Farmall A head gasket-more questions

You did not confirm that you carefully torqued your head in the proper sequence the first time. If you didn't, loosen all the nuts and retorque in sequence starting with about 25 ft lbs and working your way up to 50, then 75, then 80 (if that's the torque specification).

Then start it, warm it up, and retorque while it is still hot.

If you did torque in sequence, carefully, go ahead and warm it up and retorque it hot.

Then start talking about taking the head back off if it still leaks, but not before then.

Maybe there are low quality head gaskets but I've never had one. And most shops would have shown you the crack in the head if it has a problem. The key is proper sequence and very even tightening. You can, contrary to many skeptics, torque a head gasket twice, especially on low compression engines. If you did not torque it right don't blame the gasket or the design of the engine. I've never had any more trouble from an A, B or C than an H or M, even putting slightly warped heads back on but drawing them down evenly. If you don't know the torque sequence, someone can provide it.

When I torque heads on engines with studs, I continue the torque pattern until the torque on all the nuts is the same. When I re-torque the head after it has run, I do the same thing with the engine is at operating temperature. Keep at it until the torque stabilizes on each nut and with the engine warm. Metal expands when it is warm, so the studs will stretch when the engine is warm.

Good luck!

I have just pulled a head on a Super A and will need a new head gasket now too.