head gaskets for ls and boost
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 131
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head gaskets for ls and boost I have a 5.3 that I put 20-23 psi through.I bought my headgaskets off of ebay and they are the ls9 style headgaskets.Im not sure if these are the ones I should be using or not.I seem to push alitlte water on my ls engines and was wondering if maybe I should use a different head gasket or opinions welcome as well.I use the ebay ls 9 gaskets with the speedway head studs.i have had timing and fuel all over the map trying to keep from pushing water every pass.This just isnt on 1 engine its pretty much on everything I put in so I could possibly need some good advice.I have run down to 12 degrees at 20 psi and been up to 18 degrees at 20 with no change.Fuol being rich and lean with meth and without meth with no real changes.This is on 4 different engines so not limited to one.IM running stock 5.3 with sloppy stage 2 cam and csu blow through on e85.thanks in advance for info
The nuts on those studs are pretty bad. Better off with an ARP bolt IMO (they cost the same as china studs). That said you can grab the used nascar nuts and washers cheap on ebay. Pretty cheap as well.
Sometimes better deals than this... but this is an example.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/36335283598...oAAOSwQ3Zgb16K
I haven't used the BTR LS9's but I've heard good things. I've used the OEM LS9's on all my stuff and only had 1 failure that was def. my fault. (BTR LS9's are cheaper). I TQ to 86ftlb with ARP moly/graphite lube.
Sometimes better deals than this... but this is an example.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/36335283598...oAAOSwQ3Zgb16K
I haven't used the BTR LS9's but I've heard good things. I've used the OEM LS9's on all my stuff and only had 1 failure that was def. my fault. (BTR LS9's are cheaper). I TQ to 86ftlb with ARP moly/graphite lube.
Surface finish on the heads and deck is also important. Some shops have rather crude head surfacing equip and it’s just not smooth enough. That happened to me.
So make sure both are nice and smooth.
The BTR are made by the same company as the GM parts, just don’t have a part number on them. Hopefully the eBay parts aren’t knockoffs
So make sure both are nice and smooth.
The BTR are made by the same company as the GM parts, just don’t have a part number on them. Hopefully the eBay parts aren’t knockoffs
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 131
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yeh I had no idea the gaskets where only 3 layered.The btr on ebay are 5 layers so I do have a couple sets of those..All the ls engines I had that had water pushing issues are with the 3 layer gaskets..Im going to make sure I dont use the 3 layers anmore
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 27
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Called Cometic and here's what they recommended:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/CGT-C5505-051
Probably 70 passes or so, many over 20 psi (26 max), plus dyno pulls, plus driving to LS Fest West, winning Street King, driving home, and then placing 6th Rocky Mountain Race Week 10.0 index. This was on an iron 4.8 that murdered the bearings around pass #125, and then an aluminum 4.8, same gasket, never an issue. Not even the right bore size, Cometic said "shut up and buy this gasket" in so many words. Will run them again.
Definitely a +1 on getting the heads surfaced - if I were a betting man, the people who design these things don't assume they're being tossed in 300k mile vehicles. I forked out for ARP head studs, so that may add to the longevity of those gaskets.
Might be worth looking over the cooling system as well. I've always run surge tanks, not just looping the heater ports on themselves.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/CGT-C5505-051
Probably 70 passes or so, many over 20 psi (26 max), plus dyno pulls, plus driving to LS Fest West, winning Street King, driving home, and then placing 6th Rocky Mountain Race Week 10.0 index. This was on an iron 4.8 that murdered the bearings around pass #125, and then an aluminum 4.8, same gasket, never an issue. Not even the right bore size, Cometic said "shut up and buy this gasket" in so many words. Will run them again.
Definitely a +1 on getting the heads surfaced - if I were a betting man, the people who design these things don't assume they're being tossed in 300k mile vehicles. I forked out for ARP head studs, so that may add to the longevity of those gaskets.
Might be worth looking over the cooling system as well. I've always run surge tanks, not just looping the heater ports on themselves.
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Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 131
Likes: 9
Called Cometic and here's what they recommended:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/CGT-C5505-051
Probably 70 passes or so, many over 20 psi (26 max), plus dyno pulls, plus driving to LS Fest West, winning Street King, driving home, and then placing 6th Rocky Mountain Race Week 10.0 index. This was on an iron 4.8 that murdered the bearings around pass #125, and then an aluminum 4.8, same gasket, never an issue. Not even the right bore size, Cometic said "shut up and buy this gasket" in so many words. Will run them again.
Definitely a +1 on getting the heads surfaced - if I were a betting man, the people who design these things don't assume they're being tossed in 300k mile vehicles. I forked out for ARP head studs, so that may add to the longevity of those gaskets.
Might be worth looking over the cooling system as well. I've always run surge tanks, not just looping the heater ports on themselves.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/CGT-C5505-051
Probably 70 passes or so, many over 20 psi (26 max), plus dyno pulls, plus driving to LS Fest West, winning Street King, driving home, and then placing 6th Rocky Mountain Race Week 10.0 index. This was on an iron 4.8 that murdered the bearings around pass #125, and then an aluminum 4.8, same gasket, never an issue. Not even the right bore size, Cometic said "shut up and buy this gasket" in so many words. Will run them again.
Definitely a +1 on getting the heads surfaced - if I were a betting man, the people who design these things don't assume they're being tossed in 300k mile vehicles. I forked out for ARP head studs, so that may add to the longevity of those gaskets.
Might be worth looking over the cooling system as well. I've always run surge tanks, not just looping the heater ports on themselves.
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Joined: Jul 2021
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Yeah they're not cheap. I can't say those are gonna fix your woes, but they're a good start.
There is a lot more at play in your cooling system than just water/coolant circulating. I'm sending you down this rabbit hole:
http://www.billavista.com/tech/Artic...ble/index.html
If you go about 1/4 way down the page, there is an image below a bunch of pictures of temp gauges. I have followed this almost exactly and it has worked every time. The only difference in my setup is no heater (just a straight hose to the tee at the bottom of the surge tank. Also, the radiator I ran in my boosted 4.8 did not have provisions for the steam port, but the surge tank has two small ports at the top - run the steam port directly to one of these ports. I can explain more if needed.
I struggled with cooling on my first LS swap, 6.0 in a c1500. What ended up being the issue is the radiator was not the highest point in the cooling system. This is when it is almost imperative to run a surge tank. It essentially relocates your radiator cap to a higher point, as well as provides an incredibly effective method of de-aeration and a convenient filling procedure. No more filling the system up by the w/p neck.
I'd read the paragraphs following the picture of the radiator cap - sounds like that may be what you're experiencing. I would get that cooling loop figured out sooner than later.
There is a lot more at play in your cooling system than just water/coolant circulating. I'm sending you down this rabbit hole:
http://www.billavista.com/tech/Artic...ble/index.html
If you go about 1/4 way down the page, there is an image below a bunch of pictures of temp gauges. I have followed this almost exactly and it has worked every time. The only difference in my setup is no heater (just a straight hose to the tee at the bottom of the surge tank. Also, the radiator I ran in my boosted 4.8 did not have provisions for the steam port, but the surge tank has two small ports at the top - run the steam port directly to one of these ports. I can explain more if needed.
I struggled with cooling on my first LS swap, 6.0 in a c1500. What ended up being the issue is the radiator was not the highest point in the cooling system. This is when it is almost imperative to run a surge tank. It essentially relocates your radiator cap to a higher point, as well as provides an incredibly effective method of de-aeration and a convenient filling procedure. No more filling the system up by the w/p neck.
I'd read the paragraphs following the picture of the radiator cap - sounds like that may be what you're experiencing. I would get that cooling loop figured out sooner than later.
Shouldn't be 5 layer?
These are the LS9 gaskets you want from BTR. They are 7 layer. (or so they say?)
https://briantooleyracing.com/btr-ls...tr22033-2.html
These are the LS9 gaskets you want from BTR. They are 7 layer. (or so they say?)
https://briantooleyracing.com/btr-ls...tr22033-2.html
Shouldn't be 5 layer?
These are the LS9 gaskets you want from BTR. They are 7 layer. (or so they say?)
https://briantooleyracing.com/btr-ls...tr22033-2.html
These are the LS9 gaskets you want from BTR. They are 7 layer. (or so they say?)
https://briantooleyracing.com/btr-ls...tr22033-2.html
We have used the BTR version with no issues. But I never counted the layers.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 131
Likes: 9
Shouldn't be 5 layer?
These are the LS9 gaskets you want from BTR. They are 7 layer. (or so they say?)
https://briantooleyracing.com/btr-ls...tr22033-2.html
These are the LS9 gaskets you want from BTR. They are 7 layer. (or so they say?)
https://briantooleyracing.com/btr-ls...tr22033-2.html
the 5 layer I have is from a company called btr.Its not brian tooley its some other company called btr.IM going to get the brian tooley gaskets next for my all aluminum 5.3 which is going to lead me to other questions as far as how much boost on these aluminum 5.3s but thats another post.
Btr has 7 layer head gaskets that fit a 5.3 bore instead of the big bore ls9. I am going to use these on next year's engine as I have been running the 5 layer ( I think ls2 head gaskets) for a couple years at 20 lbs without problems. Just going to step up the boost next year to 25 lbs
Btr has 7 layer head gaskets that fit a 5.3 bore instead of the big bore ls9. I am going to use these on next year's engine as I have been running the 5 layer ( I think ls2 head gaskets) for a couple years at 20 lbs without problems. Just going to step up the boost next year to 25 lbs
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nice….
I doubt you can buy anything directly from them, but Elrinklinger makes the GM OEM headgaskets. Try to see who else they supply. Not only do the gaskets come in multiple layer counts, thicknesses, and bore diameters, but the individual layers are not always the same thickness. I have made some of their gasket layers where the top and bottom layer was a different thickness than the inner layers.