Need someone to weld my heads to the block

[Phoneguy]

Just kidding.


Yup, blew another COMETIC. Lifted the head at 22 psi, I hate these gaskets. What are my options though? These COMETICS dont seal worth a sh!t.


Bryan

 

[KevinB]

I've used the sce Titan coppers with no issues. I started off with cosmetics and kept pressurizing the coolant system. Went to the coppers and never looked back. Even had a few mistakes happen while running 30+ psi at 6500...never blew a gasket....cracked a block from a series of violent pops...but gaskets lived lol.

 

[Slow91z]

Zero issues with my cometics???

Even reused them.

 

[TurboBuRick]

If cometics are blowing, there has to be other problems.

 

[Phoneguy]

I've used the sce Titan coppers with no issues. I started off with cosmetics and kept pressurizing the coolant system. Went to the coppers and never looked back. Even had a few mistakes happen while running 30+ psi at 6500...never blew a gasket....cracked a block from a series of violent pops...but gaskets lived lol.

Kevin, I used cometics on my original unprepped block and did the same thing, pressurized the cooling system. I had the new motor built and assembled at RPE. He knows what he is doing with these motors, I blame the gaskets. I run on the rich side with my AFR and see ZERO knock. The cooling system is pressurized again and leaking compression between the layers. I will check into the Titan coppers. Thanks!

Bryan

 

[Phoneguy]

If cometics are blowing, there has to be other problems.

i would tend to agree but I log with FAST and see zero knock. The car still pulls like a freight train, but you can hear the compression squeezing between the gasket at about 14 psi and up. Had several people ride in the car at BG. All of them were impressed with how my car pulls. This is a high compression stroker motor with the heads shaved .030 . Jack Cotton was riding with me and tuning the car in BG. I laid into it at 45 mph in second gear, it was pulling so hard the tires broke loose at 75 on the highway and started to turn sideways. This is only at 22 psi. I think I will not be using Cometics again.

Bryan

 

[forcefed3.8's]

I went through a set last year, but the car went just passed the 1/8 mile running 12.7AFR, and then 11.7AFR for 6 runs. I was also running the 4.0x bore gasket on a 3.82 bore. This year I put a fresh set of 3.84 .040 gaskets on and saw some lean conditions when low on gas, but let out. I have run 9.86 with them and they are still going strong. I keep the AFR 10.8, 11.0 at the leanest running 23psi. I have seen 29psi only running 110 (which is actually 107) on the street tuning with no problems. At the track I am using Q16.
I think you are having other issues.
As a side note, we have had bad luck with the SCE titans on 8 bolt blocks. I guess use what works for you.

 

[BEATAV8]

pull it apart and break out the straight edge and some feeler gauges....

 

[Phoneguy]

pull it apart and break out the straight edge and some feeler gauges....

I hear ya. Pain in the a$$

Bryan

 

[KevinB]

Kevin, I used cometics on my original unprepped block and did the same thing, pressurized the cooling system. I had the new motor built and assembled at RPE. He knows what he is doing with these motors, I blame the gaskets. I run on the rich side with my AFR and see ZERO knock. The cooling system is pressurized again and leaking compression between the layers. I will check into the Titan coppers. Thanks!

Bryan

Wow...definitely not an issue on how the engine is setup then. I've seen rpe's work first hand and its definitely top notch. Maybe you have an issue in the tune? Is it the same hole each time that's causing it? I've been working on a car that blew a cometic and it turned out #1 and #2 needed additional fuel added into those cylinders through the xfi. No knock was present in the logs either.

 

[Phoneguy]

I went through a set last year, but the car went just passed the 1/8 mile running 12.7AFR, and then 11.7AFR for 6 runs. I was also running the 4.0x bore gasket on a 3.82 bore. This year I put a fresh set of 3.84 .040 gaskets on and saw some lean conditions when low on gas, but let out. I have run 9.86 with them and they are still going strong. I keep the AFR 10.8, 11.0 at the leanest running 23psi. I have seen 29psi only running 110 (which is actually 107) on the street tuning with no problems. At the track I am using Q16.
I think you are having other issues.
As a side note, we have had bad luck with the SCE titans on 8 bolt blocks. I guess use what works for you.

I just talked to Jack Cotton and asked him his opinion...he says to stick with the Cometics. He has had problems with the Titans as well. GRRRRRRRRRRR

Bryan

 

[Phoneguy]

Wow...definitely not an issue on how the engine is setup then. I've seen rpe's work first hand and its definitely top notch. Maybe you have an issue in the tune? Is it the same hole each time that's causing it? I've been working on a car that blew a cometic and it turned out #1 and #2 needed additional fuel added into those cylinders through the xfi. No knock was present in the logs either.

Bobby builds incredible motors, not blaming him at all. I just seem to have a black cloud over this car. The last motor was the factory block, unprepped for the Cometics (my fault). I did not have the block machined when I put the new heads on. This is a different block(stored the factory motor and trans) and is the passenger side only. The last one was both sides. I run 10.60 AFR at the lean side. Maybe an injector is not flowing correctly, something to check I guess. Thanks for the input.

Bryan

 

[TurboBuRick]

Are they being installed dry?

What is going on with them now? Pressurizing the coolant system again? Or?

 

[JDSfastGN]

copper coat each layer and rig a system with heat guns in the water passages to heat them up to operating temp on the engine stand and retorque a few times. I torque with studs to 85#s with 30 weight oil. If the surfaces are flat this should seal.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

Did you retorque? I retorque the day after, and then after afew easy heat cycles (no boost). My first set wasn't retorqued after a heat cycle. After I noticed a problem, I tried and got 1/4 to 1/2 turn but did not fix the problem.

 

[Phoneguy]

Are they being installed dry?

What is going on with them now? Pressurizing the coolant system again? Or?

Heads and intake were installed at RPE. Gaskets were installed with copper spray.
Yes the cooling system is getting slightly pressurized and is loosing compression on the outside edge of the head. I will tear it apart this week and see what is up with it and where it went wrong. Was wanting to get bigger injectors anyway so I will send mine out for flow test to see if they are the culprit.

Bryan

 

[Phoneguy]

Did you retorque? I retorque the day after, and then after afew easy heat cycles (no boost). My first set wasn't retorqued after a heat cycle. After I noticed a problem, I tried and got 1/4 to 1/2 turn but did not fix the problem.

Yes retorqued after heat cycle, no boost.

Bryan

 

[tonka]

Same heads used on both blocks? Could it be a dowel pin issue with the shaved heads?

 

[protracracing]

I had a problem with cometics doing the same thing on one motor.It turned out to be the dowel pins where holding the head up,The motor and heads where decked and the pins where stock.

Hope this helps
Dennis

 

[Phoneguy]

I will be sure to mic the pins. Thanks

Bryan