5 Structure of the Research.......................................................................................................6
Chapter 2: Literature review............................................................................................................7
2.1 Introduction -..........................................................................................................................7
2.2 Gasket Function -...................................................................................................................8
2.3 Cylinder head gasket failure diagnosis -................................................................................8
2.4Damage to cylinder head gaskets -.........................................................................................9
2.5 Symptoms and prevention......................................................................................................9
2.6Summary -.............................................................................................................................14
Chapter 3:.......................................................................................................................................15
3.1 Introduction:.........................................................................................................................15
3.2 purpose of the research work...............................................................................................15
3.3 strategies of the research work.............................................................................................16
3.4 data collection and the method of collecting data................................................................23
3.5 data analysis tools and procedures:......................................................................................24
3.6 limitations of the research work...........................................................................................24
3.7 Ethical considerations..........................................................................................................25
3.8 Summary..............................................................................................................................25
Chapter 4: Data Analysis...............................................................................................................25
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4.1 Problem identification of existing head gaskets and designs...............................................29
4.2 Comparison of materials being selected for new design and existing.................................30
Materials for the existing head gaskets......................................................................................30
Materials that can be used in the new design of the cylinder head gaskets...............................31
4.3 Manufacturing process of the parts......................................................................................33
4.4 Assembly of the parts...........................................................................................................33
4.5 Working Conditions.............................................................................................................34
4.6 Design improvement:...........................................................................................................35
4.8 Design Attributes..................................................................................................................35
4.9 Future project enhancement.................................................................................................35
4.10 Market research:.................................................................................................................36
4.11 Price....................................................................................................................................37
4.12 Manufacturing Process.......................................................................................................37
4.13 Discussion and findings:....................................................................................................38
Chapter 5: Conclusion...................................................................................................................39
5.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................39
5.2 Linking with objectives........................................................................................................39
5.3 Recommendation.................................................................................................................42
References......................................................................................................................................43
Appendix:......................................................................................................................................45
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Chapter 1: Introduction:
1.1 Research Background:

Cylindrical head gaskets are capable of forming the most critical seals among all the seals on an
engine, and this seal is situated between the head of the engine and the block deck of the engine
(Cylinder Head Gasket Installation, 2014). The head gasket has to seal the pressure of
combustion up to 689.5 kPa or 1,000 psi and this value is applicable only for the petrol engines.
In case of the turbocharged diesel engines this value is much higher and it is approximately 1862
kPa or 2700 psi. The head gasket also needs to withstand the temperatures of combustion that are
more than 1100 degree Celsius or 2000 Fahrenheit. The head gasket has to prevent or resist the
forces which try to scuff the surfaces of the gasket and also try to inhibit the appropriate sealing.
Example of such forces can be given as vibration of the engine and also the shifting of head and
flexing. All these forces are occurred due to the pressure of combustion. Another job of the head
gasket is to seal the coolant and hot and the flowing of the thin oil between the head and the
block must be prevented (Cylinder Head Gasket Installation, 2014). The following diagram
displays it.
Figure 1
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1.2 Research rationale:
My father was a mechanic and used to repair cars. From my upbringing being associated around
this environment I automatically took an interest inmotor vehicle and was intrigued about how
cars function and manoeuvre. At present I have two cars of my own and I have always wanted to
know why problems occur in vehicles and how to solve them, this research is very important and
also very interesting to me. When head gasket failure occurred with one vehicle had previously
owned, repair costs were steep, if I had the understanding to repair it myself, I could have saved
a lot on expenditure. This research is also very interesting to me as it gives me a lot of
knowledge and information regarding the head gasket failure and it will help me in the near
future.
1.3 Research aim and objectives:

The aim of this research work is to find the potential reasons for which the failure of the cylinder
head gasket occurs. Another aim of this research work is to derive any type of method or
solution in order to prevent this failure of the cylinder head gasket. There are few objectives of
these research work and these are obtained while studying the background of the topic of the
research. These are given below:
1. Review of the entire cylinder head gasket including the functions of it.
2. Stress analysis should be done.
3. The materials by which a cylinder head gasket is made of, needs to be checked in
order to find out if the materials are proper and if it is the main reason of the failure of
cylinder head gasket. Proper material should be found out in order to minimize the
problems.
4. Design of the cylinder head gasket is also needed to be studied in order to find if
there are any problems in it.
5. The optimum temperature is to be chosen
6. It is to be found that if in most of the cases, the installation error is pointed out to
be the main reason of this failure or not.
7. The tolerance of the tools, performance, internal strain and stress are to be
evaluated.
8. A different design that will be more proper and will reduce the rate of failure is
also to be determined.
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1.4 Research questions:
These are the questions that come to the researchers mind while executing the research work
and studies the back ground of the topic of the research work. The research questions of this
research work are given below:
1. What are the main reasons of the failure of the head gasket?
2. Is the design of the cylinder head gasket properly done?
3. Are the proper materials chosen?
4. What will be the optimum method to reduce this failure of the cylinder head
gasket?
Structure of the research:
1.5 Structure of the Research

The research work is done in a systematic manner in order to give the clear understanding
regarding the topic of the research work. The research work contains six chapters which are the
introduction, literature review, research methodology, data analysis, conclusion and
recommendation.
Chapter1: Introduction: This is known to the first chapter of any research work and it is the most
important chapter of a research work. It consists of the background of the research topic,
research aims and objectives, research questions and the structure of the research work. The
researcher studies the background of the topic in order to have a clear understanding about the
aim and objectives of the research work. This chapter gives an overview of the research topic and
by reading it the reader can understand about the research work.
Chapter 2: Literature Review: Literature review is the second chapter of a research work. In this
chapter the researcher studies a lot of different types of academic articles such as journals, Blogs,
websites, online library, books and other academic sources in order to have a clear idea,
information and knowledge regarding the topic of the research.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology: This is the third chapter of a research work. Here the
researcher considers different types of methods to get the answers of the research questions and
then the optimum research method that meets the goals of the research work is selected. There
are two types of research such as primary research and secondary research.
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Chapter 4: Data Analysis: Data analysis is the forth chapter of a research work. In this chapter
the analysis of the data is done. All the data that are collected during the research work are
analysed in this chapter in order to find the answer of the research questions and to meet the
objectives of the research work.
Chapter 5: Conclusion: Conclusion is the fifth chapter of any research work and in this chapter
the research tries to link the experimental results and the theoretical results with the research
questions in order to see if the proper result is obtained or not.
Chapter 6: Recommendation: recommendation is the sixth and final chapter of a research work
and in this chapter the researcher expresses all the recommendations that are needed to be done
in order to have a better result and also to overcome the difficulties that were faced while
executing the research work.
Chapter 2: Literature review
2.1 Introduction -
This report describes about the various reasons of cylinder gasket failures and its impact on the
machines. While investigating about this theory, I saw some important causes, related to this
topic which affects the engine performance. The main idea comes after analysing this report
theory that we can introduce a pre tension element into the stimulation of the bolted assembly
with the other component. Comparing with other traditional methods the pre tensioning elements
has many advantages in controlling the raising and lowering the temperature which is another
cause of this cylinder gasket failure (Fiume, 2010). ). The cylinder head gasket of a vehicle
performs as a critical seal between the cylinder heads and the engine block. Generally, a cylinder
head gasket of a car is made of copper or steel. There are some cylinder head gaskets that are
made of composites like asbestos or graphite, but these types of cylinder head gaskets are known
not to be effective. The application of asbestos is being avoided as it can create health problems.
There are a lot of factors which make a cylinder head gasket a very important component of the
internal combustion engine. The cylinder head gasket is known to be responsible for ensuring
that the pressure that created remains within the combustion chamber. The cylinder head gasket
also performs as a path for the coolant and oil. It also keeps the two chambers separated so that
the two distinct liquid do not get mixed (Head Gasket Problems - Causes and Solutions
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Simplified!, 2016). Each of the two liquids is kept for two distinct purposes, hence it is necessary
to keep these two liquids separated and this important job is done by the cylinder head gasket.
2.2 Gasket Function -

Normally a gasket head is installed in the engine to create an impact in-between the seal, the
cylinder head and the block (of diesel or petrol engines). It is an important component of the
engine which is needed to perform various functions at the same time during the operation of the
engine. The head gasket maintains a seal around the combustion chamber at peak operating
temperatures and pressure. The gasket should be sealed against the air, coolants, combustion and
the engine oil at their respective highest peak operating temperature and pressure. The materials
that are used for the design employed must be thermally and chemically resistant to the products
of combustion and the different chemicals, coolants and the oils that are used in the engine. After
joining the head gasket, it becomes an important component of the whole structure of the engine
(Srikanth and Balakrishnan, 2015). This provides support to the cylinder head along with the
operating components. This should be capable to withstand with dynamic and thermal forces
which are transmitted from the block and the head. The ranging of the engines according to size
from one cylinder of petrol fired engines up to twelve cylinder that are turbo charged or super
charged, in high compression diesels the materials and the design of the gasket is the paramount
to its total functions.
2.3 Cylinder head gasket failure diagnosis -

The external oil leak from a head gasket is not a common activity which needs time
fordiagnoses. A dye test and some thorough investigation will extract the main problem and it
also display the other source for the oil leak which cause this huge problem. A valve cover
gasket, intake gasket or gallery plug or external oil supply tube supply mainly destroys the whole
system and create a huge amount of damage to the machines.
Maintaining the cooling system is the most important for the head gasket to give good
performance for the long time. Present of electrolysis and coolant pH cause the carrions that
rapidly break down the capability of the engine of the head gasket to seal properly. Maintaining
the correct coolant type, coolant level and the coolant mixture should be done at a regulate
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interval of time. It also need to be supervised, that the main components of the engines like
radiator, radiator cap, coolant hoses, water pump, heater core, drive belts are working at their
optimum level to produce maximum efficiency of the engine (Cylinder Head Gasket Installation,
2016).
The performance of the engine and the vehicle conditions of usage should be supervised closely.
Some low grade fuel and inoperative gauges or sensors and the overloading of the vehicle are
considered to be the common type reasons through which the engine develops concerns that start
to alter the head gasket. The presences of detonation or pre-ignition are present and cannot be
controlled in any way. So they immediately start to change the ability of the engine that displays
the sign of failure because of increased cylinder temperatures and pressures.
2.4Damage to cylinder head gaskets -

Mainly the failures are caused by leaks, damage or total failure of the sealing systems that
generally indicate the causes or defects of the engine or gasket system. Replacing the cylinder
head gasket will not help to create a solution for this problem. Mainly the leaks between the
cylinder head gasket and the engine block related to gas, oil or the cooling leakages that takes
place in between the combustion chambers, into the coolant circuit to the environment. The
leakage of the gas can result in maximum damage in engine within a very short span of time and
the leakage of oil can result huge amount of environment pollution to its surrounding area. The
presence of dirt or any harmful objects and also rough surfaces can cause damage to the cylinder
head gaskets (Lee et al., 2005). Overheating of engine in combination with the distortion of the
component or insufficient compression of the cylinder head gasket are the most common reasons
for the leakage. The thermal overloading conditions are mainly caused by dispute components on
the coolant circuit or not maintaining the system properly. Some other causes are irregular
combustion which is created by coke deposits and excessively high exhaust gas pressure after the
failure event of the catalytic converter. Additionally, the chemical additives that are present in the
coolant and the low quality anti freeze agents are the important component that creates stack
sealant coatings.
2.5 Symptoms and prevention

There are different symptoms, different reasons of the failure and also different methods of
solving the problem and it depends on the types of the vehicle. First of all, the commercial
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vehicles are considered. In case of these types of vehicles, extreme gas flow is pointed out to be
symptom of failure of the cylinder head gasket and this gas flows from the exhaust area
(Recognising and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). The cause of this
incident is the improper compression of cylinder head gasket. As the bolts were not properly
tightened, this problem has taken place. This is the reason why the gas blow by inside the cooling
water and as a result of this, the coolant pressure is increased. Thus, the cylinder head gasket is
destroyed. There are also some other reasons that are possible such as the sinking of cylinder
liner or the distortion of the components. If the surfaces of the components of the engine cylinder
head and cylinder crankcase are too rough, it can also result into the similar problem. If the
ignition pressure is produced in excessive amount, the failure of cylinder head gasket can
happen. In order to avoid such problem, new cylinder head bolts must beusedand also the quality
of the products and safety should be ensured (Recognising and preventing typical damage to
Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). The tightening of the bolts must be done properly and it must be
done with anappropriate tool or equipment.
There are other damage symptoms of this problem like the separation of the elastomer sealing
element from the carrier of the gasket. It takes place at the water opening and at the tappet
opening. As a result of this, a lot of water is lost. If the surface of the cylinder head is uneven, it
can result into this problem. In this case, the pressure of gas is very strong and it moves away the
elastomer sealing elements from the carrier plate. There are also other possible reasons such as
improper adjustment of liner protrusion or improper compression forces. This improper
compression force is produced by the cylinder head bolts (Recognising and preventing typical
damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). In order to avoid such problem, the surfaces of the
components must be checked before the installation is done. If it is observed that proper surface
is not present, then it has to be resurfaced.
Now, the passenger vehicles are considered. In these vehicles, the main symptom of damage is
known to the burning of sealing web that is located between the chamber one and chamber two.
If the compression of the gasket is not properly done, it can result into the above incident.
Overheating is the result of this improper compression and as a result of this, the sealing web is
destroyed. There are also other reasons that are possible for the occurrence of this incident and
these are the improper adjustment of the engine or improper shape of the components of the
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engine (Recognising and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). If the
components of the engine are flat, it will definitely result into the deformation of sealing web. In
order to avoid such an incident, the installation of the engine must be properly done. The surface
area of the components of the engine must be checked properly. The cylinder head bolts that are
going to be used must also be checked and only new cylinder head bolts must be used. The
tightening of the cylinder head bolts must be done properly and with the required tightening tool
or equipment.
Another symptom of the damage in passenger vehicle is known to be the scorching of soft
material as well as combustion chamber which are situated between the chamber three and
chamber four(Recognising and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). It
also results into the starting of dark discolouration between the two chambers i.e. chamber three
and chamber four. If the combustion process is not controlled properly, it will certainly result
into the generation of overheating and will definitely be responsible for the damage of the
sealing material. There are some other reasons that are also capable of causing such problem and
these possible reasons are improper surface of the components of the engine, problem in
thermostat, error in the cooling system and the improper tightening of the cylinder head bolts.
The components of the engine must be flat or else this problem will take place. In order to avoid
such problem, the injection process must be checked in order to see if it is properly adjusted or
not (Recognising and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). This is to be
done after the installation process. The injection valves must be properly checked in order to
check if there are any leakages in the injection valves.
In case of two layer metal gasket, there are different symptoms for the failure of cylinder head
gasket. In this case, black discoloration can be seen around the cooling duct. The black
discoloration is shown by functional layer as well as metal stopper layer and this black
discolouration is very significant. This improper sealing compression is pointed out to be the
reason of this problem. The sealing compression will be insufficient if the torque for tightening
the bolts is too low. Another reason of this problem is the improper surface of the components of
the engine. If the surface of the components of the engine is not flat, overheating will happen and
it will definitely result into the deformation of the components (Recognising and preventing
typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). In order to avoid this problem, the surface of
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the components of engine must be checked and before installation, it must be ensured proper
torque for the tightening the bolts is applied.
If the failure of the cylinder head gasket has occurred by the pressure build up inside the cooling
system, there will be different symptoms of damage. If the cylinder head gasket is made of a
multi-layer metal (for example the multi layered steel head gasket), linear impressions can be
clearly seen and it is observed in the area of water ducts. These come from the surfaces of the
cylinder head sealing and go to the combustion chamber. If the surface of the cylinder head is
machined improperly, it will result into the blow by of the combustion gases and this will take
place inside the cooling circuit and as a result of this, overheating will be generated(Recognising
and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). There are also other factors that
can be blamed for the occurrence of this problem. These are known as the interruption of the
cooling circuit, partial removal of air from the cooling system and the high exhaust back
pressure. If the entire air is not removed from the cooling system, the coolant cannot circulate. In
order to avoid such problems, the sealing surfaces must be properly checked before the
installation is done and it must be checked very closely. It also must be ensured that the head of
the surface of the cylinder head is flat. There are also other symptoms of damage and also for the
failure of the cylinder head gasket. Linear impressions can be clearly seen on the multi-
layermetal elastomer cylinder head gasket. If the surface of the cylinder head is machined
improperly, it can result into the occurrence of this problem (Recognising and preventing typical
damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). The improper surface of the structure can be the
reason of the generation of overheating. There are also other possible causes that are similarly
responsible for the occurrence of such problems. These are known as the interruption of the
cooling circuit, partial removal of air from the cooling system and the high exhaust back
pressure. If the entire air is not removed from the cooling system, the coolant cannot circulate. In
order to avoid such problems, the sealing surfaces must be properly checked before the
installation is done and it must be checked very closely. It also must be ensured that the head of
the surface of the cylinder head is flat (Recognising and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-
Head Gaskets, 2014). In most of the cases, the cylinder head gasket is damaged because of the
generation of overheating. Over heating is mainly occurred by a component of the engine. When
this component of the engine stops functioning or working, it results into the generation of
overheat. This component can be any component which is not involved in the circulation and
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these types of components are known as the thermostat or a water pump. If there is not sufficient
water in the cooling circuit, it can result into overheating. If the cooling circuit is not properly
vented, it can also generate overheating. Overheating is known to be a destructive factor. The
improper function of the exhaust system can also generate this destructive factor known as
overheating. If the failure of the cylinder head gasket occurs because of overheating, it can easily
be recognised (Recognising and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014).
There are some signs that confirm that the failure has occurred due to overheating. For an
example, if swollen waviness of the soft materials occurs around the water passages, it confirms
that the failure of the cylinder head gasket is the result of overheating. In order to avoid the
destruction of cylinder head gasket, anti corrosion agents can be used. The metal plates of the
cylinder head gasket can suffer massive decomposition because of corrosion if proper anti
corrosion agents are not used.
It has been observed that in most of the cases, after repairing a lot of complaints regarding the
leakage of oil and coolant takes place and among these complaints, in most of the cases, the
leakage of oil and coolant occur due to the improper installation of the cylinder head gasket
(Recognising and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets, 2014). If the specified
installation process by is not followed properly, it will result into the leakage of oil and coolant.
There are five major symptoms that are capable of expressing the failure of the cylinder head
gasket. The abnormal and high rise in the temperature of the engine is a sign of this problem.
Another sign of the failure of the cylinder head gasket is the low levels of the coolant. If the
vehicle is not running properly of smoothly, it is also a symptom of the failure of the cylinder
head gasket. Another symptom of this problem is known to be the discolouration of the oil (Head
Gasket Problems - Causes and Solutions Simplified!, 2016). If a smoke of light colour is coming
out from the exhaust pipe of the vehicle, it also denotes the failure of the cylinder head gasket. In
order to make sure that the failure of cylinder head gasket does not occur, the installation of the
cylinder head gasket must be done properly. It includes some steps that are needed to be done in
sequence in order to have a successful result. First of all, before disassembling, the engine is to
be allowed to cool (Cylinder Head Gasket Installation, 2014). It must be ensured that the engine
is cooled completely because the cylinder head tries to warp if the removal process is executed
while the engine is still hot. On the other hand, if the engine remains hot, it will be very difficult
to remove and add the bolts and it can result into the breakage of components. The next step is to
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loosen the bolts in order to remove those. The process must be executed by applying a reverse
torque in the proper sequence. Next step is the cleaning. In this step, the surface areas are to be
cleaned in order to remove all the foreign materials. If the foreign materials such as debris
remain on the surface, it is capable of preventing a good seal. In some cases, it has been seen that
debris are capable of damaging the block as well as the cylinder head. In case of cleaning the
iron components, a wire brush and a scraper must be used. In case of components that are made
of aluminium, a non-metallic scraper is to be used because they can easily be damaged. Care
must be taken when the aluminium discs are to be used as these discs contain aluminium oxide
and it is very hard as well as abrasive. The coolant and oil ports must be covered while the
cleaning is being executed by any type of solution. After this, the old cylinder head gasket is to
be inspected carefully. The inspection is to be done in order to find if there are any damage and
wear. If the cylinder head gasket is cracked at someplace, it can result into an abnormal
combustion and as a result of it, problems will occur. Hence, the inspection is very important and
it is to be done with great care (Cylinder Head Gasket Installation, 2014). If a problem is found,
it is to be corrected. If a damaged cylinder head gasket is replaced without the correction, it will
definitely result into a greater problem. Thereafter, the checking is to be done for distortion and
war page. After that, the cylinder head gasket must be resurfaced in order to avoid the problems.
Then, all the parts or components of the engine are to be inspected. The inspection is to be done
with great care so that no damaged parts or components are missed. If any damaged component
or part is found, it is to be replaced as soon as possible. A cylinder head gasket should never be
reused. If a used cylinder head gasket is used, it denotes that there will be a definite failure. After
fitting, it is to be checked if the cylinder head gasket is properly fit or not. Then surface, and bolt
holes are to be cleaned. After that, threads on bolts are to be prepared. The proper length of the
bolt is to be measured. Proper torque must be applied. Finally overall inspection is to be done
(Cylinder Head Gasket Installation, 2014).
2.6Summary -
In this research report the various type of loading failure of cylinder head gasket are shown. The
capacity of cylinder head gaskets mainly depends on the pre stressing of the bolts which are the
main source of the external type of loading on the inner surface structure of the cylinder head.
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Moreover, the weakest position of the cylinder is the contact pressure on the extended portion of
the gasket. This can be transferred as a result of the thermal stress or thermal strain. In this
investigation the failure reason of cylinder gasket head displays about the thermal stress and the
various causes of reason for this type of failure. Some effective method can be used to improve
the sealing capacity of the gasket by improving the magnitude of the assembly force without
crossing the strength of the material of each component in the structure of the engine. Hence it
can be seen that the purpose of a cylinder head gasket is not only to make seal between the deck
of the block and the cylinder head (Gasket Works Physics, 2016). It also performs to maintain
the transfer of heat between these two parts and it also acts as a guide for the coolant so that it
can flow in the proper path and in proper manner. It also prevents the coolant and oil from
getting mixed. Therefore, the cylinder head gasket is a very important component.
Chapter 3:
3.1 Introduction:
This is the chapter three of a research work and it is known as the research methodology. It is
also known as a very important as well as a unique tool that is capable of helping in completing
the research work successfully and effectively. In this chapter of the researcher studies different
types of research methodologies and then among those different methodologies, the most suitable
methodology is identified and applied in the research work so that the objectives of the research
work can be met properly. This chapter contains several parts and these are known as the purpose
of the research, philosophy of the research, approach of the research, design of the research,
research strategies, data collection and the method of collecting the data, data analysis tools and
methods of analysing, the limitations of the research work, and the ethical considerations that are
taken care while doing the research work. At the end of the chapter a brief summary is provided.
3.2 purpose of the research work

While choosing the most suitable research methodology, the researcher must keep in mind the
purpose of the research work so that correct methodology can be chosen. The research
methodology must not move away from the correct path and also should meet the objectives of
the research effectively. There are generally three types of research purposes that can take place
in a research work or dissertation paper. Three research purposes are known as descriptive
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research purpose, explanatory research purpose and the analytical research purpose. The
objectives that are to be taken care while choosing the types of research purpose are given below:
1. Review of the entire cylinder head gasket including the functions of it.
2. Stress analysis should be done.
3. The materials by which a cylinder head gasket is made of, needs to be checked in order
to find out if the materials are proper and if it is the main reason of the failure of cylinder head
gasket. Proper material should be found out in order to minimize the problems.
4. Design of the cylinder head gasket is also needed to be studied in order to find if there are
any problems in it.
5. The optimum temperature is to be chosen
6. It is to be found that if in most of the cases, the installation error is pointed out to be the
main reason of this failure or not.
7. The tolerance of the tools, performance, internal strain and stress are to be evaluated.
8. A different design that will be more proper and will reduce the rate of failure is also to be
determined.
3.3 strategies of the research work

The research strategy is capable of formulating the most of the part of a research work. the
research strategy contains several aspects and these are known as the design of the research,
methods of the research, the data collection method and other similar things. The strategy of the
research work depends on the nature of the research work. Each and every research work has a
unique research strategy. In this research work, the researcher has developed a unique strategy
which is suitable for the research work so that the outcomes of the research work can be
effective. Here, in this research work several journals and previous research papers are analysed
in order to find the outcomes of the research work. the data that are found from those research
papers that are done by some other researcher are analysed in this research paper. The basic
working principle of the cylinder head gasket is studied and analysed. The cause of failure of the
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cylinder head gasket is also studied. The methods of preventing such failures are also studied in
the research paper.
The next crucial step after designing the product would be choosing appropriate materials for
manufacturing it. The most common reason for a head gasket failure is the material failing to
adjust to the required engine temperatures, therefore it is highly important to identify and analyse
suitable materials that could replace the existing materials there by increasing the reliability and
life span of the product.
This selection process would be performed using CES Edupack software. CES Edupack is a user
friendly software that provides an extensive database of materials, process information for the
user to identify, filter, compare and analyse different suitable materials.
The main properties of replacement materials would concentrate on reliability and melting point
to reduce failures due to engine heat.
Figure.1
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This figure shows all the material groups that are available which is organised by comparing the
melting point against the yield strength, which is one of the necessary requirements for head
gaskets
Figure 2
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Figure 2 shows the limit stage where all the materials are narrowed down depending on
the requirements needed for the head gasket. One of the main aspects to take into consideration
is the price, due to the labouring costs and repairs being very expensive
Price was considered one of the main aspect, due to the labouring costs and repairs being
expensive. The limit on the price was set to a maximum of 10GBP/Kg for the reason that a large
no of products could made from a Kilogram of the material.
Melting point was considered the other main aspect, due to fact that different engines operate at
different engine temperatures. Therefore the head gasket should be able to withstand all the
different engine temperatures and perform flawlessly without elongating too much that it
wouldnt be possible to contract to its original size. The limit on the melting point was set to a
minimum of 1000C and a maximum of 5410C.
19
Figure 3 shows the results of the limits that were set, it is clearly seen that many materials failed
to match the criteria for the reason that they did not have high melting points and only some
metals and alloy passed. The above figure also displays that low alloy steel and high carbon steel
bear high yield strength compared to the other materials
The next step was to make a transition from level 2 database to 3, this step was performed to
look at all the different types of low alloy steel and high carbon steel available and find the
suitable material that fits the requirement. Then the different materials available were further
filtered by setting limits.
Figure 4 shows the results of the limits that were set, it can be see that many materials failed to
match the criteria. The figure above also displays that carbon steel ASI 1060 and carbon steel
20
1144 are the material that have highest melting point, but there is a slight difference in price. As
the price gap is not too high, both the materials properties would be compared and analysed and
the best material would be employed in the new product.
Further comparisons were made between the filtered materials to find the best replaceable
material. Figure 5 shows the comparison between Youngs Modulus and density. It is shown that
all materials have nearly got the same density while carbon steel ASI 1040 and Carbon steel ASI
1141 bear high youngs modulus compared to the other materials.
21
Figure 6 shows the comparison between the density of the material and its fracture toughness. It
can be seen that all the materials have got nearly the same density, while Carbon steel ASI 4137,
Carbon steel ASI 1060 and Carbon steel ASI 1141 have got the highest fracture toughness. All
the materials mentioned above would be compared and their properties would be applied as the
material choice on ANSYS software to perform stress analysis for the design and pick the best
suitable material.
22
3.4 data collection and the method of collecting data
Research data are known as one of the most important component of a research work. The
method of collecting the data in a research work depends on the nature of the research work.
There are two types of data and there are also two types of data collection method and these are
known as the primary data and the secondary method. These two data the method of collecting
these two data are completely distinct. In case of primary data, the data are collected through a
practical experiment or by a survey that can be done with the help of a questionnaire. All the data
that are collected through such methods are known as the primary data. On the other hand, in
case of secondary data, no practical experiment is performed. In this case, several research
papers on the similar topic that are done previously by some other researcher are studied and
analysed. The data are collected from those research works and such data are known as the
secondary data. The primary data can provide the quantitative results mainly. On the other hand,
in case of the secondary data, it is capable of providing more qualitative as well as quantitative
results. This type of data i.e. the secondary data also capable of developing the knowledge of the
topic of the research work. Here, in this research work, secondary data are considered for
executing the research work.
3.5 data analysis tools and procedures:

In a research work, data analysis is performed in both types of data i.e. in case of primary data as
well as for the secondary data. But the methods of analysing the data are different for the two
different types of data. In case of primary data analysis, the analysis is done on the data that are
collected through some practical or field experiment. All the data are arranged in different tables
according to the sequence. Then the data are analysed with the help of several statistical tools.
Mean, median, mode, standard deviation, co relation, variance and other similar statistical
calculations are performed in order to analyse the primary data. From the results different types
of charts or graphs are plotted so that the results can be easily understood. On the other hand, in
case of the secondary data analysis, no such calculations are performed. No tools or methods are
also used in this type of data analysis. In this case, the data are analysed with the help of the
research work that are done previously by some other researcher. Here, in this research work, the
secondary data analysis is performed.
23
3.6 limitations of the research work
Though it is said that a research work is successful or effective, there are a lot of limitations and
boundaries that can be found in a research work. In a research work generally different types of
methods and structures are applied and as a result of it, the overall research work becomes more
complicated. In this research though a systematic structure is used, there are some limitations of
the research work. This research work is completely depended on the previous research works
that are done by some other researchers. No practical research work is performed in this research
work. If the research papers from which the information and data are collected are not correct,
then the result of this research paper will also not be correct. In order to avoid this, more number
of research papers are to be analysed and in order to analyse more number of research papers
more time is required in order to complete the entire research work.
3.7 Ethical considerations

There are some ethical considerations that must be maintained in order to ensure that no
unethical activities can take place during the research work. as the secondary data are taken in
this research work, it is very important to maintain the ethical considerations of the research
work. all the data that are collected throughout the entire research work must be kept confidential
and hidden. Though there are a lot of problems that can take place in order to maintain all the
ethical considerations, but at least most of the ethical considerations must be maintained
throughout the entire research work. the ethical considerations must also be maintained in order
to make the research work more effective and to meet the objectives of the research work.
3.8 Summary
It can be seen from the above discussion that with the help of the research methodology, the
researcher can complete the entire research work more effectively. In order to maintain the
degree of effectiveness, the suitable research methodology must be chosen. Here in this research
work, the deductive research approach is chosen. Positivism is chosen as the philosophy of the
research work. The secondary data are collected and the secondary data analysis is done in order
to find the proper results of the research work so that the objectives of the research work can be
met.
24
Chapter 4: Data Analysis
Secondary data analysis of the research work is presented in this chapter. Rigorous testing is
usually done to ensure efficient engine gasket sealing and behaviours of the gasket under stress
and strain conditions are analysed. A 2 litre engine cylinder head used under various kinds of
loading conditions can be used as the testing ground. The methods used in testing are contact
theory and thermal stress analysis. This analysis mainly aims at introducing any pre-tension
elements into the simulation of engine working conditions. Commercial softwares such as
ANSYS can be used to obtain numerical solutions of the simulations of structural analysis. The
process of acquiring the best performance that an engine can give under any operating condition,
that includes various harsh natural environments and conditions, several analytical tools and
experimental processes are utilized to obtain the absolute perfect and optimum parameters for a
combustion engine design
A cylinder head gasket is required to seal the cylinder head to the block of the combustion
engine, thus, making it an integral part and component of the engine assembly. The gasket head
must be able to maintain the seal under any engine conditions. Thus, to solve any issues
pertaining to cylinder head gasket failure, thermal and structural analyses should be essentially
adopted. Two theories as mentioned above can be used in gasket head analysis. One is the
Contact Theory, where it is assumed that the contact surfaces existing between the cylinder head,
bolts and the gaskets are no absolutely flat at some scale or the other. Contacts between the
metallic surfaces are done during engine assembly. The theory states that the size of the plastic
deformation of the head gasket is directly proportional to the pressure of contact and inversely
proportional to the hardness of gasket material. The point of weakest contact pressure can be
determined using this method because the probability of gas escape is highest at the weakest
points of contact pressure, and this gas escape results in reduced and poor efficiency of the
engine. Another theory that is used to analyse head gasket failure is the thermal stress theory.
Temperature changes cause the head gasket to change its dimensions by expanding or contracting
resulting in the formation of mechanical stress. The heat transfer analysis of an engine is thus
very important. According to the law of conservation of energy, the equation of heat condition in
a material is expressed as = (2T/x2) + (2T/y2) + (2T/2) =0]
25
From the generalized version of Hooke's law, strain components acting on the element including
the various kinds of thermal strains are as given in Figure 2 below, where is normal stress, is
normal strain, E is the Young's modulus of elasticity, v is Poisson's ratio, is an coefficient of
thermal expansion, T is incremental temperature, G is shear modulus, is shear stress, and
finally is shear strain.
x= [x- (y+z)]/E+T
y= [y- (z+x)]/E+T
z= [z- (x+y)]/E+
Certain methods of numerical analysis can be used to find solutions regarding the physical as
well as the non-physical problems of the sealing of cylinder head gasket. One of these methods is
the finite element method. The inherent premise of this method postulates that a complex domain
can be further divided into a number of smaller sub-domains to facilitate the solutions of the
overall problem of the actual analysis. Each of these regions is called an element and the
process of division is known as discretization. These elements are all connected together through
nodes. The solution of this analysis is done in discrete value terms of certain primary field
variables, that is, displacement with respect to the three dimensional references in x, y and z
direction. After the determination of the equations of the elements, all of the individual elements
are assembled and brought together to create whole of the actual domain. The solutions related to
the primary field variables become a piecewise linear approximation which is to be expressed by
nodal value terms. (Mark and Jeffrey, 2004)
The cylinder experiences strain due to a number of external factors and forces which act on the
gasket surfaces and also due to certain body forces that act on the gasket all throughout the
volume of the engine structure. These forces influence the dimensions of the gasket and deform
it. If it is assumed that the gasket will behave in an elastic manner and will return to its initial
configuration when all the loads that have been applied are slowly taken away. A numerical
measurement and calculation of relative deformation of any solid body under stress of any kind
is referred to as strain calculation. At any particular given point of the body, P, (point should be
within the body) the strain can be analysed as functions of displacements in the x, y and z
26
directions. Assuming that the strains are sufficiently minute and their second order terms can be
neglected, the strain displacement equations of the gasket can thus be obtained.
Data analysis reveals that normal strains are defined as a unit elongation or deformation of the
gasket at any point in any direction with respect to the Cartesian Co-ordinate axes. Shearing
strains however calculate the angular distortion produced in the gasket. Thus, the states of stress
that the cylinder head gasket is subjected to are the three components of normal stress x, y and
z and six components of shearing stress.
Another useful method of data analysis regarding the causes of failure of a cylinder head gasket
is the thermal analysis method. This form of analytical technique is primarily used in the
branches of material sciences, which investigate the variation in the different properties of
materials under certain pressure and temperature conditions. Some assumptions and
considerations are to be done regarding the application of the thermal analysis method on
cylinder head gaskets. The thermal conductivity coefficient between a cylinder head and the
engine block is very small and minute and thus the material of the gasket is assumed to be
adiabatic, that is, pressure and temperature increase with no significant loss or gain of heat. This
leads to the calculation of the structural analysis of the engine parts above the head gasket to be
done using the finite element analysis. Another that should be done is that parts like the bolts,
valve guides and valve seats etc. do not have any viable or major contributions towards heat
transfer or temperature distribution. Hence, with exception of the inlet valve and the exhaust
valve, other engine components are not considered in thermal analysis. (Victorreinz.com, 2016)
A structural analysis of the cylinder head gasket can also help investigate the reasons behind its
frequent failures. The various loadings applied to the structure of the engine containing the
gasket can be analysed using the liner and elastic analytical procedure. This procedure can be
divided into mainly three load steps using the concept of superposition principle that can be used
to simulate different operations and processes of the engine and its myriad array of components.
These load steps are useful in the overall structural analysis and are as follows: Loadings of the
engine assembly, which constitute the major percentage of the load that is applied on the engine.
These loadings mainly and primarily include the bolt pre-stressing and this pre-stressing of bolts
plays a vital and important role in the prevention of any form of gas escape that may occur from
27
any of the internal parts of the engine. It can be said that the proper and correct stressing and
fixing of the bolts increase the efficiency of the engine by effective sealing of the gasket.
Analysis results show that bolts must be pre-stressed in the pressure range of 28 kilo newtons to
32 kilo newtons. The structural planes of the engine components directly connected with
cylinder head gasket should have symmetrical boundary conditions of any kind of displacement.
In addition to all these precautionary assembling measures, the movement and overall
displacement of all the nodes situated at the bottom of the block should be fixed in order to
prevent and altogether avoid any kind of rigid body motion. Data derived from the analysis also
consider any kind of thermal loadings, that is, any kind of stress and subsequent strain caused
due to temperature variations of the gasket and its associated components. Pressures created due
to the formation of gases in the combustion chamber of an engine are also analysed. The primary
sources of gaseous pressure that may adversely affect the gasket and cause it to fail are the gases
formed due to the firing of the engine spark plug that imposes and puts pressure on the surfaces
of the engines combustion chamber. The amplitude and magnitude of the pressure produced due
to gas formation varies through different cycles and steps of the combustion process. In order to
achieve a steady state data analysis, that does not take into consideration of the transient
behaviour of the factors affecting the gasket, a gas pressure of an average value is introduced into
the variables of the loading conditions in order to achieve proper simulation of hot firing and
cold firing of engines. (Gideon Daka, 2010)
4.1 Problem identification of existing head gaskets and designs
One of the primary problematic causes that cause engine head gasket failure is the destructive
effect of engine combustion heat. Heat is one of the main reasons behind head gasket failures.
Heat is produced due to a number of engine faults such as damaged radiator, coolant leak, bad
thermostat, lower hose collapsing, and also some less obvious causes such as poor circulation of
the exhaust gases that produce remote localized hot spots. The exhaust gas recirculation valve
controls the flow of exhaust gases in the engines and a failure of this valve leads to poor driving
capability of the car. And that will inevitably cause damage to the engine pistons and cylinders.
Very high flow of gases through the exhaust gas valves causes surging and power loss in the car,
which puts pressure on the engine parts. This in turn produces excessive engine temperature that
28
veritably damages head gaskets. Coolant loss, engine oil loss, internal loss of coolant either into
the engine or into a cylinder, performance loss and engine misfiring due to failure between two
cylinders, excessive pressure on the crankcase and internal loss of engine oil occurring in
pressurized coolant and oil passages are the several reasons behind head gasket problems. Engine
overheating, destruction and distortion of engine components, insufficient compression of the
cylinder head gasket thus are also some of the key reasons behind the problems that engine head
gaskets face. The symptoms of head gasket related problems are varied. Compression reduction
and loss in one or more cylinders, increased consumption of fuel and excessive exhaust smoke,
very high engine temperature indicated by the engine thermostat, abnormally low coolant levels,
stuttering of engine, engine lubricating oil discoloration and finally discoloured but excess
exhaust gases are some of most noticeable symptoms of engine cylinder head gasket failure.
Misdiagnosis of head gasket problems is a factor that leads to further engine problems. . Any
head gasket problems must never kept untreated as it may result in detonation of engine or other
serious problems. Engine and its associated components can be severely damaged if the vehicle
is operated with a blown or damaged gasket. Once the gasket gets extremely damaged, engine
pressure will be significantly lost since the head gasket seals and maintains the pressure of the
engine combustion chamber. Engine efficiency and propulsion power will be lost to a large
extent. Engine oil and coolant passages will begin to leak and the liquids will therefore enter
other vital places of the engine, causing more extensive damage. Cooling system of the vehicle
will be destroyed to quite an extent and as the coolant further mixes and spreads to other parts of
the vehicle, there will be loss of lubrication as coolant fluid is not a lubricating material.
Considerable damage to the engine is done because of a blown head gasket and this is one of the
most detrimental types of engine failure caused due to head gasket problems. Proper detection of
the underlying problem and maintenance of essential cooling and gas circulation components is
essential to prevent and resolve head gasket problems.
4.2 Comparison of materials being selected for new design and existing
Materials for the existing head gaskets

Generally stain less steel is being used as the component material of the cylinder head gasket. In
todays world, almost in all types of head gaskets, stain less steel is being used. It is mainly used
because it does not corrode or rest easily (Srikanth and Balakrishnan, 2015). It is not that the
29
stain less steal is completely stain proof. Generally this material is being used in such places
where the properties of a steel and stain or corrosion resistivity property are required. The
mechanical and the material properties of this material i.e. stain less steel is given in the below
table:
Table 1: Material and mechanical properties of stainless steel (Srikanth and Balakrishnan,
2015)
VALU
PROPERTIES NAME UNITS E
Youngs modulus Gpa 190
Ultimate tensile strength MPa 400
Ultimate compressive
strength MPa 570
Position ratio - 0.2
Thermal conductivity W / mk 16.3
Density Mg / m3 7.85
Materials that can be used in the new design of the cylinder head gaskets
In order to improve the performance as well the effectiveness of the cylinder head gasket and
also to avoid the failure of the existing cylinder head gaskets, a new design along with new
materials as the components of the new cylinder heads gaskets is required (Srikanth and
Balakrishnan, 2015). The materials that can be used as the components materials of the new
cylinder head gaskets are known to be carbon fibres, pyrosic glass ceramic, and Kevlar fibre.
The material and mechanical properties of these three materials are given in the below tables.
Table 2: Mechanical and material properties of carbon fiber (Srikanth and Balakrishnan,
2015)
PROPERTIES NAME UNITS VALUE

strength MPa 150
Thermal conductivity W / mk 900
30
G /
Density cm3 1.78
Table 3: Mechanical and material properties of pyrosic glass- ceramic (Srikanth and
Balakrishnan, 2015)

Ultimate compressive strength MPa 95
Thermal conductivity W / mk 0.95
Density G / cm3 1.8 - 2.2
Table 4: Mechanical and Material Properties Kevlar Fiber (Srikanth and Balakrishnan,
2015)

strength MPa 280
Thermal conductivity W / mk 30
Density Kg / m3 1404
Carbon fibres are generally combined with another material in order to form a new composite
material. If carbon fibre is added with plastic then carbon fibre reinforced polymer is formed and
the ratio between strength and weight of this material is found to be very high (Srikanth and
Balakrishnan, 2015). This composite material is very rigid also. The pyrosic glass - ceramic is
also known as CMC i.e. ceramic matrix composites and it is generally made of metals, glass,
synthetic matrices, silicon carbide and other similar materials. On the other hand, Kevlar fibre is
known as a Para aramid synthetic fibre. This material has very high strength. From the table 2,
it can be seen that the carbon fibre has Youngs modulus of 70 Gpa. The tensile strength of this
31
material is estimated to be 600 Mpa. The tensile strength of pyrosic glass ceramic and the
Kevlar fibre is found to be 350 MPa and 1300 Mpa respectively. Hence it can be said that if the
materials are judged depending on the tensile strength, then Kevlar fibre takes the first place. If
these materials are judged by their thermal conductivity, it is found that the Kevlar fibre has the
thermal conductivity of 30 W / mk whereas the pyrosic glass ceramic and the carbon fibre have
the thermal conductivity of 0.95 W / mk and 900 W / mk respectively (Srikanth and
Balakrishnan, 2015). Hence, it can be said that carbon fibre has the best thermal conductivity
among the materials that are chosen for using to make the cylinder head gasket. From the above
given tables, it is also found that, the Kevlar fibre has comprehensive strength of 280 Mpa, the
pyrosic glass ceramic has ultimate comprehensive strength of 350 Mpa whereas this value for
the carbon fibre is found to be 150 Mpa. Therefore, it can be said that comprehensive strength is
the highest for the ceramic material (Srikanth and Balakrishnan, 2015).
4.3 Manufacturing process of the parts
Head gaskets are now manufactured in a multi layered steel configuration. This process consists of
the usage of two to five separate sheets of spring steel or carbon steel. These layers are sandwiched
together with effective sealing materials to form a multi layered steel head gasket and this enables
perfect sealing between the cylinder head and the complete engine block. Multi layered steel head
gaskets are useful since they are designed to perform at exceptional levels of engine pressure than
normal stock gaskets, enabling them to withstand varying amounts of engine pressures even high
magnitudes of pressure of modern vehicle engines. Multi layered steel (MLS) gaskets are
manufactured from full hard high grade 301 stainless steel. The steel layers are created individually
by using advanced and state of the art laser cutting processes and are etched using perfect embossing
processes (Srikanth and Balakrishnan, 2015). Then a stress relieving process is used to apply engine
operation level stresses on the head gaskets to test the durability of the structure and also reduce any
unnecessary etching stresses. A two part of proprietary polymer coating is also applied after processes
of stress relieving and it is ensured uniform and proper covering is done to all layers of the head
gasket. Gas stopper technologies are also utilized as a vital designing and manufacturing factor of
head gasket production process. These stainless steel gas stoppers have active folds that enable high
32
pressure sealing around the bore of the cylinder during cylinder head tightening. Stoppers are located
all around the engine combustion chamber and help in avoiding engine component distortion.
4.4 Assembly of the parts
In reality, there are several underlying steps involved with the factory production process of head
sealing gaskets. The steps are as follows: a) Steel Punching where the most basic component of the
cylinder head gasket, the steel in the coils are punched with the help of a steel stamp; b)Aramid or
Aromatic Polyamide fibres are a type of strong synthetic heat resistant fibres used in aerospace,
automobile and military applications (Srikanth and Balakrishnan, 2015). Coils of this fibre are
sandwiched between two layers of the punched gasket steel coil; c) Calendaring is then done in order
to achieve a desired amount of thickness depending on the type and application of the gasket; d) The
coils are then cut and stamped accordingly and then gasket pressing is done to obtain a definite
thickness of the gasket head; e) Plates of other forms of steel are then used to act as metal
reinforcements which are pressed to obtain a particular thickness and are then riveted to the gasket; f)
Rings are also assembled and riveted to the gasket just like the reinforcements , these rings allow the
flow of lubricating fluids ;g)Next to ensure that any gasket fibre pores are properly sealed , it is
dipped in a silicone bath , cured in a static and dynamic oven, a surface silicone beading layer is
applied and the n finally packed and labelled.
4.5 Working Conditions
A cylinder head gasket has to successfully perform its duty of efficient and perfect sealing of the
engine combustion chamber under any kind of engine operating conditions because they form the
most critical and vital seal between the cylinder head and the deck of the engine block. The working
conditions of the gasket can vary due to a number of conditions (Chang et al., 2004). It seals
combustion pressures in and around 1000 psi or 689.5 kilopascals for petrol or gasoline engines and
2700 psi or 1862 kilopascal for turbocharged diesel engines. They should be able to and do
withstand engine combustion temperatures of 2000 degree Fahrenheit or more. These gaskets also
seal coolant and hot engine oils that flow under pressure in between the engine block and the
33
cylinder head. As coolants and engine oil additives tend to cling and stick to engine surfaces, the
gasket material resists this fluid action and ensures proper sealing. They also resist forces that tend to
abrade gasket surfaces causing leaking, like vibration of engines and shifts and flexing of the
cylinder head that result from the pressures of the combustion process (Chang et al., 2004). Different
rates of expansion of bi metallic engines consisting of aluminium head and a block of cast iron
produce stresses due to uneven expansion and cause shearing, and the gasket should be able to
effortlessly resist this kind of shearing stress too. One more point about the engine working
condition is the creation of crushing forces produced due to the clamping forces of engine cylinders;
these values usually go up to around 200000 pounds or 90800 kilograms and the head gasket should
be able to resist this level of pressure and work properly and consistently under these conditions.
4.6 Design improvement:

In order to improve the degree of performance of a cylinder head gasket, the design of the
cylinder head gasket is needed to be improved (Minimopar.knizefamily.net, 2016). The cylinder
head gasket must be built with a comparatively harder material. The strength of the material must
be high so that it can withstand higher amount of pressures especially at the corners. The bolts
must be new and fit with the design. The performance of the bolts can impact on the overall of
performance of the cylinder head gasket. The number of holes of different sizes must be higher
and the holes should be kept near to the walls of the cylinder (Minimopar.knizefamily.net, 2016).
The thermostat plate must be added properly with the new design.
4.8 Design Attributes
The design of head gasket has changed over the course of time with fast arrival of various new
designs in the market in last few years. Some gaskets manufactured by certain companies have
different metal layers or are multi metal layered that are made of beaded & elastomer coated layers of
spring steel(Chang et al., 2004). Gas stoppers of different kinds like segment stoppers, honey comb
stoppers and dimple stoppers are employed during gasket manufacturing. There are various parts of a
gasket that work together to deliver optimum sealing, like, the half elastic beads that produce two
layers of compression o ensure proper sealing around the coolant and engine oil passageways and
also around the structures bolt holes; full elastic beads that generates a three line compression type
all around the engine combustion chamber; elastomer coated functional spring steel layers on which
34
the elastic beads are mounted; centre layer that adapts to changes in the gasket thickness ; and finally
the gas stopper which help reduce oscillations of the sealing gap and any kind of deformation of the
elastic beads.
4.9 Future project enhancement

This project i.e. the design improvement of the cylinder head gasket has a bright future as this
material is needed and has a high demand in the market. Apart from this, most of the automobile
owners suffer from the problems related to cylinder head gasket failure. In order to know the
future of this project in more detail, a market research is performed on the cylinder head gasket.
4.10 Market research:

As the design and the performance of the existing cylinder head gasket is being improved, the
result of such improvement is beneficial for the organisation or not is needed to be known. In
order to have the answer for this problem, the market condition of cylinder head gasket is
researched (ltd, 2016). As the number of cars and the car users are increasing day by day and as
the cylinder head gasket are known to be one of the most important part of a car engine, hence it
can be said that there will be always demand for this kind of products. As at present different
types of failures are found related to the performance and durability of the existing cylinder head
gasket, there is a demand of the cylinder head gasket of good quality ( performance and
durability )in the market. From the market research, there are some market challenges that are
also found. It is found that there is a huge cost in order to make the new design and also to
replace it with the existing design of the cylinder head gasket (ltd, 2016). As the present design is
being made for a longer period of time, there are more than millions of cars that run with this
existing design of the cylinder head gasket. In order to replace all the head gaskets of existing
design, there will a huge cost. It has been found from the market research that the customers
want the cylinder head gasket to be durable. Therefore, while designing and making the cylinder
head gasket, the material components must be chosen with care so that the durability of the new
design of the cylinder head gasket can be increased (ltd, 2016).
35
Figure 2: personal income spent on auto parts
From the above graph, it can be seen that people are spending less amount of their personal
income in buying the automobile parts. It is because people want to buy the entire car or
automobile of good quality as well as durability (Chang et al., 2004). Therefore, the automobile
manufacturing companies need to add quality parts in the cars that they are producing. Therefore,
the improved cylinder head gaskets can be sold to those companies as it is the most important
part of an automobile.
4.11 Price
The price of a cylinder head gasket is very high. As the customers are paying higher amount of
money in order to buy the cylinder head gasket, therefore, it must be of good quality and it also
must be durable. It is found that the price of cylinder head gasket is $ 1200. If a cylinder head
gasket of better quality is to be bought, then the customer has to pay at least $ 1600 for it.
4.12 Manufacturing Process
A cylinder head gasket is manufactured using different types of materials such as rubber, sponge,
cork, cellulose based impregnated paper, felt which are used to create fibres that are sandwiched
between the two metallic layers of the gasket in case of multi layered head gaskets. Compressed
36
synthetic fibres such as Novus, Flexitallic, and Aramid are also used in this case. Rubber and sponge
materials are some of the most commonly used sealing components in gasket manufacturing.
4.13 Discussion and findings:

From the above research, it can be found that the cylinder head gasket is one of the most
important parts of an automobile. At present the existing design of the cylinder head gasket is not
durable enough. In order to make it durable and also to maintain its performance, the design can
be improved. Instead of using stain less steal carbon fibres, Kevlar or ceramic can be used as
component material. The material and mechanical properties of these materials can provide
better performance quality to the cylinder head gasket. The cylinder head gasket is very
demanding in the market as each and every automobile needs this part. Therefore, it is very
important to improve the design of this component of an automobile i.e. the cylinder head gasket.
37
Chapter 5: Conclusion
5.1 Introduction
The conclusion is known to be the final chapter of a dissertation in which the researcher aims to
evaluate the information collected from the primary and secondary sources in order to assess the
various reasons of cylinder gasket failure and its impact on the achiness. After analysing the
assembled data from primary and secondary sources, it has been observed that cylinder gasket
has been widely used for the purpose of sealing gasket heads in order to avoid leakage of engine
oil. The gasket has been placed in between the head of the engine and the block deck of the
engine. The main purpose of cylinder gasket is to prevent the forces that try to invade the surface
of gasket head and also ensures the proper sealing of gasket head. It has also been realized in this
context that cylinder gasket acquires the ability to manage the pressure of combustion which has
resulted in deriving the forces that creates the pressure on the cylinder gasket head. Therefore, in
this component the researcher would be linking with the objectives mentioned previously in the
first chapter of the study. Hence the analyst would assess the objectives by relating the
information given in the literature review chapter. Therefore, it has been assessed in the
following manner.
5.2 Linking with objectives

i) Review of the entire cylinder head gasket including the functions of it.
The cylinder gasket is a gasket that has been used in the vehicle and performs the role of a
critical seal between the cylinder heads and the engine blocks. The cylinder gasket has been
considered as the most important exposition in the of the internal combustion engine. The
cylinder gasket are mainly consisted of the asbestoses or graphite that is considered to be non
effective and harmful for human health. The general function of the cylinder gasket is to create
an impact between the head gasket and the engine block of diesel or petrol engines. The cylinder
gasket is able to seal against coolant, engine oil and combustion that produce pressure and force
in relation to elaborate the impacts of cylinder gasket and its reason for failure. Therefore, it can
be seen that the researcher has successfully linked with the objectives of the research work
mentioned in the first chapter of the study.
38
ii) Stress analysis should be done.
This study has given stress on the reasons of cylinder gasket failures and its impact on the
machines. From the literature review part it can be realised that the functions of cylinder gasket
beholds many advantages along with certain disadvantages. The gasket mainly encompasses the
task of sealing the gasket heads and the block of the engines. At the primary stage the study has
given stress on the functions of the cylinder gasket and in the succeeding stages it elaborates the
functions, design and reason for failure along with the impacts of it in relation to machines.
Therefore, it can be seen that the analyst has successfully linked with the pre mentioned
objectives of the study.
iii) The materials by which a cylinder head gasket is made of, needs to be checked in order
to find out if the materials are proper and if it is the main reason of the failure of cylinder
head gasket. Proper material should be found out in order to minimize the problems.
The cylinder gasket has been consisted with the asbestoses and graphite which is considered to
the harmful elements for human health. In this context it can be mentioned that the application of
asbestoses are being ignored by the industry as it can pose a threat on the public health. It has
been observed by the researcher that the main reason of the cylinder gasket failure is the
enhanced temperature and pressure in relation to the engine. In order to obtain a long term
services of the head gasket the cooling system needed to maintain in this regard. In order to link
with the objectives mentioned in the study the researcher has evaluated each aspect of the
cylinder gasket functions and its reliability in the respective area.
iv) Design of the cylinder head gasket is also needed to be studied in order to find if there
are any problems in it
Generally the head gasket of a vehicle is made of copper or steel. There are also some types of
cylinder head gasket that are made of asbestoses or graphite, but the application of asbestoses are
considered as non effective in relation to the effective use of cylinder head gasket in vehicle like
cars. The researcher has realised the fact that the application of asbestoses many create health
problems among the users of such facility. Therefore, the aim of the researcher to link the study
with the prefixed objectives incorporated in the study. Hence it can be said that, the
implementation of the elemental ingredients used in the process of constructing cylinder gasket
39
head have appeared to create some problem, but this problems can be handled if the ingredients
are being used in right proportion.
v) The optimum temperature is to be chosen
In order to obtain the long term services in terms of cylinder head gasket the cooling system
needs to be maintained effectively. The excessive increase of temperature can cause failure of the
cylinder head gasket in the functioning area of a car. The main sections of a vehicle like the
radiator, radiator cap, coolant hoses and other important aspects of a vehicle need supervision in
this context in order to have idea about the performance of the engine and the condition of
vehicle usage. Therefore, y assessing all the mentioned facts the analyst has evidently linked
with the objectives of the study.
vi) It is to be found that if in most of the cases, the installation error is pointed out to be the
main reason of this failure or not.
There are many different reasons behind the failure of cylinder head gasket as it can be
considered that the installation errors are one of the main reasons of cylinder gasket failure. In
case of the commercial vehicle the extreme gas flow has been considered to be the main
symptoms of head gasket failure. The reasons that can be presented in this regard that as the
bolts were not attached tightly; it has caused the emergence of gasket problem. Here the analysts
intends to link the study with its preoccupied objectives and has been successful in that case.
vii) The tolerance of the tools, performance, internal strain and stress are to be evaluated.
The increasing temperature has appeared to as one of the main reasons in the case of head gasket
failure. Therefore, all the essential tools regarding the head gasket need o assessed in terms of
tolerance that can be assumed that there are certain methods through which the effective
practices are being conducted in this regard. The internal strength of the head gasket can be
realised through the maintain process of the essential tools of cylinder head gasket in the
vehicles. Hence it can be realised the researcher has effectively and evidently evaluated the links
with the objectives in the study.
viii) A different design that will be more proper and will reduce the rate of failure is also to
be determined.
40
It has been recorded that the wrong methods used in the installation process of cylinder head
gasket are the main reason behind the head gasket failure. Therefore, the proper installation of
the head gasket would be able to prevent the situations in which head gasket failure occurs.
Another important fact that can be added to the advantage that in order to avoid head gasket
failure the corrosion agent can be used in this regard.. Therefore, it can surely be said that the
analyst has successfully linked with the objectives pre mentioned in the study.
5.3 Recommendation
At the end of the study it can be suggested that in order to avoid future occurrences of head
gasket failure the installation method should be done under more intense supervision so that it
can be installed in the vehicles properly. In case of a commercial vehicle, the bolts are needed to
install with the proper setting and management. Therefore, this study has highlighted the
problems regarding the failure of head gasket which would be beneficial for the future researches
and at the same time would be delivering more knowledge to the individuals belonging to the
respective industry. The cooling management system is being effective, but may not be effective
enough, so in that case the cooling system needs to enhance its functionality in the respective
area of vehicle like commercial vehicles and casual vehicles also. Hence the recommendation
has been made by the analyst in order to deliver insight on the factors that need to be highlighted
in relation to the failure reasons and the impacts of it on the vehicles that have been successfully
carried out in this study.
41
References
Chang, C., Kuo-Ning, C., Wen-King, C. and Rong-Shieh, C. (2004). Design and analysis of
gasket sealing of cylinder head under engine operation conditions. Finite Elements in Analysis
and Design.
Cylinder Head Gasket Installation. (2014). Federal-Mogul Document, (1425).
Eagleson, J. (2013). Head Gasket Finite Element Model Correlation.
Finuma,, G. (2010). Analysis of Cylinder Head Gasket Sealing Under Engine Operation
Conditions.Technology Report of Gideon DakaFinuma.
Gasket Works Physics. (2016). [online] Headgasket.com. Available at:

http://www.headgasket.com/physics101.html [Accessed 9 Mar. 2016].
Gideon Daka, F. (2010). Analysis of Cylinder Head Gasket Sealing Under Engine Operation
Conditions.
Head Gasket Problems - Causes and Solutions Simplified!. (2016). [online] Autorepairkey.com.
Available at: http://www.autorepairkey.com/articles/head-gasket/ [Accessed 9 Mar. 2016].
Lee, C., Chianga, K., Chen, W. and Chen, R. (2005). Design and analysis of gasket sealing of
cylinder head under engine operation conditions. Finite Elements in Analysis and Design.
ltd, R. (2016). Global Automotive Head Gasket Market 2015-2019 - Research and Markets.
[online] Researchandmarkets.com. Available at:
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/3420437/global-automotive-head-gasket-market-
2015-2019 [Accessed 13 May 2016].
Mark, K. and Jeffrey, S. (2004). Determining Reasons For Head Gasket Failures In Air-Cooled
Engines With A Simple Testing Methodology.
Minimopar.knizefamily.net. (2016). Replacing The Head Gasket - MiniMopar Resources.

[online] Available at: http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/headgasket.html [Accessed 13 May
2016].
42
Recognising and preventing typical damage to Cylinder-Head Gaskets. (2014). Das Original.
Srikanth, M. and Balakrishnan, 1. (2015). Cylinder Head Gasket Analysis to Improve its Thermal
Characteristics Using Advanced Fem Tool. International Journal of Machine and Construction
Engineering, 2(1).
Victorreinz.com. (2016). MLS Cylinder-head Gaskets and Damage Analysis - Victor Reinz.
[online] Available at: http://www.victorreinz.com/EN/Service-Downloads/Practical-
Information/MLS-Cylinder-head-Gaskets-and-Damage-Analysis.aspx [Accessed 11 May 2016].
43
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The Investigation of cylinder head gasket

1.1 Research Background:...........................................................................................................4

1.2 Research rationale:.................................................................................................................4

1.3 Research aim and objectives:.................................................................................................5

1.4 Research questions:................................................................................................................6

1.5 Structure of the Research.......................................................................................................6

Chapter 2: Literature review............................................................................................................7

2.1 Introduction -..........................................................................................................................7

2.2 Gasket Function -...................................................................................................................8

2.3 Cylinder head gasket failure diagnosis -................................................................................8

2.4Damage to cylinder head gaskets -.........................................................................................9

2.5 Symptoms and prevention......................................................................................................9

3.2 purpose of the research work...............................................................................................15

3.3 strategies of the research work.............................................................................................16

3.4 data collection and the method of collecting data................................................................23

3.5 data analysis tools and procedures:......................................................................................24

3.6 limitations of the research work...........................................................................................24

3.7 Ethical considerations..........................................................................................................25

Chapter 4: Data Analysis...............................................................................................................25

Materials for the existing head gaskets......................................................................................30

4.3 Manufacturing process of the parts......................................................................................33

4.4 Assembly of the parts...........................................................................................................33

4.5 Working Conditions.............................................................................................................34

4.6 Design improvement:...........................................................................................................35

4.8 Design Attributes..................................................................................................................35

4.9 Future project enhancement.................................................................................................35

4.10 Market research:.................................................................................................................36

4.12 Manufacturing Process.......................................................................................................37

4.13 Discussion and findings:....................................................................................................38

5.2 Linking with objectives........................................................................................................39

1.1 Research Background:

1.3 Research aim and objectives:

Structure of the research:

1.5 Structure of the Research

Chapter 2: Literature review

2.2 Gasket Function -

2.3 Cylinder head gasket failure diagnosis -

2.4Damage to cylinder head gaskets -

2.5 Symptoms and prevention

3.2 purpose of the research work

2. Stress analysis should be done.

5. The optimum temperature is to be chosen

3.3 strategies of the research work

3.5 data analysis tools and procedures:

3.7 Ethical considerations

4.1 Problem identification of existing head gaskets and designs

Materials for the existing head gaskets

PROPERTIES NAME UNITS VALUE

PROPERTIES NAME UNITS VALUE

PROPERTIES NAME UNITS VALUE

4.3 Manufacturing process of the parts

4.4 Assembly of the parts

4.5 Working Conditions

4.6 Design improvement:

4.8 Design Attributes

4.9 Future project enhancement

4.10 Market research:

4.12 Manufacturing Process

4.13 Discussion and findings: