Hello all...I am building a H23 I installed the head gasket and torqued it down. Later to find that the cylinder head has a crack in it. My question is can I reuse the head gasket. The engine was never started. The head gasket is a Honda gasket. Any help would be apricated. Thanks in advance...

 

I would think so.

I just built a motor and torqued and removed my head about 10 times on the same gasket to check all the clearances so I would think yours would be just fine.

 

Once the head gasket has been torqued , its done. Replace it again or wait few weeks and have a blown HG then have to do it anyway. You decide.

 

once its been torqued it has been crushed and not meant to be used again, its like the crush washer on the oil pan, once crushed, it has been bent and shaped to fit the curves and imperfections at that specific point, removing it and then reinstalling it changes its location, and a part of the washer that was crushed and thin previously could end up at a point where it needs to be a bit thicker to seal correctly

so basically, its up to you, if you dont push the motor hard and keep it in otherwise extremely good condition and you already have it back together with the used gasket, give it a chance and hope it seals, but at the first sign of overheating or oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil or any other signs of a leak change it

if you push the motor, the motor is still pretty much apart, or you want to be safer than sorry, then get a new one and be done with it

 

damn, you guys really think so? I would think that the heat of the motor bonding the coating of the gasket to the head and block, and the heat relaxing the metal is what would make it unusable.

I guess to the OP, better to be on the safe side.