mike m

iTrader: (6)

well last sat, i lifted a head and cracked a piston, i was using the stock head bolts and the triple layered head gasket, the arp bolts werent available when i put my car together, but i bought the triple gaskets being told they were for a blower car, but now i hear they arent? so i will be putting the car back together with ross forged pistons and using arp head bolts, and now i need to find out whats the best head gasket to use. thanks for any input , mike

KOSW

Why do you feel that the triple is not the right gasket. If you cracked a piston that would mean that you were detonating.

mike m

iTrader: (6)

well if a head lifts and you are getting coolant on your piston, it will detonate, the head gasket only failed cause the head lifted, but there was a post about a month ago saying how the triple gasket wasnt working, ill try to find it

2bseen

I hope not I just put the cosmetic 3 layer on my car with arp head bolts agosgino is who I got mine from and nick said they were the best you can get.

MelloYellow

Cometic. Ya, they should be the best. They even have an improved newer one in the stock size. I think there are more than 3 layers tho?

Either way, they are the best it gets. Ask about the new style boost gasket. FWIW, LPE uses these too on their TT.

2bseen

that is what I have the new boost gasket.

mike m

iTrader: (6)

thanks guys ill give agastino a call

mike m

iTrader: (6)

well i just got off the phone with arp and he said the head bolts are not avilable yet. they are supposed to be coming in sometime this month. he has the stud kit but you cant take the heads off without dropping the motor out. well i needed a lil extra time to save up some $$$

Jay_@_GWP

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by mike m:
<strong>well i just got off the phone with arp and he said the head bolts are not avilable yet. they are supposed to be coming in sometime this month. he has the stud kit but you cant take the heads off without dropping the motor out. well i needed a lil extra time to save up some $$$</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have taken them off with the studs in. Not a prob at all.

mike m

iTrader: (6)

i just spoke to nick agostino, and he said the triple layer that i used is the one to go with. its just not recomended with the stock head bolts. i am going to wait a few weeks and see if the head bolts come out and if they are not avail. in time im going to do the studs then.

mike

cablebandit

iTrader: (37)

i got the HP gaskets from cometic. They are 200 bux. I bought the studs from katech for 196.00

MelloYellow

Cometic said nothing to me about not using Stock headbolts with their gaskets..? Actually they said typically less TQ is required using their gaskets.

What setup were you running? Much boost?
Sounds like you were detonating or lean tho??

<small>[ May 10, 2002, 05:11 PM: Message edited by: MelloYellow ]</small>

BLMONGOOSE

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> I have taken them off with the studs in. Not a prob at all. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">My mechanic told me that he was not going to be able to drop the Heads back on my car with the ARP head bolts. But I hav a 98 vette. Is this true? or does he just want to get out of putting the studs on the car.

MelloYellow

My mech and the local machine shop guy also didn't like the ARP studs. He said they are intended for re-use by racing setups that rebuild often. Offer marginal increase in TQ'ing at best. Pain to remove heads while engine is in car.

Labor cost if a valvespring breaks would be high. Not worth it. I agreed with him and returned my studs to JEGS. He's a full time LS1 mech and has never had a headgasket blow or heads lift. More of a worry above 10psi, prob around 12psi. At least that's what I'm betting my engine on.

mike m

iTrader: (6)

well my heads were torqued down to factory specs. and when we went to pull it off they were loose. so there is no way they didnt lift. and my car was not running lean at all. it lifted the head and i didnt know or check. so i kept running it and it was leaking coolant on in the cylinders which then made it detonate. from now on i will be checking plugs after every run.
live and learn
its all part of wanting to go fast <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

MelloYellow

FWIW, my mech things the whole GM TQ process is bullshi7 (He's a full-time C5 mech at a Chevy dealer).

I think he goes 100 ft/lbs on 'em or just TQ's the hell out of them with the air gun. I forget which. 100/ft I beleive.

He's never had a blown gasket and says the process doesn't work. Something about going to 22 ft/lbs doesn't work due to the sealant/loc-tite whatever or the bolt itself and since that original reference point is lost/useless, so are all the future 90* whatever turns after that. He says it just isn't right.

2bseen

I am having this problem my left head gasket (cosmetic) has a small coolant drip after I run it hard I torqued to factory specs 22# is that the promblem maybe need to retorque runs fine and has no coolant in oil what do you think.

cablebandit

iTrader: (37)

i just called ARP and they confirmed 65 and 22 ftlb using the arp moly lube

mike m

iTrader: (6)

cablebandit, are the studs on your car yet? if so any opinions, are they hard to put the heads on and to pull them off? thanks mike

MelloYellow

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by 2bseen:
<strong>I am having this problem my left head gasket (cosmetic) has a small coolant drip after I run it hard I torqued to factory specs 22# is that the promblem maybe need to retorque runs fine and has no coolant in oil what do you think.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">U did a couple 90*, 45* GM voodoo magic turns after the 22ft/lbs tho, right?