Whats the difference between (headgasket)

[DjLiquid]

Cosmetic headgaskets that are for sale on here for $100 or the HKS headgaskets for $300?

Whats the better deal if I plan on boosting hard

[boost_boy]

Cosmetic headgaskets that are for sale on here for $100 or the HKS headgaskets for $300?

Whats the better deal if I plan on boosting hard

They both work, but of course HKS is more expensive and better proven.

Dee

[c-rad]

... HKS is more expensive and better proven.

Dee

Boy, that's an undiscerning statement. Domestic guys have been building with Cometic for many years before they made their way into the import community.

[boost_boy]

Boy, that's an undiscerning statement. Domestic guys have been building with Cometic for many years before they made their way into the import community.

Better proven in the fact that it has been used on the CA for a long, long time. Cometic when associated with the CA series is new and I mean very new. So for the $$$s it is worth a try, but HKS and greddy has proven that their gaskets are competent, well-built, and gonna cost you.

Dee

[c-rad]

Better proven in the fact that it has been used on the CA for a long, long time. Cometic when associated with the CA series is new and I mean very new. So for the $$$s it is worth a try, but HKS and greddy has proven that their gaskets are competent, well-built, and gonna cost you.

Dee

Point noted.

[float_6969]

Not to beat up on you Chris, but your same statement could be said about SPEC clutches. They've been popular with the domestic crowd for a long time and are a good clutch, but for whatever reason, they suck on CA's.

I'm not saying that the Cometic does or is going to suck on the CA, but but just because it worked well on domestics, doesn't mean it will for the CA.

But...they've been extensively used on other, poplular japaneese motors, and I don't doubt their ability to perform just as well.

[themadscientist]

My Tomei super stopper head gasket farts in your general direction. What type are the cometic gaskets, bead or stopper?

[boost_boy]

My Tomei super stopper head gasket farts in your general direction. What type are the cometic gaskets, bead or stopper?

I'm like you mad, I'll stick with what I know what works for the time being. We need more cometic guinea pigs to prove this product on our engine. I've seen my High hp KA powered friends go through a few of these puppies and I was very surprised that metal headgaskets are giving them grief. I'll just stick with my $250 a piece NISMO 1.2mm units and if that fails (which I seriously doubt), I'll break out my copper one. I'm on like my 10th time I've used my NISMO one and it seals just fine.

Dee

[c-rad]

I've seen my High hp KA powered friends go through a few of these puppies and I was very surprised that metal headgaskets are giving them grief.

The head surface has to be PERFECT for the Cometic. They recommend resurfacing using a CBN cutter.

[boost_boy]

The head surface has to be PERFECT for the Cometic. They recommend resurfacing using a CBN cutter.

Seriously, how many wanna go-faster kids out there are willing to pull there engines from there car, tear it completely apart, take it to a machine shop, pay to have the deck milled, just to put a $100 headgasket onto his/her car? The answer is simple, not many. That's where the Japanese gaskets come in at. They are forgiving for your engine's imperfections and truly, that's the trend that needs to be adhered to. I do believe in plug and play minus the B.S. The DSM guys love the cometic gaskets. I have a 4G63 that I'm getting ready to put back into my already 4G61T powered 1995 Elantra, but I won't be using the cometic gasket. I will use MLS unit from mitsubishi.............might even throw some copper spray on it as well.

Dee

[TurboFortysx]

I just got my Cometic gasket this week for my CA. The quality looks top notch to me. I guess I will be the so called guinea pig and test it out.

[c-rad]

Seriously, how many wanna go-faster kids out there are willing to pull there engines from there car, tear it completely apart, take it to a machine shop, pay to have the deck milled, just to put a $100 headgasket onto his/her car? The answer is simple, not many. That's where the Japanese gaskets come in at. They are forgiving for your engine's imperfections and truly, that's the trend that needs to be adhered to. I do believe in plug and play minus the B.S. The DSM guys love the cometic gaskets. I have a 4G63 that I'm getting ready to put back into my already 4G61T powered 1995 Elantra, but I won't be using the cometic gasket. I will use MLS unit from mitsubishi.............might even throw some copper spray on it as well.

Dee

The Mitsu 4-layer MLS gasket has the same issue as the cometic.

[c-rad]

Seriously, how many wanna go-faster kids out there are willing to pull there engines from there car, tear it completely apart, take it to a machine shop, pay to have the deck milled, just to put a $100 headgasket onto his/her car?

What? I am talking about the head, not the block. And secondly, I would take the time to do it the right way. I am pretty meticulous. I don't plan on making a "how do I fix this" thread every other day.

[TurboFortysx]

I never had any problems with the Mitsubishi gasket in my cars. I was running 22lbs on a stock head gaskets for a little over two years until I sold it. It is all on how you install them. What problems are the Cometic's having?

You have a swaped Elantra? I just sold my Mirage turbo that I made AWD and 2.0L. Are you on 4g61t.org?

[boost_boy]

I never had any problems with the Mitsubishi gasket in my cars. I was running 22lbs on a stock head gaskets for a little over two years until I sold it. It is all on how you install them. What problems are the Cometic's having?

You have a swaped Elantra? I just sold my Mirage turbo that I made AWD and 2.0L. Are you on 4g61t.org?

Yes I am on 4G61T.org, but I don't post. My screen name is the same as this, but I am more of a forward observer. All of the guys that have done the 4G?? swap into the Elantra used the eclipse or the galant's harness and had to do a gang of stuff to get it working. I used the elantras harness and modified and re-pinned it as I went along. My car is currently running 18psi on 93 piss water with the stock elantra fuel pump (will be changed by Thursday) and it runs pretty good for a 1.6 litre.

But back on topic, how good is this mitsu multi-layered gasket? And C-rad, some of these guys don't even want to take their head to a machine shop for resurfacing during the install of a metal H/G because the motto is "If it ain't broke, why fix it".

Dee

[boost_boy]

People want to change their hadgaskets for what? Is it reliability, or they heard that stock CA18DET's headgasket blows at 15psi? Well, the stock headgasket can hold up to 30psi if your car is tuned correctly. If your car is horribly tuned, you can destroy a metal headgasket as well. This an old dyno from this year and though I failed to push the green button on the dyno to activate the system, it goes to show that the stock CA H/G is up to the task even after being used for years in Japan, get sent to america to an @$$ like me, and to be scrutinized on a dynomometer 55 different times within the course of 7 day week.

clip4.mpg

Dee

[DjLiquid]

Cool.. I'm not really one to save a buck on my CA if I can get a true performance part for a little bit extra. Sad thing is, Ive never seen a HKS headgasket on eBay. Is there anyone in North America or Canada (to be more specific) that's willing to sell me an HKS headgasket?

[silviadrifta]

Cool.. I'm not really one to save a buck on my CA if I can get a true performance part for a little bit extra. Sad thing is, Ive never seen a HKS headgasket on eBay. Is there anyone in North America or Canada (to be more specific) that's willing to sell me an HKS headgasket?

try jdmwest.ca they're located in calgary and can get pretty much anything in

[teddy]

Raretrick.com is usually the one who can get their hands on anything thats special order or hard to find. Another place to check with is jspec.com. You have to email to get a quote, but they quoted me $215 earlier this year for a 1.2mm Bee*R headgasket.

[c-rad]

And C-rad, some of these guys don't even want to take their head to a machine shop for resurfacing during the install of a metal H/G because the motto is "If it ain't broke, why fix it".

Dee

Tell me about it. The amount of "help me" threads on this forum make me sad. But then again, how many are going to post, "My car ran well today"?

I figure I am doing a full rebuild with forged pistons, arp headstuds, blah blah blah... I figure an MLS gasket should round it out.

[boost_boy]

Tell me about it. The amount of "help me" threads on this forum make me sad. But then again, how many are going to post, "My car ran well today"?

I figure I am doing a full rebuild with forged pistons, arp headstuds, blah blah blah... I figure an MLS gasket should round it out.

This is the "Please help me" or "I'm selling my CA" headquarters. Soooo many people already want to make huge power, but have not done the fundamentals of at least learning about the beast they have chosen to go to war with. I can say you plug in and have learned a few things along the way that will help you keep that engine you're building together and performing so good, that you can't stop smiling. In the meanwhile, I hope our members that have failed with their CAs, recognize that whether they take on an RB, SR or KA, the same thing applies, but the stakes are higher and if you break something it's going to cost you a whole lot more.

Dee

[CA19DET]

the stock CA headgasket will not handle 30psi Dee, no way.. (that video didnt really prove anything either).

the most common reason for someone changin their headgasket (if it didnt blow in the first place) is either becuase of a rebuild/increased bore/increased boost/chaning compression or a combination of all etc.. most aftermarket JDM gaskets are also multi layered so besides offering superior sealing capability becuase of them being made of metal and having metal beads and grommets around the combustion chambers, but they are also multi layered, so incase of crazy boost spike or detonation they still offer a chance of blowing out and saving a motor form breaking a rod or damaging a piston.. (remember the HG is a blowout point incase of a spike or det)

the stock HG is allot weaker a designed to blowout under much less severe conditions than a metal one.. they also dont offer different sized and thickness'

JDM ones are not supposed to be used on used or damaged heads, my brand new HKS one said to make sure and machine the head surface perfectly smooth before installing, and had a big disclaimer saying that it is not designed to cure sealing problems becuase of damaged or warped heads etc..

i got a HKS CA headgasket cant remember where though, and it was new..

the reason there are not more 400whp+ CA's is because they are old, and putting together a good one is soo exhausting & expensive, it just doesnt seem worth it anymore.. SR's are easier, KA are monsters and RB's if you have the moeny will kill em all..

here is a nice link for CA stuff like HG's etc..

http://www.greenline.jp/catalo...ke=FI


Modified by CA19DET at 7:19 AM 12/7/2005

[Akihisa]

Wow. I just checked that sight you put up. They have good prices in comparison to quite a few other stores.

[boost_boy]

the stock CA headgasket will not handle 30psi Dee, no way.. (that video didnt really prove anything either).

the most common reason for someone changin their headgasket (if it didnt blow in the first place) is either becuase of a rebuild/increased bore/increased boost/chaning compression or a combination of all etc.. most aftermarket JDM gaskets are also multi layered so besides offering superior sealing capability becuase of them being made of metal and having metal beads and grommets around the combustion chambers, but they are also multi layered, so incase of crazy boost spike or detonation they still offer a chance of blowing out and saving a motor form breaking a rod or damaging a piston.. (remember the HG is a blowout point incase of a spike or det)

the stock HG is allot weaker a designed to blowout under much less severe conditions than a metal one.. they also dont offer different sized and thickness'

JDM ones are not supposed to be used on used or damaged heads, my brand new HKS one said to make sure and machine the head surface perfectly smooth before installing, and had a big disclaimer saying that it is not designed to cure sealing problems becuase of damaged or warped heads etc..

i got a HKS CA headgasket cant remember where though, and it was new..

the reason there are not more 400whp+ CA's is because they are old, and putting together a good one is soo exhausting & expensive, it just doesnt seem worth it anymore.. SR's are easier, KA are monsters and RB's if you have the moeny will kill em all..

here is a nice link for CA stuff like HG's etc..

http://www.greenline.jp/catalo...ke=FI

Modified by CA19DET at 7:19 AM 12/7/2005

Maybe to you it didn't, but me posting a video of one little dyno run does prove alot in my book and is an excellent reference to those who might be searching for an answer to an old myth (that the CA can't handle more than 15psi on a stock headgasket ). The engine I'm using is a RWD one that has handled 20+psi sustained highway runs at over 160mph (I said sustained, not bursts) on a stock headgasket, so don't hand me that crap about what the thing can and cannot do. It may not hold up for everyone, but it held up nicely for me. The bottom end is another story, that has it's moments of being suspect.

I have some of my Jamaican brethren that has run 30psi on junkyard KAs without blowing it up. I have seen in excess of 20psi on numerous outtings with the CA in stock form and yet to trash a stock headgasket. When I was running JWT tuned pulsar ecus back in 1999, I would get up to 20psi and smoke pistons, headgaskets, and even melted a head once. Since I've been tuning my own stuff with my standalone, melting pistons, heads, and blowing headgaskets have not been the case.

Do I need to prove that a stock CA H/G can take 30psi of boost "No", but if one's boost may have spiked and his boost went to that amount and if the car is tuned decently, I don't think he/she would need to be tearing the head off the block to replace the h/g. Maybe your HKS disclaimer is true, but I installed my NISMO metal H/G on my used engine and it sealed just fine. And I am still using the same NISMO h/g which is on it's 10th use. So what you just said is your perception/ the way stuff works on your engines (I guess). I guess that's why you're selling yours. You spent a lot of money and obviously are not happy with yours or maybe you've achieved your goals already and have gotten bored. I've had some set backs and I've spent a gang of money myself, but I'd rather develop what I started with than to jump ship and have to start all over again. If that's the case, then I would just rather get off the performance scene period.

I'm a die-hard CA fan of 14years and owner of 9years and I'll be damned if I am to walk away from such a fun engine because things don't work the way I intended. Bottom line is, the stock headgasket is up to the daily task of 1-23psi of boost when the car is tuned properly. Detonation kills headgaskets whether it be metal or composite, so don't get it twisted. If your headbolts are in good shape, boost pressure won't tear apart the headgasket unless your gasket was damaged from detonation and contamination from oil and coolant because any one of those elements weakens an headgasket's integrity and that ain't no bull.

Dee

[Akihisa]

My CA was running 18psi every day with stock headgasket until a valve spring broke the retainer and caused some problems. But, yes, if it is tuned correctly, you can use the stock headgasket and when something goes wrong the headgasket should pop before damaging those expensive internals.

[themadscientist]

16-year-old stock gasket, S14 turbo, 18psi, I ain't walking yet.

[nismoplsr]

I had run 18 psi on the stock headgasket for over a year and i just recently upped it to 21 psi now pretty much maxing out the flow capabilities my 550s and GT28RS.

The gasket has not given the slightest hint of giving way.

[CA19DET]

yes, but would it withstand 21psi from a T3/TO4E 50T ? TO4R, T88 etc? thats allot more air/heat/combustion thats where aftermarket metal multilayered HG's come in..

[Akihisa]

You're right. If I could have afforded to put a metal gasket on I would have , but the stock one didn't fail. During my rebuild I will be using a Cometic gasket and I will let you know how it holds up.

[boost_boy]

yes, but would it withstand 21psi from a T3/TO4E 50T ? TO4R, T88 etc? thats allot more air/heat/combustion thats where aftermarket metal multilayered HG's come in..

Refer to the last paragraph of my previous post!

Dee