Is the notch on the head gasket to tell how to put gasket on correct on a 1946 Flathead V8? friends of mind got a 1946 in their shop with a fresh engine but it overheat and they are trying to solve the problem it overheat just idling any ideas?
Thank You
Town Vicky

Not much to go on here.  Did the engine come out of this car for rebuilding?  Did it overheat before the rebuild?  Has the radiator been checked for flow?  It's been a long time since I had my '48 flathead, and I used several engines in a short period of time, but I don't remember a front or back to the pre-49 head gaskets.  The 49-53s had the thermostats at the front, so the gaskets for them are directional.  My flatheads all ran above center on the temperature gauge, I assumed that was normal for them.  They didn't boil the water out though.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

If you go over to the early V8 section on the fordbarn.com, you’ll get many more answers.


miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

I am sorry, my main question was is the notch in the head gasket was to indicate front their is no other marking on the gaskets, the engine was rebuilt before they got it and everything they tried electric fans new rad. only made it worst so they pull the heads to see if the gaskets were installed incorrect it has been several years since I did a 41 Flathead I don't remember how I knew front from back on the gaskets.

It's been decades since I've dealt with a flatty and it was a late model one so I'm not very familiar with the 59 series blocks. You might want to go through this overheating "checklist" courtesy of Mac Van Pelt. I'd pay particular attention to what he says about the thermostats. http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_overheat_troubleshoot.htm . Here's a gasket ID chart, maybe helpful. You might have the wrong gaskets.