Blown Head Gasket Now What??????????????

jktcummins

jktcummins

24v GOD!!!! HAHAHA
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
2,450
My head gasket is blown. I have talked to about 10 different people and they all say different things. There is a company in Texas call Raymac Racing engines that will not work on a 24 valve head unless its a new one they say that 99% of the 24 valves wont pressure test right. Then haisley say they have only thrown 8 or 9 heads away in all the years they have been doing head work. They also say if you are planning on running over 50 psi of boost orings will not last you more than a year. Then there are the people that tell you to not go with fire rings because they wear out every so many miles. I am lost.

I cant deside what the heck to do.

Should i go with a new head, fire rings, orings, use my old head, should i spend the extra money on getting reworked???????????

I need some good advice
 
Have a good machine shop deck your head and check it for cracks for starters. If the head shows no signs of cracks then have it O-Ringed but make sure you do not have a protrusion of over about 6 to 8 thousandths. Get yourself some ARP head studs and do a good torque on them. The use of studs and proper torque are more important to keeping the head than the O-rings in my opinion.
 
When you lift off the head inspect it closely in the exhaust valve area, and overall. You will see minute cracks if you have them, if you can't see any- then there's potential for the cylinder head still being useable. Bring head to a reputable machine shop who has experience with o-ringing-let them further inspect it- if good- they will deck it for a fresh flat surface and proceed- it has to be done perfectly, then when thats done use the marine head gasket and studs. Don't forget to retorque the studs and then line torque them after a few heat cycles. The retorques and line torque processes are very important......
 
getblown5.9 said:
what do you mean by line torque?
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I will put it into a tech article so the line torque proceedure will be on file to all......
 
Hoss said:
. Get yourself some ARP head studs and do a good torque on them. The use of studs and proper torque are more important to keeping the head than the O-rings in my opinion.
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AMEN!

Studs are a bigger part of the equation then most want to admit. I ran a truck with the factory head gasket and just a set of studs for about a season and a 1/2, at somewhere above 80lbs of boost (gauge stopped at 80 but I could wrap the needle around to the "S" in PSI :rockwoot: ) never had any problems with it at all and when we finally opened it up it still looked brand new and didn't need to be changed. I was putting a ported head on which was the only reason I opened it up.
 
ob1kobi said:
AMEN!

Studs are a bigger part of the equation then most want to admit. I ran a truck with the factory head gasket and just a set of studs for about a season and a 1/2, at somewhere above 80lbs of boost (gauge stopped at 80 but I could wrap the needle around to the "S" in PSI :rockwoot: ) never had any problems with it at all and when we finally opened it up it still looked brand new and didn't need to be changed. I was putting a ported head on which was the only reason I opened it up.
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was this on a 2nd gen or your 04.5 in your signature.

i know that 3rd gens can handle 80psi with studs
 
this was on my 2001.5 pro street truck that I sold. I deleted my old trucks off since there just memories now :(
 
damn, never heard of a 2nd gen with stock gasket holdin that much even with studs

i have 12mm studs and o-rings and i still worry every time i get into the 50psi range because i dont wanna tear it down again.
 
held it for about 1 1/2 seasons of racing, and I raced almost every Friday night at my local track, in addition to any of the DHRA races that I could make it to. I was running an MSB from PIUS and like I said, my gauge stopped at 80 but I could wrap the needle around to the "S" in PSI on the gauge so it was probably closer to at least 100, but I stick with 80 cause I know it was at least that. This was back when the ARP studs first came out. The head gasket looked brand new when we tore it open too, I might still have pics, I'll see if I can find them.
 
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