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Head gasket upgrade

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#1
My car needs a new head gasket. The only upgraded head gaskets i can find are from the UK. Anyone know of any US retailers who sell thicker head gaskets?

Anything else i should be doing while i replace my head gaskets? I already have a set of head studs ready to go in.
 


Woods247

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#2
Subbed because I know I’ll have the same question eventually.
 


ron@whoosh

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#3
I have never been asked but do have easy access to the Athena head gaskets up to 80mm bore size for approx $149.99 + shipping
 


pwnall1337

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#7
My car needs a new head gasket. The only upgraded head gaskets i can find are from the UK. Anyone know of any US retailers who sell thicker head gaskets?

Anything else i should be doing while i replace my head gaskets? I already have a set of head studs ready to go in.
Hey there!

We can get the Athena gasket from the UK, however I'm going to recommend sticking with the Ford OEM head gasket. I'll be installing a brand new OE gasket on my engine here in a few weeks. In regards to you needing a new gasket, have you inspected the current gasket? If so how do the top of the cylinders look?
 


OP
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Thread Starter #8
Hey there!

We can get the Athena gasket from the UK, however I'm going to recommend sticking with the Ford OEM head gasket. I'll be installing a brand new OE gasket on my engine here in a few weeks. In regards to you needing a new gasket, have you inspected the current gasket? If so how do the top of the cylinders look?
Why do you recommend the stock gasket?

There is coolant coming out from the sides of my engine between the head and block.
 


pwnall1337

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#9
Why do you recommend the stock gasket?

There is coolant coming out from the sides of my engine between the head and block.
I recommend removing the gasket and inspecting the deck of the block to ensure that the top of the cylinders didn't shift, crack or warp. The leak may be due to the block itself as opposed to the failure of the gasket.
 


OP
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Thread Starter #10
I recommend removing the gasket and inspecting the deck of the block to ensure that the top of the cylinders didn't shift, crack or warp. The leak may be due to the block itself as opposed to the failure of the gasket.
Anyway to check this without taking it all apart?
 


Dpro

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#11
Anyway to check this without taking it all apart?
if your already is coolant leaking from the side of your engine between the head and the block then it should be taken apart already.

You can do a cylinder leak down test and of course a compression test.

Yet if I was in your shoes I would be pulling the head off for inspection or having Ford do it if your car is a 2016 or earlier and/ or under warranty.
 


OP
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Thread Starter #12
if your already is coolant leaking from the side of your engine between the head and the block then it should be taken apart already.

You can do a cylinder leak down test and of course a compression test.

Yet if I was in your shoes I would be pulling the head off for inspection or having Ford do it if your car is a 2016 or earlier and/ or under warranty.
not interested in having someone else pay for repairs that are my fault.. that doesn't fit well with me..
 


pwnall1337

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#13
not interested in having someone else pay for repairs that are my fault.. that doesn't fit well with me..
I would recommend just picking up a top gasket kit (includes head gasket) and when it comes time to do the swap, whomever is doing the swap have the deck and cylinders inspected. Worst case scenario I'll have a short block with 1,600 miles on it for sale in a few weeks, or you can swap in an ebay escape motor pretty cheap if the cylinders show sign of warping. Keep up updated and let us know what your findings are, if the gasket is the issue there will be scorching on the gasket and you'll be able to tell where it failed, but I don't think the gasket itself is the issue.
 


ron@whoosh

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#14
If you have moved cylinder sleeves in an open deck motor you'd have coolant in a cylinder, tons of smoke, and probably bent rods. That only really happens with high horsepower which I don't think is your issue here since I think most of us followed your build. You are still on the stock fuel system and well within the boundaries of the "safe zone" in terms of power production as long as the tune is on point.
a leak out the side of your head is probably a result of overheating / head warp. You may get away with cleaning up the head at a machine shop and a new gasket but your starting point will be disassembly as some have already stated
 


Dpro

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#15
not interested in having someone else pay for repairs that are my fault.. that doesn't fit well with me..


Well you did not give those details before or I missed that. I completely understand and agree d was not suggesting you take advantage of them.

Fact is there is a recall and people were having problems that were not their fault.
 


OP
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Thread Starter #16
If you have moved cylinder sleeves in an open deck motor you'd have coolant in a cylinder, tons of smoke, and probably bent rods. That only really happens with high horsepower which I don't think is your issue here since I think most of us followed your build. You are still on the stock fuel system and well within the boundaries of the "safe zone" in terms of power production as long as the tune is on point.
a leak out the side of your head is probably a result of overheating / head warp. You may get away with cleaning up the head at a machine shop and a new gasket but your starting point will be disassembly as some have already stated
Please cancel that Athena headgasket order. Im going to part out and fix the car in stock trim then sell.
 




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