[Jromaine87]

So I am building a 535
4.350 bore tiger heads

I plan on using the cometic 3 piece head gaskets. Spraying them with copper gasket spray as well

Has anyone ever put a small piece of copper wire in between the two exhaust ports in the center the strengthen it up a tad? Curious of what to do and not to do. Thanks.


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[mgarblik]

Talking to Cometic directly, they are pretty emphatic about installing their gaskets clean and dry, no sealer of any type. When pushed about using copper coat or similar sealer sprays, they will only say, "we don't feel it's necessary nor do we recommend it". Pushed further, they said, "we have not evaluated the effect of any sealers. They will likely not help or hurt the sealing envelop of the gasket". They make a really big deal of verifying the RA of the block is smooth enough for a MLS gasket. Using a crutch like copper wire to help seal a MLS gasket doesn't seem like a productive exercise. The raised stampings on the MLS gasket are designed to isolate and produce more clamping load around the cylinders and water holes. Personally, if your planning to make over 2000 HP, I would use dead soft copper gaskets and a SS wire ring combination for a head gasket. That would be paired with 9/16" head studs to get the high clamp load needed. BTW, the Tiger heads have an option to machine out a section of head between the center two exhaust valves and install a copper based insert to help in that particular area. That is an entire process and not just a copper ring. You might want to talk to Frank, Bob, or Butler about having that done in very high HP applications.

[blueghoast]

I never used cooper on my cometics until the fifth time.
Not a problem with them at all.

GT

[turbo69bird]

Use Hylomar M forget everything else. It’s always how I install a Cometic . I’ve seen so many people weep water without it. The copper spray is no comparison to hylomar M trust me buy a tube get some on your hands or anything else for that matter and you’ll understand lmao. I did an engine In my jet ski got a small spot on the hull it’s been there for 6 years through repeated washing w strong chemicals, scrubbing, salt water for hours at a time. It’s like a living organism lmao

I have cosmetics on everything MY MGA Boat engines , jet skis all have hylomar M on them .all held up well. And I dont polish the surfaces to a mirror.

[JD]

I run Cometics on my 535 dry with a decent amount of nitrous and don't have any issues. I usually change them out after 40 or 50 passes though. Up this point the maintenance has been associated with new pistons but I am hoping to do a better job of tunning.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by turbo69bird

Use Hylomar M forget everything else. It’s always how I install a Cometic . I’ve seen so many people weep water without it. The copper spray is no comparison to hylomar M trust me buy a tube get some on your hands or anything else for that matter and you’ll understand lmao. I did an engine In my jet ski got a small spot on the hull it’s been there for 6 years through repeated washing w strong chemicals, scrubbing, salt water for hours at a time. It’s like a living organism lmao

I have cosmetics on everything MY MGA Boat engines , jet skis all have hylomar M on them .all held up well. And I dont polish the surfaces to a mirror.

Hylomar is great stuff. We used the snot out of it in aircraft maintenance.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Talking to Cometic directly, they are pretty emphatic about installing their gaskets clean and dry, no sealer of any type. When pushed about using copper coat or similar sealer sprays, they will only say, "we don't feel it's necessary nor do we recommend it". Pushed further, they said, "we have not evaluated the effect of any sealers. They will likely not help or hurt the sealing envelop of the gasket". They make a really big deal of verifying the RA of the block is smooth enough for a MLS gasket. Using a crutch like copper wire to help seal a MLS gasket doesn't seem like a productive exercise. The raised stampings on the MLS gasket are designed to isolate and produce more clamping load around the cylinders and water holes. Personally, if your planning to make over 2000 HP, I would use dead soft copper gaskets and a SS wire ring combination for a head gasket. That would be paired with 9/16" head studs to get the high clamp load needed. BTW, the Tiger heads have an option to machine out a section of head between the center two exhaust valves and install a copper based insert to help in that particular area. That is an entire process and not just a copper ring. You might want to talk to Frank, Bob, or Butler about having that done in very high HP applications.

X 2, Mike. Block deck RA and head deck RA are critical in getting Cometic gaskets to seal properly. The MLS gaskets of theirs that I have used have never failed, as long as the RA requirements are met.