No head gaskets either side!

[wisc79intruderguy]

Hello I have a 1980 intruder 440 I put in a new primer today, when I bought it the mice or squirells made a nasty nest in the fan housing and thier urine ate away a bit of ghe outside edge of the pto cylinder exhaust side, well when I took the heads off I realized there were no head gaskets! The cylinders and pistons look very good what is the idea behind having no head gaskets? I'm stumped I did clean all the corroded aluminum off the fins and there's great airflow now hmmm? I suppose I better get some gaskets.

[5kaws]

Nothing at all?
Base had a paper type gasket , but the top dome cap had a copper or cheaper aluminum flat ring gasket but no paper gasket attached to the ring gasket.  Idk if this helps or your was missing all the way.  Which if it was missing you would have hard time running and lots blow by with a oil mess.    -Mike

[Interceptor398]

I have heard of leaving the head gasket out to raise compression.

[wisc79intruderguy]

Hi yes no gaskets to be found weird I bet it will run better now. I found a set of oems on flea bay I'll put those in. Thanks for the replies