I just purchased an engine gasket kit that includes a set of Fel Pro head gaskets. The # on the gaskets is 8494PT, they are a blue composit of some sort with a metal ring around the cylinders. Are these up to the task of holding 12:1 compression. I'll be running alum stage 1 and the block has studs installed. Also what is the thickness. If these will work then I can save some $$$$ on a set of cometics. Thanks in advance
50/50.... I would say it does depends on how big of a cam you plan on running with it. If you bleed off enough cylinder pressure at lower rpm's you could be ok. If you are running aluminum heads, I wouldn't risk it. I'm someone here has got away with it. I got away with Fel-Pro's, 10.0 Comp, and a 175 shot of nitrous with a 255/265 108LC cam. You don't want to have to fix Aluminum heads if you blow a gasket.
Hi Guys, Eric....I have had TOTAL success using the FelPro Blues with as much as a measured 15.47 to 1. The block MUST be O-ringed, sticking .012" above the deck for a good seal. Make sure that the O-rings are placed directly in-line to pinch the compression ring of the gasket. THE KEY to success of doing this is the re-torquing as many times as it takes till you no longer have any movement!! A half-a-dozen times is usually what it takes for me before they "set". That is...a few times on the stand, sitting overnight between each of (3) times. Mark the location of each bolthead or nut (each time). Then break each bolt/stud nut loose one at a time and re-torque. After start-up and bring to operating temp, let cool back down and retorque as needed. You will notice some movement past the last reference "mark". Do this till you no longer have movement...the gasket has then taken "a set" and you are good to go!:TU: I have the FelPro head gaskets that withstood the 15.47 to 1 still for anyone who doubts this! If you do not want to go the route of O-ringing then I would recommend the Cometics....they seal EXCELLENT! Hope this helps...
I agree Cometics are best short of o-ringing. But the Corteco is a good alternative at a cost between the Fel-Pros and Cometics. At 12.2-1 I have had some lifting / leakage between 3-5 and 2-4, even with studs with the Fel-Pros
My above was with Stage 3 undercut studs and the additional (4) 3/8" studs per head. Torque, Torque and RETORQUE!:TU: Also....being as the two bottom rows of studs/nuts with most residing under the header tubes and necessitates unbolting the headers, it makes it a real PIB but is worth it in the long run.
