Kasey

iTrader: (8)

I start at 90lb's and re-torque to 95lb's on every car I install Head-studs on with zero problems.

n2oiroc

iTrader: (33)

most people with L19's go 100 lb/ft+.

Kasey

iTrader: (8)

If you where running 700plus I would go 100.

EVIL-EVO-8

Thats what I figured, Of Course I Did the sequence Thanks Temp cycling?

Kasey

iTrader: (8)

I always cycle the temp just 2 times to make sure and make sure the motor has been cooled down for at least 12 hours.

Roadrunr

iTrader: (24)

100 min. Buschur recommends 105 LBS. The tool you are using is critical. I only use Snap On for Torque Wrenches. The threads and washer should also be lubed with molly or a good grade grease.
Don

griceiv

iTrader: (2)

keep fighting the leaky head gaskets and your rods are going to be next. ...ask me how i know.

fix the detonation, it's cheaper.

ffff

Did a retorque fix your issues? seems like you have most of your bases covered.

Rex915

iTrader: (57)

I just intalled a cometic head gasket, should I have just installed an oem one?

VRSF Tiago

iTrader: (138)

Definitely would have been a better option.

OP: Who checked the head for flatness? How much are you torquing the L19's. Explain your torque sequence. A lot of the time it's not a matter of what you did but it's how they were done.

n2oiroc

iTrader: (33)

English racing has been having good luck with the cheaper cometics from what
I have read.

sonicnofadz

iTrader: (4)

What procedure was used to check the block and head for straightness? Maybe whoever did this didn't use an accurate precision straight edge. What was the warpness on the block, and on the head? The UV dye is a must, make sure the leak is indead coming from the gasket. Try retorqing the studs. If you have to remove the head again, make sure there wasn't debris on the mating surface, and also check the mating surface for flaws (scratches, nicks, etc.). The OEM headgasket has been proven to sufficient at very high power levels.

Lucas English

iTrader: (12)

We use the Cometics on our 2.4 builds because stock does not work but the stock gasket should be fine. The RA of the Block and head is the key and once it leaks in one spot it will always leak there until a good surface is done and throwing a straight edge on there wont tell you anything unless you have huge problems.

We have a special Machined 2in thick by 10x10 flat block that we get our surface in spec. There are very few machine shops in the country that can do the surface the way we need and most of the time they make it worse.

We just had a block in here that was done by another Machine shop and by the looks it looked good but once you put the flat block on it you could see huge low spots. Had to take it to get a surface by our Machinist and he said what ever surfacing process they used put to much heat and made hot spots which then end up being low spots in the deck and a straight edge would be hard pressed to find those low spots.

The right RA on the Surface is the difference between a HG that only can hold 400whp and one that can hold 1000whp.

Also as of right now I am not a fan of the L19 head bolts. We have stretched many of them only TQ to 90ft lbs and our HG in our 8sec DSM holds better on std ARP head bolts.

pettyboy69

iTrader: (4)

with mls head gaskets you need to be sure that the head, gasket, and block are perfectly clean and true they are very very unforgiving compared to other materials. I'v ran copper head gaskets along with o-rings a couple times with no problems at all. Copper is a better compound and much more forgiving than mls gaskets are but there are guys making tons of power on both. Like it has been stated its probably not the gasket

oofastlineoo69

iTrader: (34)

If your head is o ringed .. Check the height of the o rings I just had this problem and mine were at 13. Thousanths and that's after I took it off and it was already torqued...