Re-use young cometic hg, or a new topline hg?

[ziggo0]

Decision. Bought a 95 Talon, threw a rod, currently building a new engine. Got the pistons in, ARP head studs in, now to install the head. The car came with a Cometic MLS Headgasket, it's less than 500 miles old. I bought a Topline gasket set for a few misc gaskets here and there, it came with a head gasket. Which should I use? I don't plan on making obnoxious power, just 16g powered DD.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Id just get a oem for the price and quality, for your dd its great, with arps great.

 

[nuclearr]

What ever you do use a new head gasket. You will kick yourself in the **S when you put it all back together and it doenst seall corectly and you have to tear it all back apart and re-do it.

 

[dawid4444]

goo with the cosmetic !!
you will be happy in the future when you turn up the boost

 

[GooeyGus]

never re-use a headgasket. I dont care if it's only been on for 1 mile. As soon as everything is fully torqued down the gasket is worthless if you take the head back off.

 

[ziggo0]

Ugh, so many conflicting opinions on this forum. I can understand how it's not re-useable. It gets crushed by torque then it should technically be no good, however...how come the other 50% of people who say to re-use it have had success? My biggest problem at the moment is money due to the holidays and being jobless for the time being. What is so bad about the Topline gasket? It seems everyone goes afhjadois unfa8rs09342875a8d hfs when it comes to them . Thanks for your guys replies though, appreciate the insight!

 

[richardc475]

A local DSMer used a Topline HG and it lasted less than a year. It was running a 14b at 14psi, not abused.

I will try and find some pics of it to post up.

Personally I would reuse a Cometic before touching a topline gasket.

 

[ziggo0]

A local DSMer used a Topline HG and it lasted less than a year. It was running a 14b at 14psi, not abused.

I will try and find some pics of it to post up.

Personally I would reuse a Cometic before touching a topline gasket.

Agreed. Dug up a thread on DSMTalk of a guy re-using a Cometic headgasket, lasted 3 years then sold the motor. I'll probably wind up doing that...once this motor is together the 6 bolt build begins

 

[95gst16g]

I would never reuse a HG but if you are doing it yourself and you dont care if you have to take it all back apart if it fails I say give it a try.But I wouldnt want to take it apart twice if I didnt have to.

 

[GooeyGus]

Ugh, so many conflicting opinions on this forum. I can understand how it's not re-useable. It gets crushed by torque then it should technically be no good, however...how come the other 50% of people who say to re-use it have had success? My biggest problem at the moment is money due to the holidays and being jobless for the time being. What is so bad about the Topline gasket? It seems everyone goes afhjadois unfa8rs09342875a8d hfs when it comes to them . Thanks for your guys replies though, appreciate the insight!

It's generally considered not re-usable.

Now, that's not saying it wont work, because it probably will. Just dont count on the gasket lasting for 100,000 miles.

Also, put it together knowing that there is a chance it will leak, and there is a chance that you'll just have to tear the thing apart again in a few hundred or a few thousand miles.

As long as you're aware of the risks, go for it!

Is there any way you can wait until the holidays are over to buy a new gasket?

 

[dawid4444]

i think that you can reuse the cosmetic hg again
but im not sure for 100%
i reuse my cosmetic hg again and its all good now
idk i just think that cosmetic can be reuse

 

[JEFFREYCASTGSX]

Cometic arent anything special, just go and get a regular felpro gasket, there cheap and there proven in 30+psi applications.

 

[Colt4G63 also]

It's generally considered not re-usable.

Now, that's not saying it wont work, because it probably will. Just dont count on the gasket lasting for 100,000 miles.

Also, put it together knowing that there is a chance it will leak, and there is a chance that you'll just have to tear the thing apart again in a few hundred or a few thousand miles.

As long as you're aware of the risks, go for it!

Is there any way you can wait until the holidays are over to buy a new gasket?

X2 on that; well said.

Personally I wouldn't reuse any headgasket, and would sooner toss in a felpro from my local parts store before trying it. What could it cost $30-$40? It's not worth my time to: 1) have my car be down, and 2) waste a whole day changing a gasket that I just put in recently.

 

[dsmfa9nutter]

Cometics used to be sold as a "reusable" head gasket. The problem is that some morons out there weren't following the instructions and didn't use any kind of a sealant (copper spray) when reusing it. You should be fine reusing it, especially if you have head studs, just give it a spray.

 

[2gmummy]

If it were any other gasket with 500 miles on it i'd saw reuse it but i mean the gasket fails..it could be your gone.

But i guess it comes down to personal opinion. I wouldn't risk reusing a HG because although some people had success others may not have been so lucky.

As far as topline..they are cheap so imo you get what you pay for