dumb head gasket question

[90gst_sean]

Last summer I had my head gasket blow. I tore down the engine with the help for a friend. After setting the head on the new head gasket, I ran inside to grab the head studs and washers. My super great friend already had the head studs in his pocket. For some reason he had to go ahead and put them all in and started to torque them down on his own. I came out the house, just as the words left my mouth " I CANT FIND THE STUDS ". He answers me, don't stress dude I got um right here, there all in and tight. We're all good. He was torquing the last one as he looked up at me. With the head stud washers in a little baggie in my hand, and his dumb ass across the length of the car, I hit him I'm that fat head with the unused head stud washers. And asked, "thats great, what should I do with these?"

So, great memory, but non the less, I had to replaced the head gasket once again. To be on the safe side. Only, the damn thing may have blow again; I'm not sure. Once I get the head out I'll know more.

So, thats the story. Here's my dumb question. What's the chance that head gasket that was torqued for only a minute, would be reusable this time?

Thanks, and good luck with your own DSM projects !!

 

[Stangmurdera]

Did he follow the correct torque sequence when putting the head on? Also, is it a MLS headgasket? If it is either a Mitsubishi MLS headgasket or a Cometic, then I would reuse it. If it is not steel and you got in from auto zone, I would not use it. Also, if he torqued it down without following the sequence, then I would consider having the head checked and decked again. Also, when removing it, if you don't follow the sequence, you can warp it as well. Good luck.

 

[90gst_sean]

I think its a oem Mitsu, but not 100%. Its sorta metal-ish. It reminds me of exhaust gaskets. You can hardly make out the shape of the head on it. Its been hanging on the wall in my room and looks almost new. The crappy thing is, the gasket I used in its place was a super-cheap-o-crap-tastic and that may turn out to be the problem now.

I know my friend is a turd, but he was reading the Chilton as he went. Yes, he fallowed the pattern.

Thanks thow...

 

[lasertim]

Just go in reverse order and put one washer on at a time. If you dont want to do that I would say reuse the thing. If it was literally only torqued for a minute it should recompress just fine. Dont worry about the head being warped, it hasnt even seen heat yet.