[turbo69bird]

I wouldnt worry about the special finish on your heads and deck w the cometics I run them without it all the time w great results I just use hylomar M on them for the water retention and they are fine.
I’ve done this on chevys, Pontiacs , MGA always works out fine. Idk why people have issues w them. But I have seen water weeping without the use of hylomar M . One thing to watch for w MLS gaskets on Pontiacs is the center exhaust port on a header can touch the gasket when its tightened up . Trim that area back a little w a die grinder on the gasket if needed it sticks out pretty far it can really deform it and cause issues if you don’t. The header will leak hot gasses onto that part of the gasket and burn it pretty good too. I always check for this interference w MLS gaskets.

[turbo69bird]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

Its a RAIV engine. Pretty much anything other than a Cometic will work fine.

Curious why anything other than a cometic I’ve run cosmetics on my RAIV for years. It was the first engine I ever ran cometics on in fact.

If you’re killing head gaskets you’re likely detonating . Lifting a head , if your tune is good you shouldn’t be having head gasket issues on a street engine especially .

I’ve NEVER re torqued my cometics on my turbo car. Been together a lot of years now not even a spark plug change. Part of tat may be iron heads on an iron block that doesn’t hurt any. No special finish on my heads or block either.

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by turbo69bird

Curious why anything other than a cometic I’ve run cosmetics on my RAIV for years. It was the first engine I ever ran cometics on in fact.

If you’re killing head gaskets you’re likely detonating . Lifting a head , if your tune is good you shouldn’t be having head gasket issues on a street engine especially .

I’ve NEVER re torqued my cometics on my turbo car. Been together a lot of years now not even a spark plug change. Part of tat may be iron heads on an iron block that doesn’t hurt any. No special finish on my heads or block either.

Simply because most guys won't go for the mirror finish for a stockish engine.
No need for it but no reason you could not run them if you went through the trouble and expense.

[Gach]

No special finish on my Block or heads either.

[Gach]

Oh wait I did take some emery paper, to deck and heads. Although the emery paper was expensive I think $.10 a sheet.

[Dragncar]

If the heads already have a nice finish on them, fine.
But there are plenty of shops that have a hard time getting a super smooth finish on aluminum.
I took a Nissan head in once to get milled. Looked more smeared than milled.
Just do not see the need to pay 200+$ for a stock engines head gaskets, no need.

I just do not think it matters much what gasket he uses.
Take my old 455, built it once, freshened twice.
First go around Whitmore selected Fel Pros performance set. The black one with the printed silicone on it.
1st freshen up I bought ROLs version of that Fel Pro gasket.
2nd freshen up I bought a ROL complete gasket set but they gave me their cheap plain grey head gasket.
All of them worked fine and the last go around was when I stuffed a SR cam in it and started running 10s.
Those cheap grey gaskets are still on the engine doing fine.
The 455s deck is the original finish from PMD. Kind of rough.

[OCMDGTO]

Another vote for Cometics, been running them on the street for a couple years now

[jhein]

It seems to me that the best thing about the MLS gasket is that you can choose the thickness. I don't know, but I'm guessing that's the reason my builder used them. My pistons were .010 in the hole and he used a .036 gasket, which gets me pretty close to the ideal .045 quench, if I understand that correctly.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by jhein

It seems to me that the best thing about the MLS gasket is that you can choose the thickness. I don't know, but I'm guessing that's the reason my builder used them. My pistons were .010 in the hole and he used a .036 gasket, which gets me pretty close to the ideal .045 quench, if I understand that correctly.

I agree for anything but I high horsepower build. They have become pretty pricey over the years and sometimes come with a lengthy wait time. By far better off putting the piston where it needs to be when machining the block and ordering pistons.

[KGTO]

I've used 1016s a lot, Cometics and copper/o-ring on alcohol engines. All worked great, the Cometics I was able to get a few uses out of too. Here is another question that might help.....

Are Butler's spec Cometics really better to run (if available)? I need to order .027" Cometics for a little 400 I'm building and they are special order (4-6 weeks). In the past I always ordered them from Summit and they have them in stock.

[Gach]

Try getting them direct. thats who I’ve gotten them from in the past

https://www.cometic.com/materials/head-gaskets

[Dragncar]

Its just something to talk about.
Any good head gasket is going to do the job just fine. Stock 10.5 -1 engine, what is the big deal ?
Pick one and run it.