Generation IV Internal Engine - Heat cycles / lifespan of copper headgaskets?

I'm looking at purchasing a high-performance 408 running SCE copper headgaskets. This setup will be used in a mostly street application - it will see some time at the strip and circuit, but over half the time will be street driven. I've been told by my machinist that the engine buids he sees with copper headgaskets are torn apart after a season or two, and that the gaskets really don't make good street gaskets due to numerous heat cycles (engine ran, then shut off, ran then shut off). I personally have never owned an engine with copper headgaskets, and I searched the archives over here with mixed results...I was wanting to know your opinions on them? If you're running them, how long have they been in there without the engine being torn apart, and how often is the vehicle driven? Since this is going to be a street-oriented build, I'd prefer to not have to pull the heads every so often to tend to the headgaskets.


While I'm on the topic, I'm thinking about installing a thicker headgasket to lower the CR a bit - this will offset the intake ports, so I'm wondering if a thicker intake gasket can be purchased somewhere to be used in conjunction with the thicker HG?

is the head and block O ringed ?

you can go with the 5-layer mls gaskets if your running lots of boost. they have people running the regular mls gaskets for na and even boosted applications. allot cheaper than the coppers and cometics.

Any clue on how thick it is? Also, what do other people do about having an offset on the intake ports?

pmbmax - I know the block is, and I'm waiting to find out if the head is.

i think they are .060. the part number is 12610046 they are the 6.2l gaskets. you shouldnt have to do anything about the intake unless you get a really thick head gasket.

I liked the SCE Titan gaskets I used on my LS1. Didnt have leakage problems but you have to heat cycle and re-torque. I even re-used the gaskets when I swapped from Darts to AFR's. I drove the car daily untill I tore it down last Aug to build a stroker. Years ago I used nothing but coppers in my small block. I re-used those gaskets 5 times!!