LS7 gaskets not good for iron block and boost
LS7 gasket on 02 LQ9 block....




Old 6.0L gasket fits much nicer....


LS7 gasket, note the black area on the bottom where it was pushing water,

The new gaskets will be here tomorrow, and I will compare the LS9 gaskets.
Why would you burn money on factory gaskets instead of getting aftermarket gaskets?
The overall success of using GM MLS gaskets!
Readily available!
Just do some searching
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...s-results.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...igh-boost.html
Dont come in his thread and make it look like he is stubborn for using a stock gasket
The LS7 gaskets were recommended by Rich at WCCH to go with the heads to unshroud the combustion chamber and valves. It was my fault I didn't catch the blocking of the coolant ports, I accept that.
I had wasted $150 on cometics before, when it was a NA stock 6.0L with milled heads. 3 1/4 mile passes and 3 dyno pulls, when I pulled it down to build the turbo engine, there was evidence that they were leaking coolant, and not anywhere the same area as where they push water now. The GM MLS are proven performers under boost, as long as you get the right ones for the application.
The purpose of this thread was to confirm that the LS7 gaskets do not work with non LS7 or LSX blocks. There was not a whole lot of info on this subject, and some say it didn't work and some say they use them just fine, now here is some photographic proof that there is a blockage.
Last edited by veee8; Feb 4, 2009 at 09:22 AM.
No damage, it ran just fine, it would consistently push water with boost levels above 12 psi or so. Standard ARP studs and very conservative timing. They may work OK in a NA application, although I can't imagine it being good to have half the coolant holes blocked, but not the hot ticket for boost. They are only 3 layers too.
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What heads are you running?
So 12psi or so it started pushing? What max timing you said conservative but what max and do you run alc or meth..what afr?
So the ls9 should work with my afr 225s.I was going to go cometic but did hear some problems with them. My block is prepped to use cometic if I choose it sounds like.
Not sure what other factory mls works with my afr 225 and 408 iron block. How much are the ls9 and are they now readily available?
I have not going past 7.5 psi but was for sure planning to likely in the coming season.
So it only pushes on the dyno not the track or on the street?
And if they don't line up top too good but still seem not totally blocked why do they seem to be pushing water at the bottom where the holes do seem to line up or is that just the picture?
Sorry about all the questions but sure someone did tell me they were running the ls7 with afr 225 heads like mine on their iron block no problems to like 20psi.
Have to dig up that old thread or pm. Still of course if the ls9 fit better and are 7 layer they are a better choice and of course they are already designed for boost applications.
So for anyone else reading this ,any of you guys running the ls7 on iron block to say 20psi with no water problems? Not trying to hijack the thread just trying to gather a bit more data. So what is bore side of ls9 gasket and what is thickness? And now come think see it saying it is four layer or something but its listed as 7 layer?
I am not saying the blockage caused the pushing of water, but I know it can't be good. The problem is I was relying on what was suggested and claims by others that it should work, in my opinion it didn't, so I had to yank the heads and swap gaskets, at least now, I have a proper fitting gasket, and if it still pushes water, I will chalk it up to the factory L92 castings, and look to do something different.
I am all for trying get the data out there, that was the problem when I got mine, there wasn't any conclusive evidence that they wouldn't work. I still can't believe I didn't catch it before I put the heads on.
So to repeat what is bore and thickness of the ls9 head gaskets?
A quick wipe of the pistons, and the little bit of "carbon" on the pistons came right off.
I have the gaskets in my hands, they are nice, they are silver instead off the gold color. They are a 7 layer, with 4 steel thick layers, and 3 thinner black filler layers. The bore is 4.100"






