Head Gasket

[jibberishballr]

Im doing a cylinder head job as we speak. I got the felpro head gasket set.

http://www.extremepsi.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=17963&cat=744&page=1

I am wondering if this head gasket that comes with the kit is going to be good enough. I will never be running over 20 psi of boost but would like to know if this will be okay. I want to get this head job done because its my daily driver but don't want to have to do this again.

 

[zilo900]

If youre not going over 20 psi you will definitely be ok with that one. Hell even if you do go a little over 20psi you will still be fine. You've got nothing to worry about.

 

[96gsdsm]

I'm running 2g pistons in a 6-bolt at 14psi and I've already blown 2 felt headgaskets ... one OEM, one Felpro.

Don't get too greedy when it comes to boosting on those things.

 

[brute]

I've boosted up to 17 or 18psi on Fel-Pro and ARP head studs. Many people have had great success with this setup.

 

[jibberishballr]

Well lets say im running an evo III 16g 16-20 psi daily. Would you still run with this head gasket. I really dont want to have to open the head again.

 

[TSIfreek]

Well lets say im running an evo III 16g 16-20 psi daily. Would you still run with this head gasket. I really dont want to have to open the head again.

I see no problem with it.

 

[drivemusicnow]

As long as you PROPERLY torque it down, there shouldn't be any problem with it. I would also use a little copper spray as well.

There is more to properly torqueing it down than just a torque value though.

 

[bullettdsm]

Well lets say im running an evo III 16g 16-20 psi daily. Would you still run with this head gasket. I really dont want to have to open the head again.

YES. With this caveat; you must be sure that your head and block have a good surface. Check and deck and you should be set

MB

 

[GVR4592]

I'm running 2g pistons in a 6-bolt at 14psi and I've already blown 2 felt headgaskets ... one OEM, one Felpro.

Don't get too greedy when it comes to boosting on those things.

That's either installation or tuning related. You can beat the shit out of the stock gasket and it won't blow, same with the Fel-Pro. I used to run 24-25 psi on pump gas, every single day for a couple years and had no issues at all with the stock gasket and stock head bolts. Other people have pushed them a lot farther.

 

[96gsdsm]

As long as you PROPERLY torque it down, there shouldn't be any problem with it. I would also use a little copper spray as well.

There is more to properly torqueing it down than just a torque value though.

Yeah... like heat cycling and re-torqueing.... oops

 

[BISHILVR]

That's either installation or tuning related. You can beat the shit out of the stock gasket and it won't blow, same with the Fel-Pro. I used to run 24-25 psi on pump gas, every single day for a couple years and had no issues at all with the stock gasket and stock head bolts. Other people have pushed them a lot farther.

Same here. Matter of fact I run an evo3 16g and I have buried the autometer boost gauge many times, running 20+ lbs on stock everything.

 

[jibberishballr]

That's either installation or tuning related. You can beat the shit out of the stock gasket and it won't blow, same with the Fel-Pro. I used to run 24-25 psi on pump gas, every single day for a couple years and had no issues at all with the stock gasket and stock head bolts. Other people have pushed them a lot farther.

alright im just gonna stick with this and do make sure i torque it down good. Any suggestions on how to get it on the best without having to worry about it later on?

 

[Flash]

-8--6--1--3--9
10--4--2--5--7

Torque in that order, just in case you didn't know by some crazy chance.

 

[96gsdsm]

-8--6--1--3--9
10--4--2--5--7

Torque in that order, just in case you didn't know by some crazy chance.

Also I would let it heatcycle ... drive easy on it for a week and one morning when it's still cold re-torque everything.

Also torque in steps ... I.E. torque everything at 20 ft. lbs. ... then 40 ft. lbs. ... then 60 ft. lbs. etc. and eventually end up at whatever it is that your going to stop at.
... for me with ARP's it ended up being 90ft. lbs.

 

[drivemusicnow]

You are supposed to torque, and un torque the ARP fasteners 5 times. this will help you not have such a problem with the heat cycle issue, however I would loosen and retorque it after the first break in drive.

 

[jibberishballr]

I ended up picking up the metal one thats a OEM replacement and it should be here in a day or two. Ive got everything undone and the head is ready to come off. Ill get the job done hopefully this week and let everyone know how it went and if i have any further problems or hopefully none.


heres the headgasket:

http://www.extremepsi.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=17779&cat=863&page=1

 

[GVR4592]

Unless you get the surface of the cylinder head machined to the proper finish, it's going to leak with a MLS gasket.

 

[jibberishballr]

Unless you get the surface of the cylinder head machined to the proper finish, it's going to leak with a MLS gasket.

so should i have gone with the cosmetic?

 

[jibberishballr]

Also I heard that with the metal one you could get it to seal perfectly without having it machined at all using copper spray. I had a friend who did it with a metal one on his first gen using copper spray and running 24psi of boost and has had zero problems. Am I going to be able to seal it? Are there any other things to help it seal better?

 

[drivemusicnow]

so should i have gone with the cosmetic?

There are a couple things to consider:

A) both the Mitsu MLS and the cometic are both Multi Layer Steel gaskets. When you get yours you will see that it is 4 layers of the same gasket that are attached together. The advantage of this style of gasket is that it allows the head to shift around on the block, as the aluminum and cast iron expand at different rates. For ANY MLS style gasket there is a "required finish" to the block and head. This typically means smoothing the surface up as well as making sure that the block and head are perfectly level.

B) There is typically a large debate on using copper gasket sealant spray on MLS style gaskets. There was a thread on here recently that talked about it and the reasons why not or why to do it. Typically the "why not" comes from technical manuals stating to not use it, and the why to comes from empiricle data.

 

[bullettdsm]

so should i have gone with the cosmetic?

Yes, it's much prettier!







Cometic HG at 9.6 comp with FP red and NO copper spray. Just decked head. No problem so far at 25psi and 125 miles.

MB

 

[andymoraitis]

Jeez, OEM gaskets can hold up to 600 WHP with a set of ARP's and a good tune. I really don't see what all of the fuss is with fancy head gaskets when the Mitsu composite is forgiving and seals like a champ.

Just my .02

Andy

 

[2gAWDTalon]

One thing everyone forgot to mention is make sure you coat your head studs and the nuts in moly lube before torquing them down. I did not do this, set my ARP's at 95 lbs w/a mitsu MLS and it pushed coolant. I then lessened each nut one by one, added moly lube and re torqued them all. The HG sealed. The theory behind this is that with a dry stud or even coated in heavy weight oil the 'drag' between the two metal surfaces (the stud and the nut) creates more friction and gives you higher (false) torque readings. A dry stud set at 95 lbs will be much looser the a moly lubed stud set at 95lbs. I dont know if you have ARP's, but this would be good practice with the factory studs or ARP's. Just dont set the factory studs to 95lbs...

 

[dnhieu]

i would NEVER use copper spray on the headgasket!!!!!! i have read that thread (as mentioned above) and using copper spray can cause the headgasket to actually move around in between the block and the head!!! not good if you ask me...

 

[BISHILVR]

^^ Dont use anything, the manufacture specifically tells you NOT to.