Post by
2FourTee »
https://forums.nicoclub.com/2fourtee-u21537.html
Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:42 am
Lots of people have complained about cometic, but that's because they don't do it the correct way. To seal properly, the cometic needs a very smooth and flat surface. That's because there isn't as much "crush" occurring when you torque down a cometic headgasket compared to say, a fel-pro. A cometic requires a much smoother surface than your typical machine shop will give you if you don't actually specify what you want. Cometic specifies a surface of 50 RA or better.
If you haven't had the head and block both re-surfaced (along with both the upper and lower front cover) and you're not looking for much more than 400 hp, I'd go with the fel-pro. If you're going for big power and both the head and block have been resurfaced PROPERLY, then use the cometic. Cometic actually specifies to install the gasket dry, but from what I have read on here, a lot of people use the copper spray prior to installing. SO far, I haven't heard anything negative about using the copper spray, so that's what I'll probably do as well. Use ARP head studs, and you're final torque specs need to be more than the factory 60ft/lbs. They need to be 80ft/lbs.
Installed correctly, it's a pretty bulletproof gasket.