Reusing Head Gasket [Merged 2-8] headgasket reuse re-use re-using

[4ged4G63]

ok so I was searching through some old invoices in the folder that I got from the previous owner when I bought the car and I found that my car has an HKS head gasket and ARP bolts. Well, I screwed some #@%#@%#@%#@% up on the motor(2 years has gone by since it was rebuilt and since I bought it) and need to rebuild it and a friend of mine was sayin that I don't need a new head gasket and bolts.

Opinions and/or info please on this...thanks

 

[NDgsx]

Headgasket may be ok, be very careful removing the head and gasket. Use a lot of hylomar on it before throwing evreything back together.

ARP head studs will be fine, but I would call them and get some of their moly lube. Motor oil is very inconsitent as a thread lubricant.

 

[blackawdturbo]

I torqued the gasket down then had to pull the head off again for another reason, which I will not go into detail on
Can I slap the head on again and retorque this since it saw no heat cycle or should I replace?

Thanks

 

[echo]

it should be ok being it hasn't been really used. how long was it on there? if it wasn't too long i would feel it safe to use, but if i let it sit for like a week, then I would change it. doesn't mean it is bad, i just would had to have to do it later.

 

[blackawdturbo]

Originally posted by echo
it should be ok being it hasn't been really used. how long was it on there? if it wasn't too long i would feel it safe to use, but if i let it sit for like a week, then I would change it. doesn't mean it is bad, i just would had to have to do it later.

It was on the car literally 30 min at most. I used some permatex copper spray on it and it looks real blotchy now where the spray stuck to the head when removing it so I am a little uneasy.

 

[EHeye]

I wouldnt use the head gasket, eventhough it should be ok, just think about it what if it doesnt hold, damn that would suck.

 

[JayHass]

Get a new gasket.

 

[echo]

well if it doesn't look perfect then i would get another. especially if it makes you feel "uneasy", because you will be wondering about it every day and checking to see if it leaks. it will drive you crazy. .

 

[JayHass]

Lets make it really simple. If you blew your head gasket, would you be willing to pay someone only the cost of the gasket to do the whole job?

Then don't use the old one and take the chance of having to pull the head again just to save the cost of the gasket.

 

[blackawdturbo]

Already bought a new one.

Thanks

 

[nutshot]

For anyone that doesn't know, never reuse a head gasket once it was torqued. This is a cardinal sin, and will only lead to bad things. Thanks.

 

[blackawdturbo]

Originally posted by nutshot
For anyone that doesn't know, never reuse a head gasket once it was torqued. This is a cardinal sin, and will only lead to bad things. Thanks.

I thought I heard that before, but then again I also heard that if it hasn't seen any heat cycling it could be ok hence the reason for my original post. I am not taking any chances over a $50 part.

Thanks

 

[kristmen]

Thats sorta like asking if its safe to reuse a condom ;P

 

[nutshot]

But what if the condom was put on and I haven't penetrated yet?

 

[Razor_DSM]

it would dry out, any not be very fun

 

[Defiant]

You can't turn a head gasket inside-out like you can a condom.

 

[blackawdturbo]

Well I removed my old condom...err gasket last night from the block and slapped on a fresh one It was pretty well stuck on the block so it took a little manipulation to get it free. I'm sure we can close this thread now since it's becoming grossly off topic, all is well.

Thanks

 

[Gooberlog]

Yeah but if your used head gasket broke, atleast your girlfriend wouldn't be pregnant.
Good Decision
<Gooberlog>

 

[teg21]

I was having cooling problems for awhile and although I had near perfect compression I took off the head and found it to be warped. I replaced the HG about 6 months ago with the mitsu metal. The gasket looks to be in near perfect condition. My question is some people say you can reuse the old HG and some people say no what do you guys think would be better? Thanks.

[Edit]: Or basically should the old HG be fine?

 

[90AWDRaleigh]

It COULD be ok, but it could not. Why take any chances with a $70-$90 part? I would just slap a new one in to avoid in future hassles. Mike

 

[98eclipseRS]

never reuse a hg, once it has been compressed it is very higly recomended that you replace it. Not t omention you have two optoins here 1.) spend the little money it costs to replace one now while its off the car or 2.)reuse and then find out after you have put the engine back together you need to replace it and end up spending alot more money to retake apart the engine and install a new one.

 

[zdrux]

Ok guys, the following is a copy-and-pase of the email I wrote to explain my problem so I will save everyone the time and simply paste it here. Also, I would like to thank beforehand those who actually will take the time to read this entire post. If there is someone who will lead me to a simple solution, anything less than replacing a headgasket, I`ll gladly share $$ with them

Here we go:

There seems to be a little trouble with my car, it is eating
up coolant and the worst part is, its not ending up on the floor or
leaking anywhere.

You know how I told you that the car runs always cold? Well, now its the
opposite. After filling the coolant up all the way, letting it cycle,
topping it up, etc.. etc.. I can drive the car hard for probably an hour
before I start seeing the needle hovering around the 50% mark, and then
eventually I`ll start slowly losing the heat in the vents, and you know
where it goes from there.

If I drive normally, and dont boost at all, this process takes a little
longer, but eventually ends up being the same, the car will go into 3/4
hot, and I`ll have to pull over and re-fill the rad.

The temp. is a little weird, if I`m stopped and the car is at 3/4, I can
either rev the motor a bit, or just move the car, and the guage
immediately drops to 45% like it should be, but then goes up and down as I
drive. The coolant doesnt seem to be dripping out of the overflow bottle
because I dont see anything EVER underneath the car, *BUT* its also not
empty, it always seems to be 75% full, as if its not drawing anything out
of the bottle, I've checked the hose and it seems to be ok, no holes or
leaks in the hose and its not blocked either.

I have tried driving with the fans constantly on, and it helps only extend
this problem, not eliminate it. My fans do not come on untill 200F, the
car does not overheat at idle with fans on, havent tried idleing for long
enough with fans off to see.

Coolant definately does not look like it has any oil in it or any traces
of it.. I do have alot of white smoke coming out the tailpipe, but its
hard to tell if its being caused by burning coolant or if its just cold,
I've tried smelling it, but I`m having hardtime determening the smell.. if
it smells like coolant, its definately not obvious, it smells like.. well,
ehxaust I guess.

There are no visible leaks under or in the engine-bay, if I leave the
rad-cap off with the car runnning in operating temps, I can see the
coolant flowing in the neck, it *will* bubble out now and then as the car
is idleing, but it IS flowing in there.

... additions/updates: I have since tried a new rad-cap to no effect. I run my fans on all the time with dsmlink, but this has nothing to do with the losing of the coolant so its definittely not the problem. The motor was rebuilt maybe 800 miles ago. I had the driver's side half-shaft bracket come loose from one of the bolts which was causing alot of knock and the motor could not have been driven over 3,000rpm because of the knock so even though the problem was not there immediately after the rebuild, it is also hard to tell if it WAS there since the car hasnt been driven hard or in boost untill now. The head had to come off after the rebuild again because of a bad t-belt job and I needed a new valve job.

My HG is a cometic, both the block and head have been of course surfaced before installation. ARP studs used with 75 or 80lbs of torque.

The cooling system has been pressure tested as high as possible without nearly blowing the hoses off without losing ANY pressure whatsoever! A hydro-carbon probe was placed above the coolant filler-neck to check for exhaust, but looks to be a negative on any exhaust readings from there, I haven't performed a "block test".

I haven't had a chance to do a compression test yet. It will be done this coming up weekend. I have to put in about 1L of coolant every day when I drove for even short trips. Is it possible that the HG would only lose its sealing power at boost? Woud I not be able to detect a blown HG by doing the cooling system pressure test?

There is a weird noise coming from the t-belt side of the motor. It sounds like a very faint bearing noise, or grinding.. this only appeared after the head came off the 2nd time so I know its got to do with the pullyes/belts on that side, possibly the water pump, although it is brand new and not leaking.

Any other sure-fire ways to see if its the HG? Any other reason my coolant would dissapear into thin air without leaking anywhere?

 

[Defiant]

Is it possible that the HG would only lose its sealing power at boost?

Yes.

Sounds like you've done all the diagnostics and tests. You might want to get some of the coolant test strips that test the water for hydrocarbons.

Did you run a pressure test on the cooling system while the engine was hot?

 

[zdrux]

Any idea where I can some of those? I`m from Canada.. it's pretty hard to get things like that in your local convinience store

 

[Lordpaxin]

I had the same exact problem on a worn leaky shitty ass motor. exact same problem.

my coolant was getting pressurized somehow, and leaking out the over flow. try putting someting on the over flow tube to get wet to indicate if its spilling out.


my coolant also smelled like fumes. give it a sniff.

in my case it wasnt actually over heating, just the coolant level was not high enough to hit the sensor, so the sensor would top out. start moving again, and it would show normal temps.