When i have my cams installed, i will also be installing new valve springs. My head will be coming off, so is this a good time to buy an aftermarket head gasket? My only question is because i was wanting to raise my compression without messing with my bottom end. I heard that milling the head isn't good and that you'll run into problems in the long run, is that the same with going with an aftermarket head gasket?

 

Mill the head and don't worry! It's the most inexpensive way to raise your compression with stock internals. Roger Foo has done it in his Civic and beat up all those BMW's and Type Rs in Laguna Seca last August with an 1.6 95 Civic DX and his car never missed a beat.

 

Yea i would agree, just mill the head. Aftermarket headgaskets will work even separtating ur stock head headgasket would raise ur compression a little but, it's a lot easier just to mill a little off the head.

 

Just keep in mind that although it's easier to just go mill the head, the headgasket approach is reversable. You can't go back to stock compression if you mill the head (unless you get a whole new head) unlike just swapping out the head gasket.

 

Ummm, Actually you can just get a thicker than stock head gasket, like the ones used to lower compression for turbo applications. In that sense, it is reversible and easy to get back to stock compression after milling the head.

 

Once you go with a thinner head gasket,are you risking damaging the motor after time?I would like to go with a thinner head gasket,ITR intake cam/w springs retainers,and cam gears tuned.With all this i still want to get my reliable 100k out of my motor.Someone told me once thats done you have to run premium fuel or your risking detonation,has anyone been told this,or is this just bs here say.

 

In my experience, a good quality thinner head gasket does not diminish a motor's reliability (even up to 100K). With the set-up that you had mentioned, there are no piston to valve clearance issues that I can see. You could even run a milled head (15-20 thou) along with a thinner head gasket and the Type-R cams and still not encounter diminished reliability from your motor.

Unless you're running high compression pistons (i.e. 12:1 and up), and or, aggressive cams (i.e. Toda Spec B/C's), piston to valve clearance or detonation should not be a problem. For the aforementioned set-up, premium gas is a must.

A thinner head gasket alone does not warrant the exclusive use of Sunoco Ultra 94. By the same token, don't go run out and use 87 octane either. I would recommend a Spoon or Mugen head gasket. I've used the Mugen head gasket and have no complaints. I don't think it actually raises compression to any significant degree, but it might help a little.



[Modified by 35mugen, 4:09 PM 1/9/2002]

 

Thanks for the advice,because i wanted to be safe,at the same time its not easy to kill b18c,so i had mixed feelings.