[taff2]

I'd want at least a full season of passes if I use the MLS - probably 60-70 passes, I'm banking on my small bore and iron heads increasing the working life of them. I do use ARP headstuds with 1.00" diameter x .250" thick hardened steel washers - torqued to 120 ft lbs- and I re-torque head gaskets at least 3 times per season.(plus the once after initial fire up and cool down).
Charlie, here's a couple of pics of the old o ring cutter I made, it's a bit rusty after sitting for years and I've removed the Cobalt tool steel for some other job- but you get the idea.
ps, I'll get some pics of the dry deck/reverse cooling system on the weekend-the block is behind a load of other parts in my workshop.

[charlie66]

Originally Posted by taff2

I'd want at least a full season of passes if I use the MLS - probably 60-70 passes, I'm banking on my small bore and iron heads increasing the working life of them. I do use ARP headstuds with 1.00" diameter x .250" thick hardened steel washers - torqued to 120 ft lbs- and I re-torque head gaskets at least 3 times per season.(plus the once after initial fire up and cool down).
Charlie, here's a couple of pics of the old o ring cutter I made, it's a bit rusty after sitting for years and I've removed the Cobalt tool steel for some other job- but you get the idea.
ps, I'll get some pics of the dry deck/reverse cooling system on the weekend-the block is behind a load of other parts in my workshop.

So you spun that thing by hand to cut the groove? Wow .. Thanks for showing that to me. Very cool..

Yeah if you can get those pics that wold be cool..

Thanks again!

[taff2]

Yeah, it only takes half a dozen turns to cut the groove to the .030" depth, cobalt steel is very hard-and Pontiac iron is very soft!

[GOAT8U2]

For us future street boosted guys and stock heads running 8-12psi, I'd assume a Cometic with the water holes is ideal?

I've had better luck with a grooved oringed head vs a Cometic with an RA50 on a different platform so I'm curious on the Pontiacs.

Thanks

[JSPONT]

Been running aluminum heads d ports, for 4 years 8-12 psi, no head gasket issues. I run cometics.

[firechicken]

Same...stock block KRE D ports Cometic with water 12 lbs on street and 20 psi at track for 6 years. Never even a retorque on arp studs. Maybe I'm just lucky but for sure I'm lazy...

[JSPONT]

Originally Posted by firechicken

Same...stock block KRE D ports Cometic with water 12 lbs on street and 20 psi at track for 6 years. Never even a retorque on arp studs. Maybe I'm just lucky but for sure I'm lazy...

LMAO!! Me too but I do re torque a few times a year!! Yes ARP studs also with water. drive it all over.

[taff2]

Charlie, here's the details/pics of the dry deck and reverse cooling mod
Pics 1,2,3,9 are the old block
4, 5 are the water outlets from block to 'stat housing/radiator
6 is the core plugs blocking water pump holes into the block
7 ,8 is driver side fitting where water from passenger head enters block
11 is fitting in heater nipple port where water exits rear of head and goes into side of block through an10 hose
12 is the stock crossover location where water from electric pump is fed into the heads
14 are pics of the plugs I used and part numbers. Large plugs are 3/8" NPT, medium are 1/4" NPT, small are 1/8" NPT. Drill sizes I used were .343" small, .500" medium, .625" large. About 60 holes to drill/tap/plug.
16 ,17, 18 shows heads dry decked too
19, 20, 21 shows me just starting on the 'new' block.
With the reverse cooling system - water gets pumped from the electric pump into the heads through the manifold crossover, flows through the heads to the back and exits from the fittings pressed into the heater nipple plugs, then through an10 hose into the side fittings in the block, flows through the block and exits at the front fittings through an10 hose into the thermostat housing or radiator.
I've got some pics of the hose routing somewhere, I'll dig them up when I get 5 minutes. Hope this helps you visualise what's involved.

[taff2]

More pics

[taff2]

And more..

[taff2]

the pics keep on coming..

[charlie66]

Thanks Paul!

Ill have to make a folder and put all these pictures together for when im going to attempt this..

[taff2]

Rusty or Bad69bird or any guys using Cometics WITHOUT water holes, did your gaskets have any water holes at all? I ordered the Cometics without any water holes using the part number that their sales guy gave me, however when they turned up they had two water holes in each gasket! These are the bigger holes at each end of the heads - leaving less than .250" of gasket material between the bore and the water holes - exactly what I didn't want! (these water holes are tapped and plugged, but there is still a 0.051" void that cylinder pressure could blow into)
I contacted Cometic who apologised and said they would make me a new set with no water holes at all, however, they have now said that these holes are used for the manufacturing die pins to locate the gaskets for embossing, and therefore I must have water holes in the gaskets that are listed as 'no water holes'. You couldn't make it up.

[Jack Gifford]

Any manufacturer who doesn't do all locating off the dowel holes is goofy.

[taff2]

That's a good point Jack, how would they know where to punch out these two water holes if the gasket wasn't already located correctly?
I've put these points to them and I'll see what they say.

[taff2]

Ok, Cometic got back and said they can't do a 'no coolant holes Pontiac headgasket' without having the two coolant holes in each gasket!
No answer on why they don't use the dowel holes for the locating die pins. S
So, any Pontiac guys thinking of buying solid gaskets for your dry decked combo, be aware of this. It may be a problem or may not, we'll see.

[JSPONT]

I seem to remember, Sik Goat ( Billy) uses a head gasket manufacturer for there 6 second ride. I can't remember who it was off the top of my head. PM him, think it is a copper gasket.

[bad69bird]

Originally Posted by taff2

Rusty or Bad69bird or any guys using Cometics WITHOUT water holes, did your gaskets have any water holes at all? I ordered the Cometics without any water holes using the part number that their sales guy gave me, however when they turned up they had two water holes in each gasket! These are the bigger holes at each end of the heads - leaving less than .250" of gasket material between the bore and the water holes - exactly what I didn't want! (these water holes are tapped and plugged, but there is still a 0.051" void that cylinder pressure could blow into)
I contacted Cometic who apologised and said they would make me a new set with no water holes at all, however, they have now said that these holes are used for the manufacturing die pins to locate the gaskets for embossing, and therefore I must have water holes in the gaskets that are listed as 'no water holes'. You couldn't make it up.

It's been so long since I ran Cometics, I honestly can't remember if the gasket did or did not have the holes in them after I dry-decked my junk.