goods and bad in MLS multi Layered head gaskets

 

Unless you have clean, FLAT and SMOOTH surfaces, I would steer clear of MLS gaskets. A good performance composite gasket (fel-pro) should work unless ur running a big blower.

 

My opinion, the only downside to a MLS gasket is their cost. I have never had a MLS gasket fail but I have had a few sets of composite gaskets fail. With a MLS gasket you do not need to re-torque your head bolts after the break-in heat cycle and that alone is well worth it to me. Pulling the headers to get at the head bolts is a pain.

 

As good an argument I recall seeing regarding WHY the MLS gaskets.

 

Many MLS gaskets are designed for aluminum head motors though you would think the composite gasket better for aluminum. IIRC the MLS gasket has enough graphite where it's needed. And for some reason I can't explain it is highly recommended for iron block/aluminum head combinations.

Hope this can help.

 

The real advantage to MLS gaskets is that they more evenly distribute the clamping load across the entire sealing surfaces of the head and block. Because of the way MLS gaskets are manufactured.... they are basically one continuous homogenous material, one being layered on top of the other.

You can't approach this type of load distribution across sealing surfaces with a composite gasket that is comprised of steel or copper sealing rings surrounded with resin impregnated fiber or paper.....

MLS's only downfall (performance wise) is conformability to imperfections in the sealing surface... but MLS manufactures have made great strides in this area with coatings and educating machinist about the importance of machined surface finish.

Realistically MLS has drawbacks in many applications because of cost. MLS gasket can be 2X the cost of a comparable composite gasket for some applications. Not to mention some applications may not ever need or be able to take advantage of the performance advantages that a MLS gasket can offer.

We try to use MLS when there is a proper gasket available for the application in most high performance builds we do these days but there are some combinations were composite gaskets are still a very good choice.
Will

 

great for high compression engines !

 

is there a best recommendation for aluminum to steel like a post 86.5 L98?

 

have a search in summit racing, they have a big selection, just choose the bore and compressed thickness that you need.