Anyone ever reuse their headgasket before? I just replaced my head gasket and it has less than 500 miles on it, got my head rebuilt. Should I get a new one or can I reuse my exhisting gasket. Just don't want to waste my money of I can reuse it again.

 

if you reuse it, be prepared to have to pull the head and throw a new one on if it doesn't seal correctly. i would save yourself the hassle and replace it while its out

 

what if i add 10-15 lbs of torque on it, do u think that will do. have u ever reused one before.

 

if you have no other choice (which you do), at least use some copper spray on it. do a search of copper spray

 

the best way is just to replace everything less then 100 bucks and it insures that there will b no leaking spend the money and save ur time in the future so u dont have to do the same thing twice

 

Do a search for reusing head gasket in the Tech/Misc forum. There is quite a bit of discussion in there already about this subject.

 

Dont re-use it, they are not a re-useable item......

 

DO NOT add 10-15 ft./lbs. of torque to the head bolts. You run the risk of stripping the threads. Also, if you do cheap out and reuse the HG use some copper spray, especially if you aren't getting the head and block resurfaced. Chances are, the HG will leak if you have driven the car 500 miles and already put it through several heat cycles.

If the head was just bolted down, and not started, then I would say it were okay to reuse the HG, but why run the risk, a Felpro HG is less than $70 at Autozone, and they are just as good as OEM.

 

interesting, I've read of people on here having problems with Felpro HG's. I've seen many engine builds where the person will buy Felpro everything for gaskets, but go OEM on the HG.

OEM GS-R head gasket from Carland Acura is $64. www.acuraautomotiveparts.org

 

i dont understand why you would want to re-use such a vital item. there should be no discussion, just replace it with an OEM gasket.

 

ok thanks guys, i will just get a new one. i just wanted to get opinion about this. i tried serching for the topic last night but for some reason it was down. well iam gonna get the head back today and will be installing them tomorrow.

 

I would NOT recommend spraying copper spray on ANY gaskets, i've been told my a good friend of mine that builds race motors for jim justice, that the copper spray has a good chance of trashing the bearings in your motor. I would believe someone that builds 1000hp race motors all day long about something like that.

 

I've heard both good and bad stories from both OEM and Felpro HG's. I think it all boils down to surface preparations and proper installation. I've used Felpro HG's ever since my local Honda dealer sold me one and haven't had any problems.

 

i also used felpro and havent had any problems with them. i will be using it again. as far as copper spray goes i never used it before on the heads i put on and non of them ever leaked on me, so i will not be using copper spray on my head.

 

save yourself a headache in the future and get a new gasket...insurance

 

as everyone said... a new one

 

i vote new one too BUT if you absolutely must you can use copper spray. i swapped out heads on my DA when i bent valves. cleaned off the old gasket then copper sprayed. traded the DA for my boys 4dr EG and he had no problems with it for a year then he sold it. so it can be done but you always run the risk of having it not seal.

 

you could go either way, but i'd say don't re use it just incase.... 500 miles isnt bad but thats alot of work you can save by just paying 70 bucks or so and get a new one while your ahead. your call.

 

it doesnt matter how many miles u use it for its a single use item only once its compressed it is no longer reusable.