High HP guys (650+) what Head Gasket are you using?
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From: Raleigh, Transplanted from Toronto, Canada
Stock HG, L19 studs, and O-ringed block on my personal car...
I've been involved in building and have tuned a few 600+hp Evo's and all have always used stock headgaskets. They have typically all been o-ringed either in the block or in the case of Buschur Racing the heads were o-ringed. One car is on a 6766 and as soon as it hit mid 700's it started pushing coolant but was on standard ARP head studs. Swapping to L19's the 1x1 method without disassembly cured the coolant pushing problem. This was done only to see if the head was infact getting lifted and pushing coolant. Well it was confirmed it was the problem and is now a mid 700hp daily driver until the next tuning round and set of upgrades.
I've been involved in building and have tuned a few 600+hp Evo's and all have always used stock headgaskets. They have typically all been o-ringed either in the block or in the case of Buschur Racing the heads were o-ringed. One car is on a 6766 and as soon as it hit mid 700's it started pushing coolant but was on standard ARP head studs. Swapping to L19's the 1x1 method without disassembly cured the coolant pushing problem. This was done only to see if the head was infact getting lifted and pushing coolant. Well it was confirmed it was the problem and is now a mid 700hp daily driver until the next tuning round and set of upgrades.
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From: Raleigh, Transplanted from Toronto, Canada
I heard COmetic sucked even though ER uses them. I went with the more expensive PE and it blew......then I read PE isn't the best for 2.4's I've heard of no issues with the AMS 2.4 OE one so thats what I got (and its cheaper then the PE)
I had many issues with cometics on bigger bore motors. I also have a customer who had a cometic fail on a stock block . These were all DSM. The dsm head is not as rigid as an evo head so that may have contributed to the failures. I now use FelPro MLS on any DSM but stock on evos. I am gun shy of cometic so I have no experience on EVO with them.
I had many issues with cometics on bigger bore motors. I also have a customer who had a cometic fail on a stock block . These were all DSM. The dsm head is not as rigid as an evo head so that may have contributed to the failures. I now use FelPro MLS on any DSM but stock on evos. I am gun shy of cometic so I have no experience on EVO with them.
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From: Raleigh, Transplanted from Toronto, Canada
Typical EVOM, lol. SO many answers for one question....sometimes you end up more confused after your done. Best thing to do is take recommendations from your engine builder. If you are the engine builder then its a crap shoot.
I dont know anyone short of a freak accident who has blown a stock head gasket on lets say 800-900hp and below. There are several evos above the 1000hp mark with stock head gaskets. To me and maybe this is my mileage the motor goes in these cars well before the head gasket.
Cometic head gaskets are more of a DSM thing to me. I used them in 2 builds and they did fine. Maybe I count myself lucky Ive never had a head gasket go. Id trade for that vs the motors ive blown though. =(
Cometic head gaskets are more of a DSM thing to me. I used them in 2 builds and they did fine. Maybe I count myself lucky Ive never had a head gasket go. Id trade for that vs the motors ive blown though. =(
Yeah I heard nothing but good things about the stock one, it seems to hold up great as long as you have studs, but wouldnt the 40 over be too big for the stock one? wouldnt that burn the gasket to crip?


