doing head gaskets...

[drive805]

thought i had a blown HG.... wasn't the problem putting motor back together. Cometics seems to be the way to go but..... seems to be so many ways?? Take them apart, just spray copper spray, Just RTV on the water jackets, make sure mirror finish on deck and heads, etc...
First, where can i get cometics? second i'm not running studs, so just copper spray on each side or take them apart? third what are the torque specs for cometics thanks for your help....

 

[SPOOLN]

Clamping force

Run ARP head studs, that way you clamp the head and not the block. Use teflon thread sealer going in the block. Read the instruction ARP supplys. You get better torgue readings with studs. Run the stock type graphite gasket ROHL is the best type to use. Good luck

 

[drive805]

motor still in car

cant do head studs.... motor is still in the car. Rohl gaskets? what about fel-pro? whats the difference between the two? anyother straight advice on cometics?

 

[Dr.drivability]

cant do head studs.... motor is still in the car. Rohl gaskets? what about fel-pro? whats the difference between the two? anyother straight advice on cometics?

Yes you can use studs!! Spray the gaskets on both sides(I don't agree with taking them apart). Next, set the gaskets on the alignment pins, followed by the heads, then install the studs as if they were bolts. Next, install the washers and nuts using ARP lube and torque to 75 ft lbs in 4 stages. 20 40 60 75 That's how I allways do it. Dave

 

[Super6]

Yes you can use studs!! Spray the gaskets on both sides(I don't agree with taking them apart). Next, set the gaskets on the alignment pins, followed by the heads, then install the studs as if they were bolts. Next, install the washers and nuts using ARP lube and torque to 75 ft lbs in 4 stages. 20 40 60 75 That's how I allways do it. Dave

this is good info but go to 85 ft lbs for the head studs..i took the first ones i installed apart and sprayed each layer but i will never do that again..the passenger side was a bear getting the gasket on with it apart...clean the deck and heads with acetone..don't touch the Cometic head gasket or the copper spray will not stick..get rubber gloves if you have too. take them straight out the package,hang up to spray, and install...i am doing mine as we speak with the motor in the car with head studs.hth....Bob

 

[Razor]

thought i had a blown HG.... wasn't the problem putting motor back together. Cometics seems to be the way to go but..... seems to be so many ways?? Take them apart, just spray copper spray, Just RTV on the water jackets, make sure mirror finish on deck and heads, etc...
First, where can i get cometics? second i'm not running studs, so just copper spray on each side or take them apart? third what are the torque specs for cometics thanks for your help....

Whats the purpose of the car. I mean is it a stocker you run 16 PSI on or a full race engine your going to hit with 30 PSI?

 

[drive805]

performance build

hye-tec did the engine, its not stock.... not planning on running more then 20-23 lbs boost. Willl check into studs and cometics, where can i get cometics at?

 

[Razor]

Champion Racing Heads carries them.

If you have forged pistons, Cometics are fine. Stock pistons/Hypers.. I run Felpro's. For 23 PSI boost Felpro's should be fine. As long as you have proper fueling.

 

[drive805]

mods to motor

.20 over JE pistons, steel center caps, kenne bell camshaft, ported heads larger valves, walbro 340 hot wired, kenne bell AFPR, 009 inj, TT chip, turbonetics stage 3 turbo, stock down pipe, Adj waste gate, len freeman trans, vigilante converter, kenne bell ram air, 160 stat, .........decided to go with fel-pro what about spraying copper on the fel-pro?

 

[Just a Six??]

ARP Head Studs have an Allen Key opening on each stud so you can do them in car.
As for the advice on ROHL Head Gaskets Dont use them. The look like Victors & GM but the Fire Ring is Garbage in them. To the guy that says to use them I have some here you can have for Free if you pay postage. I use them only yo mock up the engine. The Victors, GM & Felpro are good for your 22 lbs boost. For 26-28 go with RJC & high power go Cometics (altho I never used them before)
Remember no matter what you use, Detonation will kill the gaskets or the hard parts. I prefer the gasket goes boom over the crank snapping. I run 26-28 lbs at the track & have only blown 1 racing in 20 years. I have blown one tuning on the street being to aggressive & getting a 6lb boost spike at the same time!

 

[Just a Six??]

Run ARP head studs, that way you clamp the head and not the block. Use teflon thread sealer going in the block. Read the instruction ARP supplys. You get better torgue readings with studs. Run the stock type graphite gasket ROHL is the best type to use. Good luck

I have to ask WHY you suggest ROHL Head Gaskets when they are really an N/A application & not Turbo Vin 7 even tho they fit & sorta look like a GM?

 

[Razor]

what about spraying copper on the fel-pro?

No. Put them on bone dry and make sure both surfaces are 110% oil free. Lots of brake cleaner/razor blades/white rags.

Use loctite 567 on the threads as they go into water jackets. ARP lube under the heads/washers . Tq them 40/60/80/85

HTH

 

[yullose]

I went to Cometics after pulling leaky RJC's off my car. It shouldn't take a paint roller worth of silicone to seal a headgasket. (much of which finds it's way into places it doesn't belong.)
A Fel Pro or composite/paper gasket shouldn't need any sealer, EVER.
Steel shim gaskets will sometimes have a paint/laquer coating on them that helps seal.
The Cometics are a loose 3-layer gasket, riveted together.
Put them in the sun and watch them distort and bend as the temp change makes them expand and contract. I ground-off all the rivets holding my Cometics together and smeared a thin layer of black RTV silicone around all the water passages. I did this to the block, heads and all layers of the gasket.

I used ARP studs, torqued to 80ft lbs.

Another VERY important thing I think many forget, overlook, or just don't know about... USE A LOW PRESSURE RADIATOR CAP !!!
Go to the local auto parts store with your factory 20+psi radiator cap and match it up with something 7-10psi. Buy the lowest pressure cap you can find.
Most guys run 160 T-stats in the cars anyway... so the water never gets close to the 212f boiling point that requires a high pressure cap. (For those that failed science class, pressure raises the boiling point)
The weak link needs to be the radiator cap... NOT the headgasket. Consider the low PSI cap a "safety blow-off valve" if the car gets too hot.
I'd much rather see my car puke the coolant out the overflow... instead of pushing it past the headgaskets.

I've been doing this for 25+ years... and it's standard practice on high-end race motors running copper gaskets.

 

[Bobs rare 6]

Lets here more on the low psi. rad cap! I have been through many head gaskets also. Had never heard of doing the low psi. cap.

 

[yullose]

Lets here more on the low psi. rad cap! I have been through many head gaskets also. Had never heard of doing the low psi. cap.

There isn't much more to tell...

More pressure in the cooling system = better chance of it leaking coolant.

It has zero effect on sealing the cylinders.

Another benefit is... if you have a lifted head, leaking compression into the cooling system, you will see it push into the overflow bottle before it pushes coolant past the headgasket and under your tires at the dragstrip.

A low PSI radiator cap will also reduce the chances of pushing out a freeze plug if boost/compression gets into the cooling system.

The radiator cap is essentially a "fuse/circuit breaker" for the cooling system.