I am about to install some Edelbrock RPM heads.
I purchased two types of head gasket as follows;

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku
0.020 Mr Gasket Copper 5cc
and
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku
0.041 FelPro 10cc

I was thinking to use the thinner gasket to bump the compression a bit. But if it
came to a choice between reliability and compression I am more interested in reliability,
ie the gasket not leaking.

Any recommendations on which is best and why appreciated.

Jav

 

IMO go with the Fel-Pro gaskets..... I know these work great over the short term and the long term.

It is my understanding that the copper head gasket are primarily made for race use and may not be suitable for long term use on a street vehicle.

I might be wrong, but it would suck to have seepage issues a couple of years from now.

If I were trying to gain some compression I would more likely go with the steel factory style thin gasket before experimenting with the copper...

I can't say I am for sure right about the copper, but I seem to remember hearing that they may seep after a while.... and that their primary benefit is that they are re-usable, a real benefit for racers who make frequent rebuilds but no so much of an advantage for street cars.

<<< Duh,,,, I looked at your links after posting, the copper ones look like the stock gaskets,,,, so disregard almost all of my post except that I know the Fel-Pro gaskets are good.... I was thinking about a whole different type of copper gasket.... >>

 

I'd go with the Fel Pro one for reliability. Others will chime in .......

 

an MLS gasket can be great, so long as its got silicon printing around the water passageways. if not, i'd stick with a "normal" gasket unless your building something for the strip you plan on tearing down once in a while.

 

I just put some Mr. Gasket MLS head gaskets on my car when I did a head change. I went with these over Felpro because I am also running under boost. If you plan on adding a blower, turbo or nitrous in the future go with MLS. I would go with Felpro if my car wasn't boosted though. I paid about $80 each for the head gaskets. I don't plan on taking my engine apart regularly but my gaskets are reusable.

 

Fel-Pro does make thinner gaskets for many engines, if you want to go that route. Not as thin as those copper gaskets, but I want to say I had an option of .039" instead of .042" or something.

 

FelPro Performancedoes make a .039 and a .040 version for the 351W because is just order one set of each.

 

Will go with the Fel-Pro then. I checked and the set I bough is the .039
set not the .041 I provided the link for.

Thanks all.... [sm=smiley20.gif]

Jav