I have had my car running with most of the stock stuff, just changed the injectors and the maf, and now i have a blow gasket, not even boosted!!! I must ahve done something wrong, i guess, or maybe it was just a bad gasket, but sheesh, if it can't handle a stock motor, then fel-pro messed up!!! I dunno what the deal is.
BUT, now it's up to finding new ones...
i guess i just had to vent.

 

Don't re-use the stock bolts. Might as well go with ARP studs while you are at it.

for gaskets, use Fel Pro 8548-PT2 gaskets.

 

and don't trust the "perma torque" aspect of them. I didn't retorque mine, and I thought they were fine until I went to the strip. It turns out that in 3rd and 4th gear (when the aerodynamic load built up) the heads were lifting. So I checked the torque on the head bolts and probably six of them moved

 

What head bolts were you using? or studs?

 

new ARP bolts... I torqued them all, then verified the torques after the bolts sat overnight and were allowed to stretch. I'll use the same gaskets again, but from now on, I'll retorque them after a heat cycle, even though they claim you don't have to!

 

3 words...

Torque to yeild! YEA BABY!
er....
No, all bolts stretch and yeild it just depends on your specific combo.
-bix

 

I should probibly re-torque my head studs some time soon here. I never have.

If mine are gone again, when I put the new gaskets in should I be using copper spray gasket also, or just stick to the common dry mounting method I've been using.

 

Yes.

 

Good, than I have no regretts.

 

That is with fresh ARP bolts.
I found out what happened though, it was the rockers. The car had started up like a champ in the beginning, but it was this third and fourth time that it had problems. When tearing it all apart, i found out that the rocker bolts had wriggled loose, to the point where one of the rockers was completely sideways. With nowhere for the pressure to go, it blew through the weakest thing... the gasket.

What would you guys think about a copper gasket though? pro's? Con's?
Although, if this happens again, i might as well just get the paper one's, otherwise it'll screw up my valves or something, ick.
lee

 

I have never once retorqued any set of Fel-Pro PT2 head gaskets that I've installed on my engine or any other engine. I had one set fail under boost...they were 3 years old, between my stock block and GT-40Y heads, ARP studs, undersized injectors, too much boost, a little too much EGT, and lots of speed. The fire ring in #7 started to push out, which let the compressed air/fuel mix squirt out the side of the engine and spray on the back side of the header. The fire rings in #5 and #8 were starting to oval out. Basically, I was asking for it.

It's too easy to blame the gasket, but if it makes you feel better, go ahead...lol j/k

Mark

 

I have not seen a lot of people use them. The ones that I have seen blow out look like they melted like butter and just "moved over".

Getting them to not leak oil or coolant is another con.

 

I've been hearing good reports about Cometic and other MLS-type head gaskets.

Mark

 

Cometics with arp studs here. 175 shot and 10.2:1 compression, no complaints whatsoever, they have kicked ass! The only one that I have ever seen "fail" was only because the torque loosened, we just tightened it back down and went again with 10 psi!