Suggestions on my upcoming head gasket replacement

[chalander]

I am replacing my head gasket because its leaking oil outside of the motor down the back of the motor. This is because when I changed the head gasket last time I neglected to get any of the decks resurfaced and installed a cometic MLS gasket with arp studs.

My only question pertains to which gasket to use:
*should I get a new head gasket (oem this time) or reuse my current one? - the MLS gasket states that the decks on both the head and block need to be resurfaced. I am not going to have the block resurfaced but I will have the head resurfaced. I've heard the oem gasket will hold a better seal under this condition.

[Izento]

So, if you aren't going to get the decks resurfaced, get an oem one, as they are less picky about clearances.

[chalander]

Thanks, that's what I've come to learn via all my research regarding the oem gasket.

Also to clarify, I will have the head resurfaced, just not the block.

[float_6969]

BOTH surfaces HAVE to be re-surfaced to the correct roughness for the Cometic to seal. Obviously, that's not an option for you, so OEM (I've used Felpro's for 10 years w/o an issue) is the way to go.

[mdb4879]

I'm not a fan of MLS head gaskets. They say a 40RA is minimum, but that is bare minimum. Just for some perspective a 40RA is about like a fresh hone on a cylinder, so yeah, it's pretty rough. Ideally you want about a 6-12RA (that's the spec for most cars with MLS head gaskets from the factory) and polishing the surface afterward is even better. IMO, it's just more trouble than they're worth. Especially when there are people running Fel-Pro's and such at over 400whp. Boost doesn't kill head gaskets. Detonation does.

[float_6969]

IMO, it's just more trouble than they're worth. Especially when there are people running Fel-Pro's and such at over 400whp. Boost doesn't kill head gaskets. Detonation does.

Exactly. The re-usability would be nice I guess, but how often do you really have the head off of the car?