Pushing coolant... New L19's or ring head

[95talonracer]

I have a 2.0 with commetic MLS and standard ARP's. At the end of last year I was pushing coolant bad so now comes my decision. I have been reading around and can't make up my mind. I just received my SCS Titan copper head gasket but now dont know if that was the right thing to order. Here are the options I am thinking.

1-Keep and use the new scs tital copper gasket with reusing my standard ARP's

2-Keep and use the new scs tital copper gasket with buying a set of L19 ARP's

3-Returning the scs titan, ringing the head and use a commetic mls with my standard ARP's

4-Exchange the scs titan for the correct one to use with a ringed head, ringing the head and using my arp's

5-Exchange the scs titan for the correct one to use with a ringed head, ringing the head and buy L19 arp's

What would be the best idea?

[niterydr]

How much boost and power?

[DSM_421]

I know you can, and people do, but I wouldn't reuse your arps... just upgrade them. Correct me if I'm wrong but your shooting for over 450awhp... right?

[JET]

Scrap that gasket for sure. See if you can get a refund on it. I would get your head resurfaced first, then go with a decent gasket. I am still running a stock one, as are quite a few of the higher HP cars. Felpro is the hot ticket lately or a Mitsu MLS would work fine for you also. You should be fine with the regular ARP's. How much HP are you gunning for?

[95talonracer]

Well I am doing e85, scm61, 1600 injectors, and dsmlink with a built 2.0 so whatever I can get out of it. Other supporting mods as well.

On my 20g I was running 30psi with no knock and it ran good for a bit on that but then started pushing coolant. I take it with the bigger turbo I will make the same power with a bit less boost as my 20g am i right?

[JET]

Yes, you will probably make the same power on 27-28psi. I had basically the same setup, but with a 2.4l on a stock head gasket, so it had even less sealing surface. I ran 32psi on it without a problem. Think of the head gasket as a fuse though, you might have been knocking and it saved your engine. Making sure the head and block are flat is pretty key. You have to take the head off, so at least get that one resurfaced. The blocks are usually pretty good.

[95talonracer]

Any good places to get resurfacing done for a reasonible price? What did you put down for power on that setup?

[JET]

I put down 460 awhp at DB. Most places can resurface just fine, it is pretty easy. Make sure they put a decent finish on it if you want to go MLS.

[95talonracer]

Who has had resurfacing done and had good luck with a particular shop? Looking for a shop that will do it for a good price and is well known for great work. Also anyone have prices on cutting the head for o rings?

[niterydr]

Originally Posted by 95talonracer

Who has had resurfacing done and had good luck with a particular shop? Looking for a shop that will do it for a good price and is well known for great work. Also anyone have prices on cutting the head for o rings?

Head surface RA varies per gasket used and material used. Which gasket style are you going with?

[JET]

Don't bother with the o-ring either, there is no need and they are a pain in the ass to install correctly.

[niterydr]

Originally Posted by JET

Don't bother with the o-ring either, there is no need and they are a pain in the ass to install correctly.

I concur!

[95talonracer]

Originally Posted by niterydr

Head surface RA varies per gasket used and material used. Which gasket style are you going with?

Im not sure yet. I already have the titan HG and would like to use that but am skeptical because of what others have said but then I find people with very good luck at high power. What do you guys think, will the titan hold?

[JET]

The titan will leak. Copper headgaskets don't work well on a DSM. Resurface the head, torque the ARP's to 100 ft-lbs and use a stock headgasket. If you are really worried about it, use the Felpro gasket. Sell the one you have to someone on Ebay or something. Next time ask here before you buy

[Goat Blower]

My Cometic went for some strange reason, no racing or anything, but did make 520ish at DB. Replaced it with another Cometic and the same old ARP's I've had for years, I'm not worried about it.

[Shane@DBPerformance]

I run 29-30psi on E85 with a factory internal 2.0l with the Mistu metal headgasket. It doesn't push any coolant now. This donor block did push coolant when it was first put into the car though, as soon as you boosted it, it would overheat and push coolant. It could idle forever with no problems. We tried doing headgaskets and milling the head flat and it would never fix it, until we pulled the whole motor and got the shortblock decked, then all problems were fixed.

[sleepydsm]

Motors By Gosh. I have had good luck with him, as has Blageo23

[Archertsi]

I second motors by gosh.

I just put l19's in my new motor I am building along with a fel pro 1153-1 headgasket. I have not ran the engine, so I cannot comment on the gaskets actual performance, but I can tell you this thing is friggin impressive. 5 layers with 3 firing rings per cylinder. The rubber coating is so stickey, just holding the gasket, it sticks to your fingers. The center layer is very thick with the biggest firing ring. Apparentley it was built for Rau? and from what I have researched, it almost indestructable with l19's

The l19's are equally impressive. As I torqued the head down, I was amazed at how much harder I had to pull on the torque wrench compared to standard arps. There is no stretch as you reach the torque, just rock solid.

[Pushit2.0]

I have a old cometic HP in my car, held the 36psi on the dyno and 47psi on the street just fine....

~John

[Pushit2.0]

Do not over torque the L19s they will break, and use a lot of the molly lube thats for sure.

~John