Changing Head Gasket.

[NYTSKY]

In the next few weeks ill be getting a new turbo,cams and injectors fitted.

How much extra work is involved in pulling the head off to upgrade the head gasket?

Do the valve springs and valves have to come out or can you pull the head off in one piece without removing those parts?

Im just tyrying to way up the cost.If it will make a big increase in labour costs to do so?

CHEERS

[Guest 40th-edition]

if you are already getting the cames in and turbo then it wouldnt be that much more work to take the intake manifold off and pull the head up..

probs a good idea to put now headbolts in as well when they do it! they should be replaced every time they are removed

[NYTSKY]

What thickness gasket should i get.There are SOOOO many on the market.

Tomei,Trust,cosmetic and so on.

1.0mm? 1.2mm?

The thicker i go means lower compression right? Resulting in lower power unless i run 19psi all the time lol?

The way this is going i might aswell get them to put in CP pistons while they are at it lol

[InterCooL]

pulling off a head time consuming and annoying. only pull it off if you blow this gasket.

would you be doing the work yourself? it'll probably be $500 or more in labour to swap gaskets.

and only change compression ratio if you're going to get it retuned

[sinistaGTR]

get a trust 1.4mm or bigger dont use cometic.....

[NYTSKY]

I figure that because im getting new cams i would take the opportunity to get them to change the gasket,might save a bit of money in the long run.

Now for arguments sake if i wanted to change pistons while they have the head off,is it as easy as pulling old ones off and putting in new ones or does the motoor have to be removed?

See ill be getting all these mods done eventually,i just want to see how much money i will save doing it all in one go.

Could someone with a bit of mechanical know how explain what how easy or hard it is to do what i want to the motor.

CHEERS

[NYTSKY]

get a trust 1.4mm or bigger dont use cometic.....

Wont i lose to much compression with a thick gasket.

I was thinking of getting a Tomei 1.2mm

[sinistaGTR]

your standard one is 1.2mm so no you wont you loose to much you wont notice any difference, it will allow youto run higher boost safely.

[bazr33]

hey mate

i have a tomei metal head gasket that im selling if you interested

its 1.5mm thick and its brand new

i bought it recently, but have changed plans and going a rb25/30 conversion which i require a rb26 head gasket or a rb30 one.

im going to sell the head gasket for 340 if your interested

Let us know

[MANWHORE]

Speak to my friend ray 'GT-shortie' about compression.

I would say don't lower compression unless you need to. i.e. if you're only hoping to achieve 250 rwkw, don't lower compression. you'll make less power, be slower, less response everything.

ray will tell you about it.

[sinistaGTR]

it doesnt make that much of a difference, its unnoticeble. unless your goin for like a 2 or 2.2mm you wont notice any difference, and im guessing with a new turbo inj and cams you willl be pushing 250rwkw lol

[InterCooL]

it sounds like you believe that the stock gasket is guaranteed to fail on you, i didnt know they went that often in skylines? they can take a beating of misfires and not blow head gaskets, unlike some other car manufacturers

[rob82]

Putting larger duration camshafts in will reduce the dynamic compression. The reason people use thicker head gaskets is to reduce static comp which will lower dynamic comp. Lower dynamic compression gernerally means more timing can be run and more power to be made. If your putting cams in I wouldn't bother about doing the head gasket at all. If you do though you may as well do head studs for extra clamping force for very minimal extra cost.

Edited May 6, 2007 by rob82

[NYTSKY]

OK i think ill leave the head gasket until i get a bit more serious with the motor.

Thanks guys for your imput.

[The Dan]

stock gasket will hold well and truly up to 20psi of boost. Only change if you have more plans for the head or engine.