jimjeepn
Asbestos is a known carcinagen to be sure! After 40yrs. of prolonged mild exposure, or 40yrs after a series of significant large exposures asbestosis is well documented to form. I highly doubt that any significant absorption of asbestos could be traced to the changing of a head gasket! Yes, without a doubt the prolonged exposure of a mechanic changing break shoes for 20yrs without the proper respiratory protection will probably shorten his life. I am equally sure the engine builder of today, with all of the safety devices available to him and knowledge of asbestos, is at a great risk of contracting this disease from changing head gaskets. Asbestos is only dangerous in it's friable condition. If asbestos fibers are not floating freely about you they can't be inhaled by you. It's the asbestose dust that will eventually kill you, not that solid in-tact block of arbestose sitting next to you (new brake shoes). Asbestos is one of the best insulators known to man and with the proper precautions can give many years of superior service. I would love to find 100% asabestose head gaskets for the stroker 360 I am building! After all, how often do we go around sniffing old head gaskets? :t:
Gremlin4ever
When can we be a getting some of these copper head gaskets? :-|
As for the Asbestos comments, I work around it myself at times and have had to take a safety course on it and in that course I remember that one doesn't have to just inhale it, it can also be absorbed through the skin and all it takes is just one fiber in that cloud of dust. It is when it reaches the lung is the part that worries me as I'm already on a list to potentially get Asbestosis :smile: Smoking and inhaled welding smoke aggrevates it in those that have been exposed so be careful and do as much research as ya can, knowledge is very important.
