hey guys,
so ok heres the deal, the car is currently tore apart because my cometic head gasket started leaking on me, i have been doing some reading and it seems other guys have had problems with the cometic head gasket leaking too. i am hoping that some of you guys will tell me what your running for a head gasket? i am hoping that boosted2point4 will find this post and let me know what he is running since he is one of the very few on here running close to the boost i am through a 2.4 i dont want to go with a stock felpro and try puting 20 pounds of boost against it because its just not made to see those conditions. i know idealy i would o-ring the block but im not doing that basicaly because of cost and issues i have heard about doing it. i hope someone on here will have some info that will help me, thanks guys.
p.s. if all goes as planned, were shooting some new dyno footage this coming weekend. im hoping to be able to show you guys over 400hp on the computer screen but we will see.
what did you torque the head to?
-Trailblazer SS - not so custom 6.0L - custom intake - custom tune
- (1) 2.4L on an engine stand (1) blown trans (2) good quad trans (1) eco trans = party
i torqued the head to ARP's specs because i am using their head studs......i cant recall what it was at the moment but i know it was what they told me to put them to.
75ftlbs?
-Trailblazer SS - not so custom 6.0L - custom intake - custom tune
- (1) 2.4L on an engine stand (1) blown trans (2) good quad trans (1) eco trans = party
More importantly, did you cycle the head studs before torquing?
fortune cookie say:
better a delay than a disaster.
very unlikely that the gasket itself actually failed...
HP Tuners | Garrett T3/T04B | 2.5" Charge Pipes | 2.5" Downpipe | 650 Injectors | HO Manifold | Addco front/rear | Motor Mounts | HKS SSQV | Spec stage 3 | AEM UEGO Wideband | Team Green LSD | FMIC | 2.3 cams | 2.3 oil pump swap | 280WHP | Now ECOTECED
I had several Cometic gaskets leak between the layers. I tried all the suggestions that everyone said to do and finaly gave up and used some copper spray gasket. Lasted 250 miles without anything and made it 16,500 miles before I removed the head for other reasons. I know several people that have used Cometic gaskets in full race engines and even using the torquing methods that Cometic recomended to them they still had coolant leak issues.
hmm, that makes me think.. I have a small oil leak, coming from somewhere and I have no idea where.. I am thinking I will pull the oil pan, and the front main seal, and replace those, if that doesn't do it, then I guess I am doing a head gasket... ever heard of oil leaks from the head gasket??
HP Tuners | Garrett T3/T04B | 2.5" Charge Pipes | 2.5" Downpipe | 650 Injectors | HO Manifold | Addco front/rear | Motor Mounts | HKS SSQV | Spec stage 3 | AEM UEGO Wideband | Team Green LSD | FMIC | 2.3 cams | 2.3 oil pump swap | 280WHP | Now ECOTECED
Mine never leaked oil from the head gasket, just coolant. Only oil leak I had a hard time tracking down was where the hose for the air oil seperator went into the timing housing. Installed a different style clamp and oil leak was gone. The oil was following the timing cover to housing gasket down the front of the engine and driping off of the oil pan.
hmmm, that is a very good suggestion, I don't even think I have a clamp on there at all now that you mention it. I am leaking off the passenger side oil pan too.
HP Tuners | Garrett T3/T04B | 2.5" Charge Pipes | 2.5" Downpipe | 650 Injectors | HO Manifold | Addco front/rear | Motor Mounts | HKS SSQV | Spec stage 3 | AEM UEGO Wideband | Team Green LSD | FMIC | 2.3 cams | 2.3 oil pump swap | 280WHP | Now ECOTECED
ok well back to the original discussion of this post, anyone have any suggestions for a head gasket other than a cometic?
I had a felpro head gasket when my car was boosted.I was only pushing 7-9 psi,but it never leaked.I dont know if it could handle 20psi though.
Peter
'06 Cobalt ss/sc W/G85 Package
Gm Stage II W/2.79" Pulley
K&N Drop In Filter
Custom Magnaflow Dual Exhaust
felpro will not last for a very long life over 12psi. TRUST ME.
-Trailblazer SS - not so custom 6.0L - custom intake - custom tune
- (1) 2.4L on an engine stand (1) blown trans (2) good quad trans (1) eco trans = party
Cometic is top of the line. If the 800+hp DSMs can run them on 40+psi, you'll be fine with it. The secret is to follow not only Cometic's torquing instructions, but ARP's as well (cycling). You also need to make sure the mating surfaces are not only flat (decked), but that they have the correct roughness (most shops don't even bother to check this, it should be around 50 R_a IIRC). Since there is no 'soft' material to fill small voids, everything must be perfect.
fortune cookie say:
better a delay than a disaster.
SpyhunteR wrote:felpro will not last for a very long life over 12psi. TRUST ME.
Boost pressure doesn't have a whole lot to do with it, clyinder pressure does (how much hp you're making).
Weren't you running OEM head bolts with yours? I think with ARP head studs a OEM gasket will how up pretty good.
- 93 mph in the 1/8 mile
Member of J-Body Of Michigan.
no i was running ARP head studs with the cometic but we have decided to go with an OEM style gasket. the machine shop doing my head in detroit specializes in quads and he has a gasket he carry's which he claims is much better than he felpro, they guy seems to know his stuff with quads and has a pretty good background in them so im taking his word. the gasket looks similar to a felpro just has much more reinforcement built in along with alot better material. it seems there is quite a few guys who have ran as much as 12 pounds or so with felpro's and have had no problems so im just gunna cross my fingers. im not planning on cranking it up to 15+ boost that often so as long as i play it safe and im not running high boost for long periods of time i think i will be ok. when i do have it cranked up to 15 or higher its not going to be seeing long consistent pulls, it will be 1/4 mile runs and what not so i think were gunna be ok. i am planning to arrive in detroit wednesday night, having the car together by friday night and were scheduled for the dyno saturday morning. i will keep things updated, lets keep our fingers crossed for a 400+ hp dyno sheet. im excited, the car is finaly recieving the cams it needs when we put it back together, it was kind of falling on its face above 6500 rpm even with the secret cams but we all no they are nothing to brag about, these new ones should give it a major grunt on top end. wish me luck guys
Skilz10179 wrote:SpyhunteR wrote:felpro will not last for a very long life over 12psi. TRUST ME.
Boost pressure doesn't have a whole lot to do with it, clyinder pressure does (how much hp you're making).
Weren't you running OEM head bolts with yours? I think with ARP head studs a OEM gasket will how up pretty good.
You'll still blow out the gasket.
-Trailblazer SS - not so custom 6.0L - custom intake - custom tune
- (1) 2.4L on an engine stand (1) blown trans (2) good quad trans (1) eco trans = party
My motor has seen 30 psi, the head gasket didn't blow.
- 93 mph in the 1/8 mile
Member of J-Body Of Michigan.
im running the cometic with no problems
R.I.P. Brian Klocke, you will never be forgotten
i think im gunna be ok, worse comes to worse i will blow the OEM style and just have to rip out the block to have it surfaced correctly for another cometic.......leaving tomorrow night for detroit, hoping to lay down some dyno numbers that will make boosted2point4 cry...........will keep you guys updated
trust me you wont make me cry i just got my new turbo stuff together, now all i need is to start working on the tune and i start making some real power
R.I.P. Brian Klocke, you will never be forgotten
Daniel Ksiazkiewicz wrote:i think im gunna be ok, worse comes to worse i will blow the OEM style and just have to rip out the block to have it surfaced correctly for another cometic.......leaving tomorrow night for detroit, hoping to lay down some dyno numbers that will make boosted2point4 cry...........will keep you guys updated
I don't think you'll make him cry... that's my job.
-Trailblazer SS - not so custom 6.0L - custom intake - custom tune
- (1) 2.4L on an engine stand (1) blown trans (2) good quad trans (1) eco trans = party
we shall see boys we shall see
I'm running the Cometic both on my current turbo setup for my Z24 and on my Procharged 383 in my Monte Carlo SS and the Cometics do require a specific surface finish on the block & head iirc 60rms or better but my manchine shop also uses sealant around the water passages on both sides of the gasket and they never leak.
2000 Z24 5spd header & catback for now.
Daniel Ksiazkiewicz wrote:i think im gunna be ok, worse comes to worse i will blow the OEM style and just have to rip out the block to have it surfaced correctly for another cometic.......leaving tomorrow night for detroit, hoping to lay down some dyno numbers that will make boosted2point4 cry...........will keep you guys updated
hahaha easy there killer...
Blew it up, build numbers coming soon
