Thread: Head gaskets...can you reuse if they have less than 200 miles?

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You would be risking an awful lot to re-use them....especially head gaskets. Dont do it, just bite the bullet and get another set...you can buy other brands than Fel-Pro that wont cost you quite as much either, still great gaskets.

Thanks for the replies...I think I might go w/ that felpro 1014. But the felpro 1044 state that they lower compresion and aid in valve to piston clearance. Should the Felpro 1014 be allright? price seems nice.

Thicker head gaskets are not the way to lower compression ratio. That only increases the squish figure (piston to head clearance which on a SBC is ideal at about 0.040")) and makes the motor less octane tolerant. Compression ratio should be altered with combustion chamber volume and piston crown volume. If you are concerned about v/p clearance, then either check it or use the same gaskets you've been using.

top fuel uses thick head gaskets to low compression ive got some that are .72 junk parts one corner is melted out

Yeah, but with a hemispherical combustion chambers.... and two plugs per cylinder, they're not worried about flame propogation or octane.....

Scooter, I thought I told you to go to your room!!

I've got to agree that replacing them is the way to go. Had a similar problem on a 306HP 289 (Shelby GT350), and it was the nicked gasket scenario. I was a lot younger, and trying to save a buck, and it cost me time. Fortunately, no damage. Same motor had high pressure oil pump, and split a cheap - er - inexpensive oil filter.

I actually brought my heads and the head gaskets into a new machine shop in the area (new to me) called Competition engines. I 'm having the aluminum heads drilled for steam holes (30 bucks). At the same time I had him look at the head gaskets and he said he wouldn't hesitate in a hearbeat to use them. He also said he would never use any spray (copper) on them-just reuse them. He said they looked fine. I'll probably go the other way though and buy the 1044's though. I just don't want any more problems. I've been through to much w/ this 400. I've already pulled it 5 or 6 times since I had it (1year) and it's suppose to be a new high performance motor. It just goes to show you that if you want it done right-do it yourself. Don't pay someone else to do work that you can actually do yourself. Make the time to do it. Hopefully it will rock now.

Ask yourself this question , do you really want to take your engine apart again if your wrong? Is it worth the savings? Carlg

Overtorqueing bolts results in less clamping pressure due to the Modulus of Elasticity has been exceeded.

Correct torque will give the maximum clamping pressure the bolt is capable of delivering.

I just read an article in the new 'Chevy High-Performance' mag.
They were testing vortec heads and reportedly used the same
fel-pro MLS gaskets for all heads! I believe they tested 4 different
heads.

I dunno - truth or endorsment income.
Bert

Originally posted by SBC
I just read an article in the new 'Chevy High-Performance' mag.
They were testing vortec heads and reportedly used the same
fel-pro MLS gaskets for all heads! I believe they tested 4 different
heads.

I dunno - truth or endorsment income.
Bert

I would guess part endorsement and part the fact they only have to hold up for a dyno pull or 2. I still would replace a street engine head gasket. (Long term insurance).