Sometimes, despite best attempts, things go awry and you have to start over.  Not something I commonly look for when using a new gasket.  Hard to see with the marks of my alignment attempts but somebody or some machine didn't finish the job.

That's a good shot, showing they DO have a correct orientation.  Driver's side and passenger's side, it's slight but it's there.  I put one on upside down once and it caused a vacuum link.

Edited April 21, 20177 yr by siteunseen

Nice. Is the slug still stuck in the hole, or did the pin completely break off their punch?

You have to look everything over closely in the store these days.  So much junk and poorly made parts. 

A check in the store or in the parking lot before leaving saves you having to drive back the next day.

Buyer Beware used to apply to suspect purchases.... now it applies to ALL purchases.

The slug was just laying in the hole and fell right out with a slight poke.  I had pulled it out of the package, waved it around in the air as I walked to the car and placed it on the head.  Couldn't understand why the bolt/screw wouldn't go in the hole.  Took an awl and tried to move the gasket around to find it.  One of those WTH situations.

I did get my valve lash adjusted about perfectly though, and everything else went back together right.  Then passed emissions and got new tags/tabs, so all good in the end.  Now I have two years to screw around with the engine.  Turns out, in Oregon you can go in and get a free emissions check at any time.  If you don't pass there's no penalty.  No good reason to sweat it out at the end of the expiration month but I always do.

You would think some of these states would come to their senses and realize that 40 year old cars aren't really contributing very much to pollution concerns!!!

21 hours ago, Zed Head said:

 Turns out, in Oregon you can go in and get a free emissions check at any time.  If you don't pass there's no penalty.  No good reason to sweat it out at the end of the expiration month but I always do.

its funny that i dont have to get any testing down here. just pay my $86 and show proof of insurance