clean it as best you can. put a light coat of copper exhaust spray on it and you'll be ok

It is a real good idea to clean all the oil out of the head with at least some brake cleaner. You want the surface as clean as possible.

if i clean the head with brake cleaner will it harm any parts or will it just evaporate off. the main issue im having is the oil gallies that feed the HLA's is leaking down the oil feed port, or its just dripping down the head stud hole where the oil feed is. shouldnt the oil pressure regulator have an anti drainback valve?

Also, would anyone else recommend the copper spray? i know the oem mls have a chemical coating that bonds to the head at opperating temp, but would the copper help insure a better seal? im getting mixed opinions reading other threads

Now my concern is, are the gasket surfaces prepped correctly? The proper finish on both the head and block? Or are you just slamming a MLS and hoping for the best?

If the head was milled for a MLS gasket, the head should have been cleaned before it was milled, and there would be no oil in the head.

The HLA reg is just a splitter block, that is all.

But to get all the oil out, remove the HLA's, and the oil galley plugs and wash out with brake clean, then blow dry, then install the oil galley plugs.

Install the HG and head, now install the HLAs and the rest.

the engine was built and machined 500 miles ago. just made a mistake switching from ARP's to H11s. I was stupid and didnt replace the head stud washers not realizing that standard ARP washers are a tiny bit smaller making the threads of the H11s not seat right so the copper head gasket started pushing coolant. I checked the head with a straight edge/feeler gauges and it checked out, couldnt get a .0015 under it, so its true enough for an MLS.

same for the block, the engine never saw boost, just break in miles. just wanting to make sure i get this gasket to seal properly.

so did you retorque the head after and a couple heat cycles? and also I wouldnt suggest using brake cleaner where it can end up down in your oil; very hard on rings, bearings, and oil pump

stupidly, i never did after a few heat cycles. I should have but i didnt like that the engine was built with a copper head gasket and no O rings. so i was planning on swapping it out at some point anyways. This time im going to do it right for sure to ensure a long lasting gasket.

Sounds good your doing it right now.

BoostforBreakfast said:

so did you retorque the head after and a couple heat cycles? and also I wouldnt suggest using brake cleaner where it can end up down in your oil; very hard on rings, bearings, and oil pump

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That brake clean will be evaporated before the head is even bolted to the engine. There will be no harm to any other engine components because of it. Most shops go thru this stuff religiously because it evaporates. I prefer purple power and water myself because it works better and is way way better for you, but you have to take it apart so you don't end up with a bunch of rust in the guides.

o-rings arent necessary with copper headgaskets, a flat surface is. Heck o-rings arent neccessary until you get into high, high combustion pressures anyways (higher than I am willing to bet you will ever see with that engine). straight copper headgaskets can weap a small bit of water/coolant by the malleable nature of copper. That is why I suggest a good MLS gasket with a light copper coat on it with at least 2 warm retorques within 1000miles