Headgasket Questions

I got my 225 V6 headgasket set today. It is a Fel-Pro #8723-PT-7, these appear to be metal gaskets, but they have a blackish, plastic, looking/feeling coating except around the cylinder holes and water jacket passage ways which are shiny metal. And a magnet does stick to all areas of the gasket. According to the Fel-Pro installation tips, fiber faced gaskets go in dry and metal faced gaskets should be pre-coated with sealant. This doesn't look fiberous, but it's not bear metal either. Does anybody know from the part number what i have for sure?
-Oz

 

nope,but if you spray on some permetex high tac you should be in the clear,part # on the gasket goes up,and may want to retourque after running it a bit just to be safe

 

yes don,if one side has metal showing that is usually the side that goes down,just rule of thumb though,i always install the gasket both ways prior to instalation if there is any confusion and make sure what looks right

 

The part # printed right on the gasket is 8723 PT-1 , it is part of a Fel-Pro cylinder head gasket kit. As mentioned I dont know if these head gaskets require a sealant before instillation or not. I've got half a can of Permatex " Copper Spray -a - Gasket " high temp sealant on hand which is supposed to suitable for head gaskets, would it be a problem if I sprayed the head gaskets even if they did'nt require it ? There is an "up" side printed on the gaskets and that side has a thin orange trace of some form of material around "select" areas that I believe to be the oil passageways. Hope this is not to many questions all at once , I just do not want to screw this up and have to do it twice because I did'nt ask those that may know. - OZ

 

If you can, post a photo of the head gasket. The type you describe with the oranghe sealer around them usually needs no sealant. They seal off the water passages. There are only 2 oil passages in the head, they are small about 3/16"-1/4" in diameter.

 

Thanks for the input Mcruff , I am not able to post a picture at this time I thinking that because of the presance of the orange traces that they are pre-treated and would'nt require anything more. I have not done a cylinder head job in about 27 years or so and dont recall the gaskets back then to be much more than just metal that always needed to be pre-sealed.-OZ

 

just for kicks...
I pulled out the factory metal intake and head gaskets
they are all steel
the oil/coolant passages are punched with a slight downward taper to hold and align the gasket
on the intake, the number would be down
on the head gasket, the number would be up
they are both McCord number stamped
did we learn anything ? prolly not
just observe the gasket closely or follow the mfrs install suggestion

 

Not sure I see the answer I'm looking for here. Got a FelPro head gasket set. Fibrous side goes up, metal side goes down. Do I coat the metal side and/or fibrous side with aerosol sealer? Metal side is bare metal.

 

Thanks, Patrick. They are the blue, coated FelPro. As a last resort, I read the directions. Confirms no sealant.