head gasket question

[lilpoppy]

One of the valve cover blots stripped out on me and It happens to be one that goes all the way down to the cylinder. My question is if I pull the head off do I need to get another gasket because I just replaced it.

Next question. I'm running a 416 and I had a commetic gasket that put me at 11:1 compression. I blew a head gasket in the middle of Pismo beach and my only option was to replace it with a stock honda gasket. I'm told that because the diameter of the gasket is smaller than the bore it will lower my compression. So does anyone have any idea what compression I might be running with the stock gasket? It seems to be running faster now with the stock gasket than it ever did with the commetic gasket.

[UglyMotha™]

well you shouldn't have to replace the head gasket since it's and oem and it's steel i've pulled my head several times now and still on the same gasket also there's no such thing as a 416 gasket the cometic gasket you were using was for a stock bore and your compression is probably a little higher now with the stock specially if you were using the paper version cometic gasket the oem is quite abit thinner, the best thing you can do is stick with the oem

[lilpoppy]

Ok I plan on fixing the problem with a heli coil and I'm sure I will have to remove the head to do this so am I gonna have to retorque the head after riding a few hours or should it hold?

[UglyMotha™]

nope not with a steel gasket all it needs to be is torqued the one time and your good to go, it's not like using the paper head gasket

[lilpoppy]

Actually that is exactily what worries me. I didn't use the paper commetic gasket and when I pulled the engine apart from the gasket blowing one of the head bolts was pretty lose.

[UglyMotha™]

well it doesn't hurt to retorque after break-in do whatever makes you feel more comfortable i've never once had a problem with the oem's blowing so it could be just a cometic thing so who knows, i know they tend to go real easy anyways even if you do retorque it

[pnut420]

I thought you pulled a stud. No matter what gasket you have it is going to blow if the stud doesny hold. If you get the FDO studs you will be good to go. But OEM is the way to go.