Head Gsakets??????????????

[Blakvsexec]

Hi,

I am torn between head gasket composition and then where to get them from.

What is better for turbo application COMETIC mls or ACL mls or ACL copper head gaskets ???

I have heard of people having troubles with the cometic gaskets sealing, is this the case with them??

WHERE IS EVERYONE GETTING THEIRS FROM?????????


My local supplier is trying to rip me blind for ACL gaskets (not knowing i can get cometics from zzp waaaaaay cheaper than he's quoting.)

[Pub247]

Ok i got someone on here some acl copper head gaskets they didnt seal for him and theres a lot of people that have trouble with them personally techs come alot futher now and i suggest going MLS.

Why do people have trouble with MLS gaskets? It's because of surface finish on heads block most people prolly just rip the old ones out clean them up a bit then throw MLS on. Thats got a very high chance of failure you can reduce with something like hylomar.

But do it once do it right. Freshly machined surface for MLS will have no troubles sealing

[chargedvx6]

ACL and Cometic MLS gaskets are one and the same. All MLS gaskets should be treated with Copper spray imo and experience prior to fitting. Reason being is to adhere/ seal any surface imperfections..............no matter how minute or seemingly undetectable.

[Matchport]

We O ring all our blocks during the machining process, copper for MLS and S.S wire for copper head gasket, boost is not a problem anymore.
and yes you do need to prep.

[NOT 38]

when we built my 4.2 stroker i used cometic mls from mr gasket co, block was decked and heads were shaved all surfaces were prepped by jack bros, leaked after 15 seconds of first start up, rang them and got new ones sent out free of charge, installed the new gaskets. and again leaked not long after start up. FAIL. so now i use the acl composite gaskets and have not had a prom with them. keep in mind the blower is running close to 15psi.

[Blakvsexec]

when we built my 4.2 stroker i used cometic mls from mr gasket co, block was decked and heads were shaved all surfaces were prepped by jack bros, leaked after 15 seconds of first start up, rang them and got new ones sent out free of charge, installed the new gaskets. and again leaked not long after start up. FAIL. so now i use the acl composite gaskets and have not had a prom with them. keep in mind the blower is running close to 15psi.

Yet again another story of how the cometics have leaked, i am starting to worry about shelling out nearly 200 bucks for them only to have them fail..........
Has anyone used the felpro mls gaskets??

[immortality]

stock head gaskets with standard head bolts can handle 15psi........ use head studs and you will get more out of them.

at the end of the day what would you rather failed first, the head gaskets or something more expensive because with MLS gaskets you will break a piston crown long before you blow a gasket unless you use forged slugs

[Blakvsexec]

I have been told by my tuner thet i'll be changing composite gaskets every 3 or 4 months, i really dont know what to do.

If i spend the dollars on cometics and they leak i have blown 200 bucks.
But
If i buy composite gaskets and they blow somewhere inconvenient i'll be pissed......

[delcowizzid]

cometic MLS it and headstuds youll never look back make sure you retorque them after a heat cycle or 2 of no boost use.make sure you get the correct version as well some dont have sealing beads round the water jackets in the right place but still fit perfectly on the engine head studs.some people fit dry with no problems some have issues and the same can be said for coating each layer with copper spray.put some holden radiator tablets in the radiator will stem any slight weeps if there is any even the V8 guys have the odd seep for a week or 2 when they fit them but it normally stops by itself.composite wont last very long at all we blew a set in 1 day even though the tune was good we only had the heads off for stem seals and valve LAP .stock gaskets that have been on for 300000km are damn hard to blow

[Pub247]

Mate i worked at an Engine reconditioner. We built literally hundreds of motors with MLS gaskets without any failures (90% of manufacturers use them nowadays) There's absolutely nothing wrong with them if they dont seal then your doing something wrong.

Composite are always going to blow somewhere inconvenient. It'd be a PITA to keep pulling it down to change them once a month or whatever

[Blakvsexec]

I personally have never had any problems with using MLS head gaskets rebuilding diesels, and probably wont have any problem with them in an ecotec. I wonder if the ones having problems are doing something wrong when they install and torque them down.

Are the cometics from zzp the ones with or without the sealing rings for the water jackets delco ?????
Thats where i am buying all my rebuild parts from.

[Thomas1]

I used MLS from ZZP with no problems. In fact they are being reused for the third time...

[Commydoor]

the engine builders ive been talking to about my heads have both recommended Fel-Pro PermaTorqueSD head gaskets...they have a sealing ring around the bore edges acting like the block has been oringed (terracharger only has 8psi pulley anyway)...and the rest composite and with some spray hylomar will seal around water jackets etc no probs...they have had probs with sealing MLS type gaskets on holden blocks since the factory machining isnt dead perfect smooth and i aint pulling the block out to have machined just to run cometic gaskets...plus cometics at repco was quoted at $289 each and felpro was $210 a pair...let me see $580 plus machine block or $210 and a can of spray hylomar...

[immortality]

i think no matter what gaskets you use. you have to let em settle some before abusing them with lots of boost. just look at the 300,000km stock V6 gaskets are tough as, yet you fit some brand new stock gaskets and they blow on the first pull with boost......

[Blakvsexec]

Yeah i have decided on cometics and ARP head studs, i'll just have to suck it up if i ever have to change head gaskets or something like that.

I just took a set of heads in the the machinist to get the valves and seats reground and heads skimmed, he was shocked when i said i was running cometic head gaskets with " WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS ENGINE" he understood when i told him what i was doing.