Replacing head gasket?

[A. Jay]

Just my 2 cents... when I did the HG on my '87 a few years ago, I did not deck the block, only had the head milled. I re-installed it with an HKS stopper type 2mm gasket and ARP studs torqued to 80 ft. lbs. Ran 10 pounds of boost for 43k miles 'til I sold the car last year and never had the slightest hint of another BHG or any other problems for that matter. Just sayin' it can be done and made to work If you "half ass" it, but you have to make VERY SURE the block is as clean as it can be without gouging it with the scraper or other wise marring the block surface. Just make sure that the lower timing cover EXACTLY matches to the surface of the block if it has been removed.

You just won the lottery. Everyone else that has a level of luck below his, resurface the block or run a composite HG.

 

[metaphysico]

Your best bet IMHO is to go with the stock gasket and arps. I know a lot of people running stock head gaskets with arps and they have a lot of hp 500+ on smaller motors lots of boost. The best thing you can do is get a precision machinist straight edge and check the block and head. Clean both surfaces and run the straight edge over them using a feeler gauge between the straight edge and surface to see what the runout is in any part. I have done many 7m builds with hhgs without machining anything as long as its good your fine, but that does require being competent when measuring and not falling into the mental block of I want this to be within spec so I will subconsciously get readings that are correct. And as for the thing of if shine a flashlight between the straight edge and the block and you see light its bad, thats crap, check the gap with a feeler. If you wonder about this take a straight piece of aluminum and had file it straighter, after a few hours of filing and checking with a straight edge you will realize that even with 0.0001in gap you will see light.

 

[917mgte]

Okay i think i will just go with a composite gasket with arp head studs and double check the clearance between the deck and head thanks all