Stock Headgasket?

[1fast97gsx]

I'm wondering if anyone has succesfully ran close to 29-30 psi on a proper tune on a turbo of my size with a stock headgasket? All mods are listed in my profile, however my mls gasket is pushing some coolant and I don't want to deal with redecking the block and head again to replace it. It was done just 5000 miles ago so I'd rather just drop a stock gasket in and call it a day. Daily driven I plan on running 23 psi max, close to 30 on race gas. Anyone play around with the limits of the stock gasket yet?

 

[Goobdog]

We have ran my friends car to 33psi on a 60 trim on the stock composite headgasket on several occasions with no ill effects. The car also has nitrous on it, its never pushed coolant. He runs 22-23 psi on a daily basis on 93 octane.

 

[1fast97gsx]

Good, thats the response I was looking for. Any idea what he torques his headstuds to? Thanks.

 

[Batty200]

I'm wondering if anyone has succesfully ran close to 29-30 psi on a proper tune on a turbo of my size with a stock headgasket? All mods are listed in my profile, however my mls gasket is pushing some coolant and I don't want to deal with redecking the block and head again to replace it. It was done just 5000 miles ago so I'd rather just drop a stock gasket in and call it a day. Daily driven I plan on running 23 psi max, close to 30 on race gas. Anyone play around with the limits of the stock gasket yet?

If you pull it apart and there is no damage to the head or block from the MLS headgasket warping or shifting then you can reuse it or buy a new one and make it seal up. I always use Copper SprayAGasket when I do MLS Hg's. I have even put USED MLS HG's in cars without ANY machine work to the head or block surface. However neither surface was damaged either. Your mileage may vary. FWIW one of the cars I did a new Cometic HP on without decking the block did have a head resurface has since made 570whp and has gone 130+mph in the 1/4 and made 500whp on pump gas with ZERO issues.

Copper-Spray-A-Gasket is the AWESOME.


Later

 

[olmytsi]

Stock headgasket has held 35psi on some cars. Its all about the tune. I would say torque the arps to 90-95 with moly lube. If you search, theres plenty of threads on it!
I recently did my research and decide to go that route on the motor i just put in. Havent done a compression test and i havent ran more than 5psi cause i am still working out the little bugs so time will tell.

 

[JiggahMan]

I have stock headgasket and hardware and have run 30 psi (and on pump) when I had severe creep issues, given that it wasn't run 5 seconds at 30, but it held none the less. I'm running 20 psi on pump and have run 25 psi on pump again for a full run and she's still going strong! BTW this 20/25psi thing is just on a chip tune, NO DYNO TUNING WHAT-SO-EVER.

 

[sb7775]

i think a stock head gasket is good to 30-35psi for extended periods of use only if the block and head have been decked. If there not straight then thats where the problem comes in. I run a felpro on my race car at 35 psi with a 125 shot with no problems yet. So i belive all head gaskets with a good block and head should hold the power.

 

[Drifter27_04]

I am rebuilding my motor as well and came across the same question.

A friend told me that a stock head gasket is good up to 30psi with the proper torqe specs of the ARP bolts. He said people think that the gasket is blown because of the psi or just bad, what they dont understand he says is that the stock head bolts stretch causing the head gasket to leak and than waa...laa a blown head gasket. It makes since of this happening but how true it is I am not for sure but I have read and seen some guys running the stock gasket. I am going to try it myself so hopefully everything will come out ok.

Please if anyone knows this information is not correct let me know.

 

[JiggahMan]

If the motor's already apart what do you have to lose? $90 for cheap insurance.. If you don't you could need a whole new motor... Seems like a simple choice to me.

 

[Froyd79]

29psi on race gas and a good tune! Felpro HG and stock head studs @ 100 ft/ pnds. To be honest I am pleasantly surprised!

 

[nanokpsi]

i think a stock head gasket is good to 30-35psi for extended periods of use only if the block and head have been decked. If there not straight then thats where the problem comes in. I run a felpro on my race car at 35 psi with a 125 shot with no problems yet. So i belive all head gaskets with a good block and head should hold the power.

I did about 11 dyno pulls @ 28 psi and pushed zero coolant. I have also done countless pulls at that high boost level. All stock harware. I have run over 30 psi but was overrunning the mas so I backed the boost down. Its warmer now so I don't have that problem.

 

[1fast97gsx]

Thanks guys replaced the gasket with a stocker ( head and block were decked a few k miles ago as well ) and have ran 23 psi on pump so far pushing no coolant.

 

[Lunch_Box]

Thanks guys replaced the gasket with a stocker ( head and block were decked a few k miles ago as well ) and have ran 23 psi on pump so far pushing no coolant.

Are you still running a stock rad cap?

 

[1fast97gsx]

It was replaced with another stock unit a while back.

 

[Lunch_Box]

Well if you find yourself pushing coolant you can replace it with a higher pressure cap.

-1.2 bar cap from a 300ZX tt
-1.1 bar cap from a Honda (part# 19045-PT0-003)

 

[99gst_racer]

Cedric - I am running 22 psi daily on my stock head gasket. I know it can handle more than that. But I'm only running about 40 lbs/min on my 50 trim..... I know you're giving your engine a little more hell than I'm giving mine.

I've read many instances of guys that start to push coolant past 30 psi on MLS head gaskets. Then they o-ringed the block and never had a problem since. Just a thought.

 

[1fast97gsx]

Yea I think if this gasket doesn't hold then I will pull the motor again over the winter, deck the block and head once again and have it Oringed. So far at 23 psi no problems though.