Fire ring ? ( copper wire into block )

[Nacho-RT74]

Somebody told me locally when using copper headgaskets is better make a groove around the cilinder and install a copper wire in it ( groove must be half of the wire thickness ), what he called ANILLO DE FUEGO ( fire ring ) to keep safe the headgasket.

Of course he races and makes high compression rate engines.

Have you heard this before ?

here a pic of a grooved block

[John_Kunkel]

Yes, block O rings are common with solid copper gaskets, it compresses the soft copper to help prevent blowouts; personally I use steel piano wire instead of copper wire.

[Nacho-RT74]

yes, exactly! has being told on solid copper gaskets, not multilayer... thanks!

[Nacho-RT74]

Now another question..

What about when using a regular composite headgasket with the solid copper headgasket/shim?

Felpro sells this copper shim to compesate some deck or heads mill job but they don't say anything about these ring job!!!