Gaskets. At a glance they seem unimportant, yet without them, fluids would leak from every joint, fuel would spew, and flaming gases would explode from every crevice once the spark plug flashed.

Blown head gaskets are often signs of bigger problems, as a warped cylinder head is often what causes the gasket to fail in the first place. That’s why it’s best to just remove the head and have it ...