Copper head gaskets

[blue2T]

Has anyone tried the SCE ICS head gaskets. Seems like a great concept but does anyone have experience to share?

I have not had very good sucess with the cometics. They seem to be prone to leak oil from the galley. A little seeping oil isn't too bad, but if that oil finds a way into the cylinder---that would not be good!

 

[forcefed3.8's]

They blow in 8 bolt applications. They hold up on 14 bolt engines though.

 

[jasjamz]

Didn't blow on me. No coolant leaks either. 8 bolt application.

 

[JayC]

Looks interesting.. I was actually talking to a vendor about designing a gasket very similar to this. I think it would work well, you just cant put them on dry.. they'll leak water like mad if the prep work isnt perfect.

I wouldnt hesitate to run them but Id coat both side with GE1200 or something equivalent.

 

[blue2T]

Looks interesting.. I was actually talking to a vendor about designing a gasket very similar to this. I think it would work well, you just cant put them on dry.. they'll leak water like mad if the prep work isnt perfect.

I wouldnt hesitate to run them but Id coat both side with GE1200 or something equivalent.

Per the SCE guys, the Titian series has silicon beads silk screened on to seal the water pasages along with the ICS feature for compression. They also said that re-torque was necessary.

 

[jasjamz]

True! I put them on dry, did the retorqe, and had no issues.

 

[Nick Micale]

True! I put them on dry, did the retorqe, and had no issues.

Not wanting to be a dick, but you need to supply more info about your build and use for your comment to have any value.

We have used copper head gaskets, but never on a street car. They require lots of maintaince on a race car, and see no need using them on a street car as regular gaskets work as well.

Not only do coppers require a re-torque a couple times after the initial install, almost every trip to the track needs it for at least a few times. These are 9 sec. GN's with alum heads, rather large turbos and high boost that I am referencing.

 

[Alky V6]

I have no experience with the ICS gaskets, but the Pro Coppers I'm using now have been working without any problems. I put them on with a very fine coating of Hylomar sealer. The Ra prep is not as picky as it is for the Cometics. I use a heat gun and do my retorque on the engine stand before the engine goes in the car. The current head gasket set is on its third go around.

If you're using an 8 bolt head with a lot of performance, you're going to have a hard time getting any type of gasket to seal. Don't blame the gasket if the head is warping, bending and lifting from the pressure.

 

[JayC]

Per the SCE guys, the Titian series has silicon beads silk screened on to seal the water pasages along with the ICS feature for compression. They also said that re-torque was necessary.

What do you expect them to tell you? "Yea, put them on dry and they might leak".. seriously....

Of course, I dont put any gasket on dry. Steels, Cometics, whatever.. they all get something on them. Ive done it this way for years and its worked great for me. Ive never had any leakage doing it this way and never had a premature gasket failure.

To each his own, tho....

 

[cdsttype]

I Tried The Sce Titans On A 8 Bolt Tsm Engine They Did Not Hold
Up Egg Shaped The Middle Cylinders Both Sides.i Believe They
Would Work On A Fourteen Bolt Configuration.

 

[forcedfedv6]

I Tried The Sce Titans On A 8 Bolt Tsm Engine They Did Not Hold
Up Egg Shaped The Middle Cylinders Both Sides.i Believe They
Would Work On A Fourteen Bolt Configuration.

I have seen this happen on 3 other 10 sec cars as well they egg shape from head lifting right on #3 and #4 cylinder, do cometics and be done, if they leak just retorque.

 

[JayC]

That's what Ive had happen running coppers without the o-rings. I would have thought that ring would have held the gasket in place. I guess not.

 

[ttypewhite]

If its a street car, keep it simple and stay away from copper head gaskets. The maintaince is not worth the headaches when there are so many other options available. I used them back in the mid 90's with a set of O-ringed M&A heads. Did not like it at all. Too much work, went with a Felpro gasket for lock wire and was much better off. Now Cometic's is all I use (no leaks).

 

[twin 93 svt]

never seen issues besides, retorqueing every so often but silicone was put on both sides of gasket, and blocks were o ringed with sce gasket and only 8 studs.

 

[oldtimer]

My first set of Cometics leaked. I put 2 coats of spray hylomar on the second set .... leaks gone. Torqued them 3 times ( 24 hours between ) on the engine stand. Haven't re-torqued them since. Still no leaks.

George

 

[OneQuikSix]

I have searched for head gasket advice for days now and can't say I'm any further along than I was in the beginning. There is so much information (read bias) posted from people all running different combinations with differing performance/reliability goals.

Can anyone recommend a good gasket for the following criteria:
1. 109 series block
2. Champion iron heads (8-bolt)...no special grooves, rings, etc.
3. Daily driver
4. No constant re-torquing necessary
5. Stock thickness
6. Able to withstand pressures during an occassional 10 second timeslip (w/o knock on a properly tuned setup)
7. READILY AVAILABLE

As always, I greatly appreciate everyone's ideas and experience. I hope no one will feel I am hijacking this thread. However, it seems like every thread I've found on this topic seems to end exactly the same way.

Thanks again.

 

[blue2T]

Not wanting to be a dick, but you need to supply more info about your build and use for your comment to have any value.

We have used copper head gaskets, but never on a street car. They require lots of maintaince on a race car, and see no need using them on a street car as regular gaskets work as well.

Not only do coppers require a re-torque a couple times after the initial install, almost every trip to the track needs it for at least a few times. These are 9 sec. GN's with alum heads, rather large turbos and high boost that I am referencing.

Sorry about that. Build is a 406 SBC with twin 61mm turbos. Front mt air to air intercooler, Edlebrock victor heads, 9:1 compression. Block and heads surfaced for cometics. EFI by Fast XFi, roller cam specked by Strezo. Dart block with ARP thruout. Street and strip car.

Thanks,
Earl

 

[mhogan6]

Stock head gaskets

I have searched for head gasket advice for days now and can't say I'm any further along than I was in the beginning. There is so much information (read bias) posted from people all running different combinations with differing performance/reliability goals.

Can anyone recommend a good gasket for the following criteria:
1. 109 series block
2. Champion iron heads (8-bolt)...no special grooves, rings, etc.
3. Daily driver
4. No constant re-torquing necessary
5. Stock thickness
6. Able to withstand pressures during an occassional 10 second timeslip (w/o knock on a properly tuned setup)
7. READILY AVAILABLE

As always, I greatly appreciate everyone's ideas and experience. I hope no one will feel I am hijacking this thread. However, it seems like every thread I've found on this topic seems to end exactly the same way.

Thanks again.

My engine has same build w/stock gaskets. Been turning mid tens @ 26/27 psi for years. HTH.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

We blew a set of SCE titans on a TSS car before even making it to the track, actually 1 day before BG. Installed Cometics, sprayed all layers with copper spray, and no leaks, with many hard street miles and 15 1/4 mile passes. The SCE's have been holding up fine on the Stage motors though. The gasket pushes into the extra bolt holes. I think the copper is too soft. They might work if they didn't have the extra holes.

 

[V6RACER]

I had SCE make me some custom HGs for my TSM engine. Never put them on never heard anything good about the SCEs on a 109.

Cometics on the other hand... Work like a champ. Oh, I install them dry.