Which Headgasket Should I Get?

[grans0o]

A while back I blew my headgasket, right now my car is all apart and I just got my head back from the machine shop (it was warped). I am very unsure what what headgasket I am going to put back on my car. I have asked some people I know and have been told to use the OEM Mitsu Headgasket, the Mitsu MLS, and there are many other options. I will be using ARP headstuds and I beleive that the machine shop shaved .006 (does that sound right?) off of the head to make it true. I am also unsure on whether using copper spray to help seal a headgasket is a good idea. Any advice that you could give me will be appreciated.

-Paul

 

[project_tsi]

I recently started leaking oil from my Cometic MLS gasket. To properly use a MLS gasket, your head and deck surface must be super clean, almost to a mirror finish to properly fully seal. I thought my surfase was "clean enough" but obviously it wasn't. SCE is now making a new kind of metal gasket. Its called the ICS. I just ordered mine today. You have to call SCE to get a part number as I forgot already. Read up on it. I find its just as good if not better then a MLS, but no need for copper spray or a perfect surface.

http://www.scegaskets.com/products/ics.html

 

[nuggets]

Mitsu 4-layer HG. USE IT. IT WORKS.
As for copper spray, I have never used them on headgaskets. On every organic gasket, thin material, paper-like.. yes. Such as oil pump gasket.

 

[project_tsi]

Mitsu 4-layer HG. USE IT. IT WORKS.
As for copper spray, I have never used them on headgaskets. On every organic gasket, thin material, paper-like.. yes. Such as oil pump gasket.

Do you have any experience w/ an MLS? Your qoute "use it, it works" is true, but only if done correctly. And 90% of the time, copper spray IS needed on a MLS gasket. Or it runs a higher chance of failing like mine did.

 

[1990greenGSX]

Do you have any experience w/ an MLS? Your qoute "use it, it works" is true, but only if done correctly. And 90% of the time, copper spray IS needed on a MLS gasket. Or it runs a higher chance of failing like mine did.

i agree. We use a Hylomar spray thats very effective even on copper gaskets. This will help the sealing of the gasket. I dont recommend using straight Copper gaskets unless you have oringed something (head or block). The cometic and Mitsu metal are both good. Choice of which depends on the boost you are looking to run. Mitsu is rated to 27psi, std cometic is rated to 30psi and HP cometics are rated to 70psi.. Use this with a set of Arps and you are good to go!..

Mark
SBR

 

[project_tsi]

i agree. We use a Hylomar spray thats very effective even on copper gaskets. This will help the sealing of the gasket. I dont recommend using straight Copper gaskets unless you have oringed something (head or block). The cometic and Mitsu metal are both good. Choice of which depends on the boost you are looking to run. Mitsu is rated to 27psi, std cometic is rated to 30psi and HP cometics are rated to 70psi.. Use this with a set of Arps and you are good to go!..

Mark
SBR

Basically that's what I'm trying to get out of this new SCE gasket. It combines the strenght of a copper gasket but w/out needing to o-ring the block or head. It has already proven itself holding over 1800hp on a twin turbo small block check at over 40psi.

 

[grans0o]

I think I am going to use the Mitsu MLS what sort of prep will I need to do on the block surface? Since my head just got decked will I need to do anything to the head surface? BTW: The machine shop had to take off .016 to make the surface true, I was told that was quite alot, should this affect anything? What is Hylomar spray, and where might I be able to get ahold of some?

 

[Quasimondo]

I think I am going to use the Mitsu MLS what sort of prep will I need to do on the block surface? Since my head just got decked will I need to do anything to the head surface? BTW: The machine shop had to take off .016 to make the surface true, I was told that was quite alot, should this affect anything? What is Hylomar spray, and where might I be able to get ahold of some?

Have the head decked. Have the block decked. Use ARP studs. Use the copper spray if you can't find Hylomar.

 

[grans0o]

I have to get my block decked too in order to run the MLS? Can a machine shop do that with the pistons and all in there or would I have to dissassemble the motor just to get the block surface decked? The head is decked but when I took it to the machine shop I didn't specify that I was going to be using a metal headgasket, the head surface doesn't have a *mirror finish* like I've been told I should have for a MHG. Should the head surface be ok, since it was decked.

 

[bwhughey]

Have the head decked. Have the block decked. Use ARP studs. Use the copper spray if you can't find Hylomar.

My short block and head were done by the same shop, and I specified that I was going to use a Mitsu MLS gasket. The machinist, who really knows 4G63s, told me that minimum specs for the MLS are no more that .001 TOTAL out-of-flat the entire length in any direction for either the head or the deck, and the surface finish must be 20 RA or better. He also told me NOT to use any gasket compounds on the head, because they can clump up and destroy the tolerances while providing no real potential benefit anyway.

In my opinion, it is more important to make sure to clean your block bolt holes out VERY well, and degrease them thoroughly. Improper torquing kills more head gaskets than anything else.

On the other hand, I run 22 PSI with a 50-Trim on the street, which shouldn't be enough to stress a stock setup. I'd say unless you were fishing for 600 WHP or more, you shouldn't get too concerned about head gasket setup - too many other things break first. ;-)

Regards,

Brad

 

[TSIfreek]

I agree with brad. Stock head gasket and ARP head studs is all you need. Also Paul .006 is 6 thousandths and that sounds right. May want to have it checked for flatness before putting this gasket back on. Make sure Both head and block surfaces are clean use a razor blade to get any gasket material off. Also use some kind of solvent on a clean rag on both surfaces for final cleaning like brake clean. Keep all the garbage from going down the oil passage ways into the block.

 

[TSIfreek]

Also gasket spray of any kind is not needed unless your running steel gasket with no coating. Guys use the coppper spray on the MLS gaskets and the copper but the OEM gasket doesnt need this it alreay has a coating and will not improve help in any way. I would go with a stock gasket with ARPs since you are not running that much boost. 75% of the guys that run the steel gaskets dont need them.

 

[bwhughey]

Major dittos on the ARP studs. That's what they're for - to clamp the living bejesus out of the block and head precisely to make sure the gasket stays intact. Use the assembly lube and torque specs they give you (the latter being much higher than stock...I don't recall the exact number).

Again, considering the fact that so many people have dynoed 400+ WHP on a factory stock engine...when was the last time you heard of someone blowing a head gasket? It's rare on these motors.

Regards,

Brad

 

[kanderson111]

I think I am going to use the Mitsu MLS what sort of prep will I need to do on the block surface? Since my head just got decked will I need to do anything to the head surface? BTW: The machine shop had to take off .016 to make the surface true, I was told that was quite alot, should this affect anything? What is Hylomar spray, and where might I be able to get ahold of some?

Are you sure they took of .016 from your head? This is double the amount that the service manual allows. It says .008 is the maximum for both surfaces combined. I don't know if this will cause you any problems as I have never had to have more than .005 removed from a head.

 

[grans0o]

Yes, the machine shop told me that is how much they had to remove to make it true. If I'm going to have to ditch this head and get a new one than that is going to suck. It does look like it is shaved down quite a ways, infact it looks like it goes down just a tiny bit into valve seats... Maybe I should post up some pictures for you guys, what manual did you find the .008 being the maximum that you can take off of both surfaces and what section did you find it in. Errr... maybe I could go with a thicker gasket? Does anyone know about this?

 

[98GSX209]

just recently i was putting together my new rebuilt when i came to find out that the head was no good, some of the exhaust valves were bent or not the right ones. i put the four layer head gasket w/ arp head bolts, i also got the four layer exhaust manifold gasket ( both metal) from ROAD /// RACE. there is no other place i would go to get my parts from than ROAD /// RACE they got all the good s#!t for 1g and 2g.

 

[TSIfreek]

Yes, the machine shop told me that is how much they had to remove to make it true. If I'm going to have to ditch this head and get a new one than that is going to suck. It does look like it is shaved down quite a ways, infact it looks like it goes down just a tiny bit into valve seats... Maybe I should post up some pictures for you guys, what manual did you find the .008 being the maximum that you can take off of both surfaces and what section did you find it in. Errr... maybe I could go with a thicker gasket? Does anyone know about this?

The mitsubishi MLS gasket is thicker and is the one I would use in this situation.

 

[sweet97]

Is it necessary to retorque ARP stud nuts after x amount of miles or a good idea to? I have the 4 layer steel HG and my surfaces were not perfectly smooth but done by David Buschur. Thanks, mark