Concerning reciprocating piston engines, the cylinder head gasket is a heavily stressed constructive part, which has to be adjusted carefully to the corresponding engine.
For the different engines like engines for passenger cars or heavy duty truck engines, different designs of cylinder head gaskets are used.
This paper enumerates the constructional criteria that are decisive for the design of a cylinder head gasket and also the static and dynamic tests that are effected with the constructive parts. Emphasis will be put on the Ferrolastic design, today's most common design especially for passenger car engines.
The effect of current engine developments like reduced distortions and reduced bolt forces will be discussed.
Further developments as well as the effect of replacing asbestos in cylinder head gaskets will be evaluated.