For those that have blown a headgasket, what was the cause?

[blackbuick87]

What caused it? I.e. too small of an injector, fuel pump, not enough octane, too much timing, etc. And how much knock did you record before it went?

I am just trying to get a feel for how much abuse a Factory HG can take, and how much more can it take with an aftermarket HG?

 

[FRCEFED6]

DETONATION!!!! 24psi and 17degrees of knock retard. forgot to look at direstscan during the run and the alky hotwire got pulled apart because of a broken motor mount. needless to say i now have a tattletale knock detector and a 120db siren, you can here that thing over those slow open header bigblock cars.

 

[UNGN]

Originally posted by blackbuick87
What caused it? I.e. too small of an injector, fuel pump, not enough octane, too much timing, etc. And how much knock did you record before it went?

I am just trying to get a feel for how much abuse a Factory HG can take, and how much more can it take with an aftermarket HG?

The factory turbo headgaskets can take a lot of abuse. The Factory non turbo head gaskets can't take much. If your gaskets are non turbo ones, 3 degrees of knock at 20 psi could be enough to kill them.

 

[blackbuick87]

So when it comes time for me to order the new ones should I go with factory replacements or aftermarket ones? Future plans call for a 44 or 49 turbo, but probably not bigger than that.

 

[Carolinaturbot6]

The stock gasket is made of graphite construction, the best head gasket material on the market today. It already has a wire ring in the flange. It has a perforated core, so it does not have any trouble sealing combustion or coolant, even without retorques. Graphite is slippery so it is excellent for use on bi-metal engines where expansion varies between the head & the block, where maintaining a proper seal can be difficult.

Victor makes the stock TR headgaskets for GM.
Part#25528486

 

[BLACK6PACK]

Most blown headgaskets are caused by the loose nut behind the wheel!

 

[Fuelie600]

The stock GM gasket is a very good piece. BUT, when you run alot of boost and the head yeilds the graphite that is dispersed throughout the motor makes you wish you were running something else! Brian

 

[azgn]

if you are gonna make lots of power, don't use graphite gaskets...you'll pay now or later!

...and Black6pack hit the nail on the head!!!

 

[blackbuick87]

Well we will find out if it was caused by a loose nut behind the wheel or a loose nut at Jaspers, Inc.


So if there is something better than the stocker what is it.

 

[azgn]

steel shim gaskets......84-85 versions

 

[Fuelie600]

AZGN is right if you are using irons, but with GN1's you have the issue of steel against aluminum. So for now it's copper w/ o-ringing the block/head ( but these leak fluids ), or the new Cometic multilayer coated ( but these are not proven on high HP high boost motors ). Brian

 

[Chyke]

Ok, Ok

I believe I have read several quitely disguised messages aimed at Jaspers. I am not one to stick up for anyone, so this is not a promotion of Jaspers, but tell everyone your whole theroy. In a separate post either here or on turbobuicks.com I believe you indicated you bought the car with the Jasper engine in it, and the head gasket blew. Are you aware of every conversation that took place prior to the purchase of the engine. We as consumers can not assume our view of the "Best" is the next guys view of the "Best". If the engine was supposed to be built with the best, was the purchasors view of what he/she wanted adequetly communicated. I am not takeing a shot at you, but please give both sides of the whole story and explain, your theory. This way one might not receive replies such as "the nut behind the wheel". Please be brave and bare with us less educated.

P.S. Good luck slamming Jaspers, hope everything is in writting.

 

[blackbuick87]

Look Chyke, I have said over and over that I will wait until I have taken the heads off and seen what headgasket was installed before I pass final judgement. I could care less about the nut behind the wheel comment because in fact that is the cause in many of these cases.

MY HG BLEW WITH PLENTY OF FUEL AND ZERO KNOCK

That is plenty of reason to post a thread asking if this has happened to anyone else. Jaspers sells an engine marketed as a direct replacement for a 3.8 Turbo engine. It should have the right friggin gasket. AND MAYBE IT DOES I dont have the heads off yet. But I want to know if anyone has gotten a reman engine with the wrong gasket. Also I want to know if anyone else has blown a gasket in the same fashion as me.

I dont expect a reman engine to go 10's, I know it probably has a n/a crank and hyper pistons. I know if you want to play you have to pay, and parts get broke when you race

 

[J Banning]

I run stock GM head gaskets at 25-27 psi boost and tune for ZERO knock, but within the past two years I have seen...

1) .2xx & .300 o2mv @ WOT in 3rd gear (vacum line blew off regulator).

2) .000 o2mv (fuel starvation @ the traps)

3) One time recently I saw 1800* F on my EGT gauge @ the top of 2nd gear (testing fueling settings on thumbwheel).


I consider the stock head gaskets my "failsafe". Hopefully they'll go before something else.

Good luck diagnosing the failure in your motor.
-Banning.

 

[blackbuick87]

James is that the 86-87 gasket or the 84-85?

How come you are lean with 72's? fuel pump?

 

[J Banning]

I'm using '86-'87 gaskets straight from GM.

When the FP regulator line blew off it was when I was running Blue Tops. The ".000" leanout was with the 72's. I ran out of gas! The pop was so loud I thought I blew a head gasket.

Aside from that, the single 340 pump I'm running is more than enough now (at least for high 11.30's-40's). When I go faster, and if I need more fuel, I can always use the inline bosch pump I have. I don't need it now though.

-Banning.

 

[Granny 2]

I blew mine because I had lotsa knock. It was caused by the check valve on the vacuum line going to the EGR failed. This allowed boost pressure to inflate the disphram in the EGR and cut it. With the EGR leaking vacuum and not working right that was the cause of the knock. The check valve was worth about $3 but to replace the head gasket it cost me about $200 in parts and about 8 hrs of time.