Cometic Head Gasket Questions...
Thread Starter
Dig
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,447
Likes: 1,111
From: Port Saint Lucie FLORIDA & HONDURAS
Cometic Head Gasket Questions...
#1 How many times can you re-use the Cometic head gaskets ?
#2 Can you re-use them even w/ 30,000 miles on them ?
#3 I am swapping my LS1 heads for LS6 heads. Are the gaskets the same ?
Thanks....
#2 Can you re-use them even w/ 30,000 miles on them ?
#3 I am swapping my LS1 heads for LS6 heads. Are the gaskets the same ?
Thanks....
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 5
From: Holly, Michigan
If the Cometic gasket is a MLS (multi layer steel) type, then as long as the rubber coating has not fretted (peeled or scrubbed off) you will be fine to torque down several times. Officially, the answer is that, no, MLS gaskets are not reusable, however, my engineering thesis project involved evaluating the performance of MLS gaskets and during the testing I personally torqued and retorqued the same type of gaskets with no reduction in sealability..Hope this helps..
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
They are supposed to be re-usable and a lot of guys do, I personally would rather just replace only because if they leak its a major pain to replace them. Valve covers or something quick and simple I might take the chance, but head gaskets I wouldn't but that's only my opinion. Also, leakage into a cylinder could cause a hydro-lock so another reason I personally wouldn't risk it.
