This cylinder head gasket seals the combustion chamber between the engine block and the cylinder head. It prevents the escape of compression gases and engine coolant or oil from the head-to-block interface. The gasket is compressed between the two mating surfaces when the head bolts are torqued to specification. A failed gasket allows cross-contamination between coolant and oil passages or causes compression loss, which reduces engine power and can lead to overheating. The manufacturer produces this gasket to the same material and thickness specification as the original assembly, which maintains the correct piston-to-valve clearance and compression ratio. On installation, clean both sealing surfaces thoroughly and tighten the head bolts in the sequence and torque values specified for the host engine.