Head Gasket HELP

[sting0004]

Alright, I posted a little earlier about my Head gasket blowing off probbaly due to increased pressure. I had my boost set to 15 psi. How well do the factory head gaskets seal? Have any of you had problems with your head gaskets? Should I replace the gasket with a factory one, or is there a better gasket to replace it with? Eventually I would like to upgrade my turbo to some type of T-28. Should I go for a performance gasket from HKS? Are there any other things I should replace while im ripping apart the head? Thanks for all your suggestions and help! ~Matt

 

[FastRthenU]

Well yes there are better head gaskets. Like mitsu metal, hks metal etc. The stock one is not that bad and will hold a fair bit. I dont think the gasket blew because of a few extra pounds of boost. It could of been weak from somthing else and the extra psi didnt help.

I would just put another stocker in there. I dont think you are going to need a metel head gasket. But by all means if you would like to then go ahead. But the problem with metel head gaskets is the sealing surface has to be PERFECT. I have seem many people put in metel head gaskets, and them not seal correctly. The block surface, and the head surface have to be perfectly flat, and smooth.

Well then you could just go to your local machine shop and have this done. Well truth is alot of machine shops can not get the surface as smooth as it needs not be. We are talkin smooth like from the factory.
After they machine the surface, they should also lap it to make sure all the inperfections or out. With that being said its up to you. Remeber you are going to need to pull the block also. But i have seen this done in the car to.

As to replacing anything else. Well how many Miles are on the car? You might want to replace the vavle seals and guides and have the valves, and seat re cut. its all up to you really.

 

[Violater101]

Yeah, unless you are just making mad power, the stocker should be fine. I would rather my head gasket blow anyhow than for something else to go wrong.

 

[echo]

i have heard of alot of people going with the metal mitsu one once the stocker goes. it's not that much more and if you increase power in the long run you won't have to worry about it then. i would not worry about an expensive HKS or any other ones just yet....