Bacardi's 521

[denveratsun]

When you factor in the time it will take (back pain too :rolleyes:) to swap the head gasket if it does blow...it is well worth the 200 bones!

 

If you bring the compression up, the odds of popping the HG go up too.:D

 

Sounds like a ton of work man...keep it up:)

 

It will be well worth it.

[Fineline]

I was going to get my block o-ringed but i just got off the phone with my machinist and he said its going to be 200$. that is alot of money, any thoughts on whether i should do it or not. my motor has a history of blowing head gaskets and this would ensure no issues? grrrr.

 

If your using a Copper gasket then get it o-ringed but if you have a MLS gasked they recommend against the O-rings.

[BACARDI_DWB]

the head gasket i have is a multi layer metal gasket that measures 1.2mm thick. it is actually made by wiseco. my machinist is recommending a composite gasket and o-rings. i am still not sure. most CA18det guys just get the cometic metal head gasket like i have and ARP head studs ( i have those too) and call it a day.

Edited November 14, 2008 by BACARDI_DWB

[Cuts metal like mad]

never blown a head gasket on an L motor... one of the books I have recommends O ringing for boosted motors, it really depends on how much boost... but hell, $200 is not really that bad when it comes to "insurance", its up to you. Do it right, do it once.

[BACARDI_DWB]

yeah i am spending about 1000$ on the oil system alone for the "do it once do it right" idea. i am looking to boost about 25psi max hopefully. but so far everthing else on race gas should support 30psi.

 

go big or go home o-ring it is, plus its not that bad since my machinist is not charging that much for the rest of the machine work. really good guy

[Fineline]

Its by understanding that MLS gaskets do not work with O-rings. I am not sure about composite gaskets but here is what I found on Cometics website.

 

http://www.cometic.com/faq.aspx#q3

[BACARDI_DWB]

yeah i just finished reading that.

 

i think i am only left with one option: mls head gasket and no o-ring. See in order to use the o-ring you need to have a copper head gasket, which is not made for the CA18.

 

MLS head gasket should work fine without an o-ring if i make sure the head to block is perfectly true and i have ARP headstuds torqued right.

 

can you use felpro headgaskets and o-rings? i am under the impression that you can only use copper head gaskets when you o-ring the block. and i can't find any for the CA18det

[Fineline]

Hussey copper will make them any thickness you want. If you can get a MLS gasket I would go with one of those. Just as strong and not as prone to the seeping of the copper ones.

 

http://www.husseycopper.com

[BACARDI_DWB]

i already have a cometic mls headgasket. so i may just do that, cheaper, already available and i know it will support what i am going to run.

[BACARDI_DWB]

research prevails, and so will reliable high horsepower. I talked to a few aussies that are running ca18det's with lots of power and o-rings. they are using standard nissan oem gaskets and making more than enough horsepower.

 

so I ordered the gasket and told the machine shop to get ready for some o-rings. i also ordered a 280z master cylinder and the my other caliper for the front.

 

I really hate having such slow progress on my truck but funding the fun stuff is hard. oh well i guess that is why its a project.