Which head gasket is preferred for use. Will be using 5.3's and car is an 02'. Which are the correct part #'s also. Did a search and got several different part #'s. Thanks.

John

 

I like the Graphite Dana gaskets because they are cheap and thin... but the MLS gaskets are a heck of alot easier to clean off the block if you ever pull your heads off again.

 

Do the MLS hold up as well as the graphite ones? I'm really happy my car has the MLS gaskets on it to start with so I don't have to work so hard to clean the deck!

 

I had this same dilemma.
I bought both the MLS and the Graphite gaskets.
When I pulled my stock heads off, I saw that the stock gaskets were MLS, so I chose MLS. The graphite gaskets that Gomer mentions will work too.
I have the part #'s.... written down somewhere, I'll post up if I find them.

 

if you order mls gaskets from dealer, 02 z06 mls gaskets were $40 for the pair, very cheap

 

Be advised that with MLS gasket you'll loose .1>.2 CR.

 

That's what I did.

I don't see it that way for an '02. We didn't have that .1 or .2 CR to begin with if we had the MLS as stockers.

 

Maybe the comp. chamber is slightly different, or the 241 casting chamber is slightly smaller. I dunno. maybe someone can chime in on that.

I now the MLS is thicker.

 

The mls tri-metal gaskets have been measured at .043 crushed on a couple of occasions. I haven't seen them over .045 and that could have been that someone re-used head bolts . I think the mls gaskets are thinner than the graphite ones. Be advised though if you use the tri-metal gaskets that they will not work with some ls1 applications. You need to make sure.

 

The MLS gaskets cannot be used with older 98-00 heads if they have the mold release groove on the deck. If they are used, they will leak coolant.

 

What I stated was info picked on the sticky thread. Am I missinformed?

 

I used the MLS on my head swap. A much better constructed gasket as GM ditched the graphite ones when the LS6 was brought out.

 

Do you know if the 5.3's that are used for cores have the mold release groove on the deck.

 

Look for this.

 

Spoke to jay at absolute today and he suggested the graphite due to thickness. Thanks for the help guys!

 

Ive patriot 6.0 liter ls6 style heads can I use the MLS or do I need graphite.

 

From everything I've gathered either is fine as the 6.0 heads are pretty new castings and don't have teh casting notch in them. The MLS seems to be a little thicker and will lower the compression just a little.

 

The Cosmetic ones are not thicker and will not loose CR.... Right?