what to look for when replacing head gasket

[george b]

i think my head gasket is leaking under boost. how likely is it that its just the head gasket itself and no resurfacing is needed? straight edge shows everything to be very flat. definitely couldn't get a .2 mm spacer under it. everything is smooth, no grooves on head or cylinder block.

can you tell anything looking at the gasket??

 

[texas-buzzard]

if your head checked straight go back with a cometic and install ape studs at 60 lbs.

 

[2wicked]

i think my head gasket is leaking under boost. how likely is it that its just the head gasket itself and no resurfacing is needed? straight edge shows everything to be very flat. definitely couldn't get a .2 mm spacer under it. everything is smooth, no grooves on head or cylinder block.

can you tell anything looking at the gasket??

Its definitely leaking #1, 2 & 4 appear to be the worst, #3 may not be leaking, see the black ring that surrounds the bore, notice how is has been blown outward in spots, pushing comp. into the cooling system.

Richard

 

[george b]

thanks for the answers. i have a cometic gasket and ape studs. so it is cool to torque them to 60 lbs since the stock bolts are like 35 lbs right?

 

[george b]

also do you torque it into the block @ 60 lbs also? or 35 lbs into block and 60 lbs on the top nuts?

 

[texas-buzzard]

oil the threads and just snug them into the block then oil the nuts and torque them to 60 lbs.

 

[arthur39]

60lbs torque to nuts on top, put oil on the studs first double nut em and snug em down then torque to 60lbs, just a snug do not torque the studs into the case

 

[Johnnycheese]

surface head and surfacr grind block also look at those pistons i see alot of heat on that head gasket

 

[OZBooster]

I'm with JC on this one ,
they may look flat but i would be fairly sure there are not
I always finish mine with a piece of 600 wet/dry paper on a 4" sheet of glass (thick old window louvre ) and wet with crc
first couple of passes on the cyls realy show some irregularitys
heads are mostly ok except if the gasket has been flapping on the blown area and eroded the head right where you need it to seal .