1990 non turbo headgasket

[enginehouse]

Originally Posted by MJG

I would not go so far as to say installing a MLS in the 7MGE is a waste of money. Over kill, perhaps.
As CRE pointed out, the stock gasket is a fixed thickness. Properly preparing the head and or block, in any head gasket replacement, is a must.
I think too many people see a head gasket replacement as a remove & replace of the gasket alone. Once you shave the head, (depending how much is removed) You will most likely require a thicker head gasket.
Cometic, HKS, Greddy, to name a few, make numerous gaskets with various thicknes and bore dimensions.
If you invest the time and money into the proper install of a MLS head gasket, in a 7MGE, it will out last the car.

what exactly is a MLS gasket? sorry to sound naive. thanks again for the help so far

[cre]

MLS = Multi-Layer Steel You have one in between the throttle body and the Y pipe if you want an example. The MLS HG will have 3 or more layers. Usually there's a "shim" in the center, its thickness is varied to change the thickness of the gasket; And one thin gasket layer on each side of the shim with corrugations to provide the extra sealing force around areas such as the coolant jackets.

This is not the only type of metal head gaskets... another popular type (especially among pro racing builders) is the solid copper shim. It's a single layer of copper... just like the MLS it has its ups and downs. EDIT: One of the cons is that the copper HG is far less forgiving of warpage and can deteriorate far more quickly under certain circumstances... BUT they're less likely to leak as there aren't multiple layers which may fail; They're more forgiving of rough cut decks; They also offer much better heat transfer.