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

 

[El_Wood]

Use some copper spray and re-use it. I am sure you can find better ways to spend the money other than a HG. Good luck and keep us posted

 

[black_gsx]

I would never reuse it only due to the fact if it does fail then there is a lot of work to redo again...Just my .02!

 

[brassc2007]

i would never reuse a head gasket as they are torque to yield, and since it is a mls if it seperates just a little it will have to be redone all over again. through advance its only like 33 dollars that is alot better than say 20 hours and then something goes wrong and you gotta do it all over again, and i would consider a new one since you are running a turbo.

 

[Guzman08]

buy the cometic headgasket

 

[1bad95tsi]

Ive reused several mls gaskets over several times it doesnt hurt them ive never had an issue

 

[95fwdtsi18psi]

I wouldn't reuse one, ever..I have good experience with Cometic.

 

[96eclipzGsT]

NO. never reuse a head gasket. They are only good for one torque.

Wrong. If you started it and ran it to operating temperature, then no don't reuse it. Get you a can of copper coat its in the section at autozone with the sealants. Spray the block and head and reuse the headgasket. You will be fine. I have seen this done many times and have never had a problem. I just rebuilt my motor and did this with a topline headgasket. Haven't had a problem yet.

Now the head bolts on the other hand are a different story, you may want to replace those if they have been torqued more than twice.

 

[talondave]

I had a reused HG go bad on me in the middle of a 30psi pull, and when it blew out, it melted a little port between #1 cyl and #2 cyl destroying the head...So i say never re use a HG..

 

[Napster]

Wow, Everybody is really 50/50 on this issue, I'm still proboly going to try it and use the copper spray... But I'm still on the fence about it.

 

[nlzn]

The general consensus (if you search a bit here) is that the Mitsu MLS gaskets DONT compress on torque, meaning they are reusable.

There are several vendors that list this as well. ffwd and machv are two I can remember off the top of my head.

 

[keltalon]

Okay i had to rip the head off because the car did not start due to bad head work that had not been recognized. Its a MLS head gasket that has no miles on it, do u think it would be cool to re-use it.

i have a 92 eclipse gst.

How much boost are you running? this is the determining factor. I have reused several metal head gaskets in the past some with success some without. The successful ones was in my earlier days when i was running nothing more than a 16g turbo and i think reusing them in those days cause me to think that its was okay to reuse a head gasket but as I started to increase in hp, boost and upgraded to a bigger turbo it took me two times to realize that with 400hp plus engine the headgasket and in some cases regular arps headstuds just needs to be replaced. after several head jobs and engine rebuilds I have drawn the conclusion that its better just to not reuse one for the sake of the time, money and energy! Just my $.02!

 

[Napster]

my engine isn't stock as I'm in the middle of a build but the ecu is stock and so is everything else but the engine, so for a wile ill be boosting stock. maybe a little higher.

Heres my engine mods

6 bolt
JE 8.5-1 pistons
Eagle rods
Balance shafts removed
MLS headgasket
Comp Cams aggressive street cams
Springs, valves, retainers-ARP
Ported 2g manifold
New 14b turbo

 

[keltalon]

my engine isn't stock as I'm in the middle of a build but the ecu is stock and so is everything else but the engine, so for a wile ill be boosting stock. maybe a little higher.

Heres my engine mods

6 bolt
JE 8.5-1 pistons
Eagle rods
Balance shafts removed
MLS headgasket
Comp Cams aggressive street cams
Springs, valves, retainers-ARP
Ported 2g manifold
New 14b turbo

Looking at your profile your engine has so much potential for well over 400whp if you so choose to upgrade your turbo. I know one thing to be a fact you can say that you will be satisfied with only 300 400 500 or perhaps even 600 whp you won't. That is why most of us joined this forum for an endless knowlegde ,no matter what are current setup is, for continus upgrades in power. Take it from me if you don't want to run into a coolant pushing issue later on just replace the head gakset. Trust me as your power increases the head gaket is the last thing you want to worry about there will be opportunity for many other things to stress over and we will be here to help you as others have helped us

 

[Napster]

That's a good point, I'm going to put alot of thought into it, because i dont really feel like putting it all back together and then tearing it all back apart.

 

[tkelly27]

That's a good point, I'm going to put alot of thought into it, because i dont really feel like putting it all back together and then tearing it all back apart.

Then use a new one, and save the MLS for someone who needs one and won't be making much power.

 

[NeMiZiS]

I feel like I'm getting mixed answers on this.
I want to reuse a OEM multilayer head gasket, probably has 1500 miles on it.
Is it safe to reuse it?
The gasket still looks like new.
Until I started researching, I thought it was all good but only with a multilayer gasket.

 

[keltalon]

I feel like I'm getting mixed answers on this.
I want to reuse a OEM multilayer head gasket, probably has 1500 miles on it.
Is it safe to reuse it?
The gasket still looks like new.
Until I started researching, I thought it was all good but only with a multilayer gasket.

I know you want to reuse it because of budget DONT! It will not seal properly I know because , like you , I went the reuse rout and it wasn't wise. It worked fine until I put pressure/boost on it pressure exposed the head gasket reuse weakness very quickly. I had to do it over again. Just too much work for a 130.00 dollar replacement while the head is already off

 

[Mark L]

I use a new gasket every time the heads off the engine. I've never blown a gaske to datet, no o-ring either!

I use MLS Fllpro Permatorque. works for me

 

[crazytsiawd]

would you reuse toilet paper ?

in short answer, get a new head gasket

 

[keltalon]

would you reuse toilet paper ?

in short answer, get a new head gasket

Well good point. I have used leaves before in the woods. Unfortunately the leave was poison oak had to go to the doctor. Lol