Watched a "U Tube" video on rering, some questions

[joe28]

Seahorse 1247 did 4 videos on his re-ringing of a Century.
Dunno why he had to rebuild , said the rings were good. He had smoked the tear down videos.
Here is some things he did that has me wondering....

He checked the thickness of the rings and then the width, same as new rings. That was it. (he had check the cylinder for taper, and bore size)
For years I've checked the width and then dropped them in the cylinder and checked the ring end gap clearance, that determined IF the rings/bore was good.
I always had used a piston, mic it, then drop it in the cylinder and use feeler gauges to get the distance between piston and cylinder wall.

He installed a cylinder base gasket, smeared what looked like blue silicone gasket maker on both sides.
I've done my share of motorcycle engine rebuild, as well as VW and have never used sealer there. I THINK if I was I'd use "High Tack gasket sealer", (the smelly brown stuff you brush on. But, I haven't used that in ages).

The cylinder head gasket.
He used the old copper (nothing new to me there, but it looked like 2 sheets of copper with fiber gasket between??), but again smeared silicone sealer on both sides.
I've never used any sealer there, just the gasket crush, (I'd heat the copper head gaskets up to make then "swell" if I used the old one.

The cylinder head looks much like a VW head, no head gasket needed at the head sits on the cylinder.
How he re-rung it with gasket sealer, is that common practice, across the pond?
It worked, the engine fired, sounded great!
Just wondering, in case..................
Joe
Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

[joe28]

Ahhh! You CAN teach and old dawg new tricks!
Was reading through some posts and saw the reason for the silicone sealer!
The head and cylinder are not, smooth? machined? matched?, and the silicone seals the voids.
Snug, let it set and torque down.
Yes, excellent!
Joe
So many toys, so few $$