My head lifted, I have now ripped the motor apart and will be getting it o-ringed.

I will be using Copper wire, and stay with an MLS gasket.

The question is, do you also cut receiver grooves into the head? Or just the groove in the top of the sleeve for the o-ring?

 

mine only has a grove in the sleeves

 

General convention seems to be in the block. We had a head o-ringed one time and didn't have any issues with it though. But you can't cut both.

 

Just a groove in the block works great.

 

Cool, I used to work @ a machine shop and all of the domestic motors we did used a copper gasket, the o-ring would go on the block, then copper gasket, then there was a groove in the head for it to push up into.

I didnt think this would work to well with an MLS gasket though..

 

Depends on the wire being used, if you use copper you just cut the groove in the sleeve, if you use a harder metal you will need a reciever groove too. Use an OEM gasket if you go the copper/sleeve route.

Why did your head lift?

 

Just the block for the oring and get some L19 studs and u will be good

 

Because I was a retard and loosend each head stud off one at a time to re-tork them...

I know I will probably be fine just replacing the gasket, but i figured if i have it apart ill do it right...

I am having o-ring grooves cut, head and deck re-surfaced, using the GE copper wire, New GE head studs, and new Cometic gasket (only because I already have it). I am also thinking of putting new rings in while im @ it and getting the block honed.

 

You will probably have problems with the Cometic Gasket and the O-Rings... just spend the $100 and get the right gasket or you will be doing this all over again.

 

If i was you i would just use a copper head gasket they are much more forgiving and they are re-usable if ya ever need to pull the head. A lot of huge power v-8 motors run copper head gaskets with o-rings i would not suggest using a mls gasket with a o-ring'd setup. I am in the process of putting a o-ring the the head with a copper gasket and leaving the block alone with no reciever groove. I ran it that way with my built single cam a couple years ago with zero issues on 25 lbs with a 72mm turbonetics and 100 shot of nitrous too but if its apart i would put a reciever groove in the motor i just had good luck with it this way and it worked and worst case if it doesnt work this time aroung a groove is easy to put in later. My copper gasket for my single cam was 90 bucks shipped and my copper gasket for my Sleeved 84mm gsr was only 80 bucks actually cheaper than mls and better imo

 

96 GSR-T Had the right answer for you! Copper O-ring on block and Oem Headgasket!

 

either o-ring just the sleeves and use copper wire or just get it step decked. probably why the head lifted in the first place.

 

So from what ive read your supposed to use either an oem gasket or copper gasket... which is correct for 81mm w/ no major decking done?

 

just want to ride into this...

whats up with orings and cometic gaskets?

ill be using this combo in a few days... now im worried...

 

What engine and what bore are you running? What power goals? Just based on what I've seen the closer to stock bore the more seal surface you have and less need for the whole oring thing. If anything just step-deck it.