Steel Head Gasket: Good Choice?

Il_Barone

New member
Hi :)

I have to rebuild an original st185 3sgte engine, i found a complete gasket kit with the steel head gasket.

Is it better than the original one?

Thank you :)
 

quieter

Member
hi! a steel headgasket is alot better than the graphite one and is always one of the first recommended modification on a 1st and 2nd gen 3sgte modification along with ARP headstuds (when opening then engine up). it's also recommended to change it to a steel headgasket if you ever want to raise your boost levels.
 

Il_Barone

New member
quieter":1da7qf3k said:
hi! a steel headgasket is alot better than the graphite one and is always one of the first recommended modification on a 1st and 2nd gen 3sgte modification along with ARP headstuds (when opening then engine up). it's also recommended to change it to a steel headgasket if you ever want to raise your boost levels.
Hi quieter :)

Which particularities have the ARP headstuds? :)

Thanks
 

quieter

Member
they are reputed and it isnt recommended to re-use your headstuds because they probably stretched in their lifetime and can warp with the heat
 

Il_Barone

New member
quieter":350624jy said:
they are reputed and it isnt recommended to re-use your headstuds because they probably stretched in their lifetime and can warp with the heat
Understood :)

I've seen that ARP produces also the main studs kit too...

Am i obliged to replace those too?

Thanks again :)
 

Gt4grey

New member
I've just removed the cylinder head from st185, the gasket had turned into papier mache, definitely be replacing with cometic metal gasket.
 

underscore

Well-known member
Cometic makes a gen 3? Good to know, as I recall the OEM gen 3 has some improvements over the gen 2.
 

Il_Barone

New member
I'm looking on the Cometic website.

There are different sizes of thickness and two different models of the MLS Head Gasket.

I have to fit four 86.5 pistons, do you know the exact thickness and the part number of the cometic gasket that i have to buy? :)

Thanks :)
 

underscore

Well-known member
There's a comparison of the two somewhere on the net, I believe some of the cooling holes were made slightly smaller on the gen 3 to force more coolant to areas that needed it more (presumably to prevent the cyl 2/3 wall cracking).

As far as thickness goes it depends on the amount of material shaved from the head and block, if you have any doubts I'd contact Cometic directly and ask them.
 

Il_Barone

New member
Just bought this kit :D

rvin8m.jpg
 

Akihero

New member
but can you just swap the head gasket or do you need to deck and shave i have a jdm gen 2 with 45k miles and ive been trying to figure out if i can just swap it out or do i have to do more stuff. thats the one i have.

http://www.atsracing.net/Parts/Details/E-HEADGASKET
MLS = Multi Layered Steel Available for 2nd Gen 3S-GTE applications in 1.2mm thickness. This is the head gasket of choice at ATS Racing.
 

Il_Barone

New member
Akihero":ryplfgpq said:
but can you just swap the head gasket or do you need to deck and shave i have a jdm gen 2 with 45k miles and ive been trying to figure out if i can just swap it out or do i have to do more stuff. thats the one i have.

http://www.atsracing.net/Parts/Details/E-HEADGASKET
MLS = Multi Layered Steel Available for 2nd Gen 3S-GTE applications in 1.2mm thickness. This is the head gasket of choice at ATS Racing.
I think i'll have to shave the head.

I've choose the standard size MLS head gasket.

I hope i don't have to replace it.
 
Top