Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Worried about head gasket

[EGaskamp]

Hey ya'll, I have an hx-50 that I'm going to throw on soon and I don't think the head gasket is going to hold all the boost. Especially with a non wastegated housing. Could I just get the marine head gasket? Or do I have to go the whole 9 yards to get it to hold (ie:ARP studs, o ring)? Thanks in advance.



Eric

 

[KKlingbeil]

One of the biggest things about head gaskets is letting the motor be COMPLETELY warmed up before running your max boost pressure. By completely, i mean oil and water both at 190. The water warms up faster then the oil. I have been running my truck and stock head gasket with a phat shaft 62 running 52 lbs max at WOT on 5x5, and haven't had any trouble yet, but i never run WOT unless everything is completely warmed up. Im not saying its never going to happen, but by doing this, you can delay the process for a while.

How much boost to you plan on running????

 

[EGaskamp]

The exhaust housing I plan to put on it is a 16 cm non wastegated so I'd have to put an external wastegate if it gets to be too much boost. I was thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of 50psi.



Eric

 

[DTroy]

I've had the same experience as Kevin. I let the engine warm to 190 before I beat on it.



I've hit 44 psi with an HX-35 and I run 50 psi with the PS 64. That's a stock headgasket and stock head bolts.

And I was pushing a bunch of fuel through it.

 

[c-hawk]

You may get lucky and have it hold, but then again you may not. I would say chances are 75% or better that it won't hold 50lbs of boost for a long time.



The posts above about letting it get good and warm before running it hard, thats very good advice. It will definitely improve your chances of keeping the gasket intact.



I think that with a set of studs properly torqued, you should be able to run 50lbs without any trouble. I don't think you would need to o-ring it.



Just my opinion.



Chris