stock gaskets are very good.
Combined with ARP head studs you shouldn't have any problems.
Make sure the head and block surfaces are perfectly flat.

Alright Id just like to know why the stock one blew at 52k.. But yeah once the guy gets the head out hes sending it to a machine shop to get planed. He didnt call me today so he must not of worked on it yet.... Just wanna be able to drive it this year... winters comin...

So it was def the headgasket.

Headbolt was so full of **** where it blew

We don't think much about it now but I remember some years ago reading a Felpro brochure in which the company was bragging about the fact that they had developed a head gasket that would work between aluminum and cast iron. When heated, aluminum and cast iron expand at different rates. So, the head is moving on the block every time the engine is run.

Alright ill look it up. yeah i never get why the put aluminum heads on a cast iron block. same with steel bolts in aluminum with out helcoils. But the guy doing the job found two gaskets one was a 'cometic' ive had a few people tell me about and i forget what the other one was he found but he was gonnna look in to and call me

Well, the design is a stepping stone between a cast iron engine and an all aluminum engine. I has some good points - a very strong block with a better head that can only be cast in aluminum.

Now, I don't know what led to your problem, maybe just happen chance, but the secret to having a happy relationship with this design is to never let it get hot. In other words, keep the cooling system in tip top condition.

Yeah I never let it get hot, the gauge always stayed good.

Went with a Cosworth gasket and arp studs. Should be done by end of this week

good choice!
Make sure the head and block surfaces are good to go and not warped

When i went last week to look at it we checked it and it was flat. I went the other day to see if it would be done for this weekend but only the studs came in no gasket yet... So with any luck ill have it back next week.. Only got 3 months left to drive it....

Heads atleast on now... Was gonna be done today but when he was timing it the balance belt or whatever was lookin ****y i just had the timing belt done when i bought it lastyear.. Be nice to drive it this year before winter...

And why are you paying for all of this? The "speed shop" that broke the car should have been taking care of this... I see so many threads where people end up with a broken car, and instead of holding the shop responsible, they end up taking the shaft and fixing it themselves.

I'm glad you got the issue figured out, but next time you should probably talk to the shop if it was fine when you dropped it off and broken when you picked it up.

Well theres really no way of proving that it was from them so it would of been a waste of time im feeling.. Too late now anyways. Point is i get it back tomorrow! Just in time to put it away for winter hahaha

Good to hear you got her back!

Tomorrow!