i usually find the best gaskets are the stock ones.

 

Stock is great, but since you have to replace a head gasket might as well and get ARP head studs too.

 

The car has them already. It was a freshly built 2.3 block with rods/rings, pistons,springs,retainers. Was broken in on the wastegate psi for 500 miles then 20psi on pump for about another 400-500miles. The motor has 1k roughly on it.

Mike

 

seems kinda odd for ARPs to let that happend, inless they were not torqued to spec (85ftlbs)

 

Well checked headstuds and they were dead nuts, so a new gasket it will be.

 

Well took 2.5 hours to get it all apart. Did a leak down test and cyl 1 was leeking into cyl #2. So I got a new stock gasket and it is the same as the one I pulled out??. Hopefully this will not blow when I put it all back together this week. I am having the head checked for warpage and cracks from a machine shop before I install the new gasket. I actually picked up 2 so I have a spare just incase I ever need another. Seemed hard to get from dealers and I drove 1 hour away.I will post up picks so you can see how little use the motor has had.Also my T-belt seemed pretty lose to me and my buddy.

 

so did the gasket you took out have an area where it looked like it leaked from?

 

Yup, not so noticeable though. I have a feeling it had just went and I caught it without putting very many miles on it.Also has a scratch on the head as if the headstud hit the head. Iam going to have it checked for a crack and straitness on Monday.