Head Gasket Blown - Head Studs and Gasket Recommendations

[vasekvi]

At this moment I am one of three FK8 owners I know of that have blown head gaskets at the same time. Two of us are tuned with close to the same mods, basically FBO. I have 74k miles. I started noticing issues about 6 months ago.

My car is at USR in Cumming GA taken apart and we are about to reinstall a new oem head gasket along with the other gaskets the kit comes with, and new oem head studs.

I am asking about going to APR head studs and possibly an upgraded head gasket. Does anyone have experience with Cometic?

My final (when is it ever final) modifications will be as follows:
Hondata custom tune
PRL HVI
PRL IC
PRL Charge Pipes
PRL Catless DP
PRL FP
Turbo, DP, Inlet Pipe Blankets
AEM Water Methanol Injection (planned for future)

I am getting my intake valves cleaned up and a catch can installed as well to prevent all the deposits I have from accumulating so badly again.

 

[17RGuy]

I’ve run cometic on previous builds with no issues. What is your reasoning for wanting to go for an aftermarket gasket?
Regarding ARP, I always suggest putting these in over oem on any platform.

 

[WhiskeyTango]

I am getting my exhaust valves cleaned up and a catch can installed as well to prevent all the deposits I have from accumulating so badly again.

1. A catch can isn't going to do anything for your exhaust valves.
2. If those are your intake valves after 74k miles, they are clean af for a GDI car, and a catch can would still be pointless. The PCV system is clearly working, and doing an amazing job.

 

[vasekvi]

1. A catch can isn't going to do anything for your exhaust valves.
2. If those are your intake valves after 74k miles, they are clean af for a GDI car, and a catch can would still be pointless. The PCV system is clearly working, and doing an amazing job.

My mistake. I did mean intake valves. I have used CRC a few times also, maybe that helped. But do look at these other pictures inside the head.

I suppose what matters most is that the tops of the valves are relatively clean.

 

[vasekvi]

I’ve run cometic on previous builds with no issues. What is your reasoning for wanting to go for an aftermarket gasket?
Regarding ARP, I always suggest putting these in over oem on any platform.

Well, main reason is I didn't want the head gasket to fail again, and I still don't know if the oem head gasket is a weak point. I've gotten different advice ranging from oem head gasket is fine even beyond 600hp with ARP head studs to oem gasket is not good enough even with ARP head studs, I've been told to look at Athena and Cometic head gaskets. But I think I am leaning toward ARP head studs and oem head gasket.

 

[Centripetal]

2. If those are your intake valves after 74k miles, they are clean af for a GDI car, and a catch can would still be pointless. The PCV system is clearly working, and doing an amazing job.

A catch can will still be less oil in the intake manifold.

My mistake. I did mean intake valves. I have used CRC a few times also, maybe that helped. But do look at these other pictures inside the head.

I suppose what matters most is that the tops of the valves are relatively clean.

What oil are you using? Higher viscosity oils tend to have higher IVD.

 

[kefi]

I'll be running the OEM gasket and ARP head studs myself with the P600. Many others do too, I don't think the head gasket is really the weak link here.

 

[vasekvi]

A catch can will still be less oil in the intake manifold.


What oil are you using? Higher viscosity oils tend to have higher IVD.

Mobil 1 0W-20

I'll be running the OEM gasket and ARP head studs myself with the P600. Many others do too, I don't think the head gasket is really the weak link here.

Have you had to replace your head gasket also?

 

[CrippleRipple]

I agree OEM Honda head gasket & ARP head studs. Never had an issue with OEM Honda head gaskets on even very high power builds. I have had issues with aftermarket head gaskets on multiple vehicles.

Torque to yield bolts(stock head bolts) & boost do weird things sometimes, head lift seems to be an issue on some engines after boost + higher mileages. Sometimes you won't burn coolant but push it into your overflow bottle. The vehicle can even pass a coolant system pressure test & leak down test making diagnostics frustrating. Those litmus strips that can detect traces of combustion deposits in your coolant have come in handy more times than I can count.

Never had a problem after doing ARP head studs & using an OEM Honda head gasket!

 

[vasekvi]

I agree OEM Honda head gasket & ARP head studs. Never had an issue with OEM Honda head gaskets on even very high power builds. I have had issues with aftermarket head gaskets on multiple vehicles.

Torque to yield bolts(stock head bolts) & boost do weird things sometimes, head lift seems to be an issue on some engines after boost + higher mileages. Sometimes you won't burn coolant but push it into your overflow bottle. The vehicle can even pass a coolant system pressure test & leak down test making diagnostics frustrating. Those litmus strips that can detect traces of combustion deposits in your coolant have come in handy more times than I can count.

Never had a problem after doing ARP head studs & using an OEM Honda head gasket!

Thank you for your reply. I did find coolant in cylinders 2 and 3 with a camera. And coolant did come out of overflow a couple times on warmer days. When I switched the engine off I did notice that the coolant overflow tank level would immediately lower considerably. I watched my temps and drove it very conservatively and never got past 200 degrees.

 

[CrippleRipple]

Thank you for your reply. I did find coolant in cylinders 2 and 3 with a camera. And coolant did come out of overflow a couple times on warmer days. When I switched the engine off I did notice that the coolant overflow tank level would immediately lower considerably. I watched my temps and drove it very conservatively and never got past 200 degrees.

Glad you caught it so early & nice diagnostic work!

 

[xchristiancruz]

I’ve run cometic on previous builds with no issues. What is your reasoning for wanting to go for an aftermarket gasket?
Regarding ARP, I always suggest putting these in over oem on any platform.

Where can I find the OEM head gasket?

 

[Jason Baker]

I can’t speak for the 2.0 but the Cometic for the 1.5 requires extra machining of the head to work.
@kshawn showed me the work his head had to undergo to make it work.
May be this is a totally moot point being you have a 2.0 ?
I also can’t imagine ARP studs being any issue for you in the future.
My two cents….. good luck with it!

 

[nickname]

My head gasket blew. Said f it and bought a used engine. Might as well start fresh

 

[tde1205]

hows the car running now OP?

i blew my head gasket also, went with oem gasket & ARP head studs.

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