since im going to be running an abnormal amount of nitrous Im assuming this is the a smart way of doing the head gasket...


any cons to doing this other than extra cost?

what is involved in this and where would someone get gaskets for this?

Any info would be great thanks

 

Definitely the wise thing to do. No cons. Simple install. You can use a stock type gasket also.

 

I had mine done

most people use copper gaskets but since my car is a street car I decided to go with the Graphite GM gaskets

 

O-rings are the way to go if you are going to use lots of N2o. Copper gaskets are the best way but the graphite work well if you are 90% on the street. Sometimes the copper gaskets "sweat" a bit and there could be minor coolant drips here and there.

If you are going to run "lots" of N2o and stay reliable (headgasket wise)you may want to look into the 9/16 head stud upgrade we offer. This requires block machining, re-dowling of heads and block and machineing of head headbolt holes. After the proc. is complete the final trq setting is 140ft/lbs
Thats clamping power!!, we use this set up on some of the blown and tubo SBF engines as they have 4 bolts/cylinder also.

 

Nick what do you consider a lot of N2O?

 

Thats a trick question A safe N2o tune @ 300hp can do less damage and build less cylinder pressure than an unsafe 200hp shot. I would say that 250hp and up is getting to alot of N2o. We have run 300hp with std ARP studs and had no problems but have seen less N2o and blown head gaskets.

All the Ls1 heads are not designed the same in the head gasket sealing area and may cause some to have problems at the same power levels that others don't with different heads.

There is alot more to keeping big HP N2o engines reliable with the LS1 than most think. We did alot of R&D with the engine in the Z28 and as a result kept the same head gaskets in that engine ( 1000rwhp ) for almost 2 years and two different sets of heads We didn't sell the tech. untill we had tested it for a full race season.

 

So which heads are different? I know people who spray 250 hp shots and above with no O-ringing,no ARP studs, and stock GM gaskets. Yes they do have good tuning. I was always under the impression if you exceed 800rwhp you want o-ringing no matter what, but anything below that with a good tune you should be fine.. This is of course assumming you have around 500rwhp NA..

 

Actually all the LS1 heads are different, we have sonic tested all head types and found a huge diff. in critical areas between some. There is also a diff. in the same style between each casting and we hand pick castings that would run in a certain application if we have some to choose from.

I agree that lots of people have made great power on the dyno with alot less than big studs and copper gaskets. Most won't have this luck but we have had a few customers that have.

Reliab. is very important to most and this where I would make certain recom. to a customer. When things go great at the track no one worries about these things, but when the temp. changed and the DA goes down 300ft between rounds and changes were not made to compensate I worry I hear some refer to things like let the head gasket fail (stock) as it will save the engine. Most go to race inorder to win and that doesn't hold well, I would also take a chance lifting a ringland than loosing a HG and hydraulicing an engine Very expensive, just 2 cents worth

 

Now what about people like me that NEVER go to the track? I venture to the street racing scene every now and then. I doubt if I would ever spray more than a 150 shot because I would never get traction on 315 Nittos anyway. If I ever spray more than a 150 shot it would be only on a Mustang dyno because of the load. What do you suggest in my case?

 

I would rec. ARP head studs with the later GM LS1 steel gaskets. Stock bolts will prob. due but why take the chance? The cost of the ARP's are cheap peace of mind for me

 

Thanks....

 

I went a diff route and had the heads ringed.