In most builds you don't want to raise the compression ratio so you'll want one that's 1.37mm + whatever they cut from the block + whatever they cut from the head. You don't want them to take any more material off the block than necessary

Note that while metal head gaskets are VERY finicky about the deck surface and smoothness the HKS' Stopper HG (the one I suspect you're looking at) is the pain in the ass. I think it requires an RA finer than 18 or 15.... a lot of older shops can't produce this and if it's rougher than that it WILL blow.

Unless you're reusing a given MHG you want to read the MSDS of ANY chemical before you apply it to your block, head or HG.... Most gasket dressings contain chemicals which will cause the sealant coating which most MHGs already come with to crack, ripple, bluster, peel, or just turn to an easy to blow out liquid goop..... B A D. I'm a Hylomar fan myself; I know some of their products are safe for Viton and similar coatings but a lot of their products aren't be careful if you choose to add a sealer, it's a stupid reason to have to rebuild. I advise against it unless you have a really good reason for it... As I said, most MHGs already have a sealant on them anyway.

thanx again, for everything, I think i am goin to look for a nother engine and just strip it and build it slowly, so i can still drive mine during the process.
there is alot of N/A out here with good motors, last time I was on here about2yrs ago with my 7mge, somebody told me that there is no big difference between the engines besides the tubo set up? is this true>?

ill say this about the stuff i got on my gasket: its been on there for almost two month, and when i pulled it off, no problems with the gasket. it never truly dries, which i thought was interesting. its a pretty interesting product.

I know what gasket dressing it. I also know what chemicals are used in various ones out there. A lot of the dressings have solvents or bases which aren't compatible with one or more of the chemicals they're going to be in frequent contact with. There are a lot of good dressings which don't ever vulcanize, that's nothing new; Hylomar started in the late 1800's. Their famous "Hylomar Blue" was initially developed with Rolls Royce for use in jet turbines.... Just because it's an awesome product which does a great job at something doesn't mean it's going to save a 7M from its owner.

As for using dressing in place of proper block preparation as recommended by the manufacturer of the MHG.... Anyone's free to try it. I don't care what you do to your car, just know what you may be setting yourself up for and don't bluntly recommend that novices follow your lead. They're going to screw up enough stuff on their own as it is. (not that you were directly suggesting this course of action, just venting)

Ideally, if you're going to use your own coating on a MLS you should disassemble it (drill the rivets and separate the layers.... You can't disassemble all types of MLS HG), strip any coating it has already in place, apply your dressing to each layer and then reassemble the gasket. This is only something you really would bother with if you're reusing a gasket or you're certain you know better than the HG manufacturer (warranties be damned).



Codster, the differences have been listed here MANY times. Please do some of you own research and if you have questions thereafter ask. I don't mind repeating myself if it's something difficult to find or not common but I can't imagine you'd have any trouble finding posts detailing the differences in just a couple minutes (I know I've posted in more than a few such threads here). At any rate the GTE has a different intake cam, thermostat neck and housing, drilled oil drain and feed ports for the turbo with tapped holes for the flange, oil squirters, low C/R pistons, higher pressure oil pump, higher capacity fuel pump, oil cooler,the block is driller for TWO knock sensors in different locations than the GE's one, larger mechanical fan and an auxiliary electrical fan in front of the radiator, and pretty much a completely different electrical setup including: CPS instead of distributor, paired coil packs vs the GE's single coil, larger injectors, different type of air flow meter.... blah, blah, blah.