Head Gasket

Enes · 08-11-2005

A friend of mine needs to know which headgasket he should use..

normal factory or metalhead one..

he's only runing s20g and 23psi front mount, and few minor goodies, nothing big, made about 270whp ... awd.

i'd say go with factory and coper spray it.

-E

EclipseGST · 08-11-2005

If he is redecking the head then I'd go with a Metalhead (I believe your talking about the multilayered HG?) and some ARP headstuds. If not then run the factory one but he should still use ARP headstuds.

Pimpin Dsmstyle · 08-11-2005

Metal head gasket means if something goes wrong, your bottom end is fucked. If you use a regular stock one, chances are if something goes wrong, the bottom end will be fine.

**JET** · 08-11-2005

I would also use a stocker for the low boost settings. Hell, I am running a stock 2.4 one on my engine!

Matt D. · 08-12-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pimpin Dsmstyle

Metal head gasket means if something goes wrong, your bottom end is fucked. If you use a regular stock one, chances are if something goes wrong, the bottom end will be fine.

Please explain.

**Halon** · 08-12-2005

I too agree with the stock composite gasket coupled with ARP studs.

Enes · 08-12-2005

i suggested to him stocker with copper spray.

Jakey · 08-12-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D.

Please explain.

I have read it time and time again exactly what Josh is saying. By running a metal headgasket, the headgasket can no longer be considered an initial failure point due to the strength of material increase. If not careful, one can f*ck up an engine quite easily simply because a problem which would have been evident when running a OEM headgasket (obviously, the head gasket blows), is not exposed as quickly or not at all when running a metal headgasket.

**JET** · 08-12-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D.

Please explain.

They are definately right. That is the whole reason my engine got F'd up last year. If I would have had a stock head gasket on there, it would have blown long before I melted the head and probably pistons. I had a Cometic HP on there though. Needless to say, this year I am running a stocker.

niterydr · 08-12-2005

We usually recommend the stockers copper sprayed with arp's properly torqued down on most applications.
Heck, johns talon last year ran the stocker, as much as 39psi on the street!

**Shane@DBPerformance** · 08-12-2005

I have seen a couple DSMs running stock headgasket with ARPs put a rod through the block before having total headgasket failure.

Pimpin Dsmstyle · 08-12-2005

For a second I thought I was gonna get ripped again. Thanks for the explaination jakey, I haven't been on much today.

Enes · 08-12-2005

unfotunately... i myself also need a headgasket job now too

This morning as i pulled into my parking spot at work, i come out puff smoking

niterydr · 08-12-2005

Bring it by enes, we'll do a leakdown test.

slowbubblecar · 08-12-2005

A headgasket is kind of like a fuse. It is better to blow out the headgasket than having one to strong and losing a rod or piston.

**Shane@DBPerformance** · 08-12-2005

Just don't overtorque the headstuds down to 100+ ft-lbs. A friend of mine a long time ago did his stocker to something stupid like 110 ft-lbs and a rod and piston came through the block before the headgasket blew when trying to run 28psi on pump gas tuning with an EGT gauge.

08-18-2005

The machinists say to avoid using a metal HG UNLESS both the head and block have been machined flat to within 0.001". You don't know how flat the old block is in that car so putting a "machined" head on it with a metal HG would be foolish.

I agree with those that recommend using the stock HG as a "fuse". It works; well, on street cars, anyway! The BIG TIME people do other things to keep the heads on top of the blocks!

Rick