Thin head gaskets??

How well do the thin head gaskets seal? I am looking to raising my compression a little when I replace my head gasket and have my head milled a little. What do you guys think. I haven’t looked into a specific head gasket yet, I am just wondering in general, how do they seal?

Thanks,
Shaun Ladd

i have a mugen 2 layer headgasket…raises cr by .4 i think…but mine seals just fine…no oil leaks…

I have heard that you can use just the middle layer of the factory head gasket and that raises compression .6. Have you heard anything like this. I was wanting to use a 1 layer head gasket for the best gains. What do you guys think?

Originally posted by Shaun Ladd
I have heard that you can use just the middle layer of the factory head gasket and that raises compression .6. Have you heard anything like this. I was wanting to use a 1 layer head gasket for the best gains. What do you guys think?

i wouldn’t go to 1.

is going .4 or .6 safe for stock motors?

i would not mess with the factory head gasket…you can get away with using 2 layers but not one from the factory gasket…

if you want to raise cr why not just buy new pistons? yes it is more expensive then using the factory headgasket and messing with it but you will have the piece of mind when using new pistons to raise cr…

you won’t have to worry or deal with the problems that come with it…

my opinion, buy new pistons to raise the cr…

Originally posted by GOLDENCHILD
i would not mess with the factory head gasket…you can get away with using 2 layers but not one from the factory gasket…

word.

The reason I wanted to just use a different head gasket is because I didn’t want to have to drop the bottom end of the engine. If I were to go to new pistons, then I would need new rings, which would mean I would probably need to hone my cylinders. You see how the costs are just spiralling? I think my head gasket may be going and I wanted to change the gasket to something thinner so it would last until I go for the swap, but yet get some performance gains for the labor I would put it. What you think now?

i don’t think using a thinner headgasket will give you any noticeable gains…it all comes down to, what is more important?
an unnoticeable gain for the convenience and prolly engine problems or the piece of mind that you did it right the first time and saved money…

if you wentthe route of just using the middle gasket, you might run into problems with oil leaking and or blowing it…then you would have to remove the head again and get a new head gasket and who knows what else if there is any damage…

alot of guys on here will tell you the same thing…

DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AND SAVE MONEY AND HEADACHES…

and yes, if you did get new pistons you would have to get new rings, bearings, and hone the block…

but it is your car and your decision, we can only suggest and inform…

Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate the info, I just need to decide if I want to go ahead and replace the head gasket now(OEM headgasket) or wait until my new engine is here hoping the current head gasket will make it a little longer. The reason I think my head gasket is failing is because I noticed a few grey drops of fluid floating in my radiator. Not a lot, but it still scared me. I am not blowing smoke or anything, but I need to get my compression checked just in case.

what about aftermarket gaskets like goldenchild? if you gotta replace the current one, why not… (again, with stock internals)
any price differences?