Head Gasket Orientation 5 Liter Mercruiser

[joedm2000]

I'm replacing the head gaskets on my 2002 5 liter Mercruiser EFI. I purchased replacement head gasket set Sierra 18-1254.
The Sierra head gaskets do not have any orientation information printed on them and the front and back of the gaskets are not identical (see pics), so I'm wondering in what orientation I should install them?

I don't what to mess this up since it has ben a lot of work getting to this point.

Thanks in advance!!
[h=1][/h]

 

[Scott Danforth]

Get Felpro head gaskets

 

[tpenfield]

Only done the 7.4 block, but . . . Are there some dowel pins on the engine block that force the installation one way vs the opposite way?

 

[Lou C]

When I did the HGs on my 4.3 which is really 3/4 of a 5.7 the Fel Pros could go on either way...I even asked them on their tech line...they are good quality and sealed well...
Suggestion:
1) make sure that the cyl head bolt holes in the block are cleaned out really well in fact I’d run a thread chaser thru them clean with carb cleaner & compressed air. Since some of them dead end into cooling passages on a raw water cooling engine it’s common for them to have rust and grit. This will prevent the head bolts from reaching proper torque. And try threading each one in by hand first to make sure the threads are really clean.
2) inspect your head bolts carefully if heavily rusted replace with good ones like APR
3) use sealer on the threads I used Permatex Aviation but you can use Merc Perfect seal or Evinrude gasket sealer. If you use APR their torque specs are slightly different.
3) use a click type torque wrench much easier than the dial & pointer type for this job...

 

[nola mike]

When I did the HGs on my 4.3 which is really 3/4 of a 5.7 the Fel Pros could go on either way...I even asked them on their tech line...they are good quality and sealed well...
Suggestion:
1) make sure that the cyl head bolt holes in the block are cleaned out really well in fact I’d run a thread chaser thru them clean with carb cleaner & compressed air. Since some of them dead end into cooling passages on a raw water cooling engine it’s common for them to have rust and grit. This will prevent the head bolts from reaching proper torque. And try threading each one in by hand first to make sure the threads are really clean.
2) inspect your head bolts carefully if heavily rusted replace with good ones like APR
3) use sealer on the threads I used Permatex Aviation but you can use Merc Perfect seal or Evinrude gasket sealer. If you use APR their torque specs are slightly different.
3) use a click type torque wrench much easier than the dial & pointer type for this job...

Agree with the orientation on the 4.3. directional hg has "top" stamped on it usually. Your '01 likely has non reuseable TTY bolts, double check on that