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MLS head gaskets

F

Five Reviver

Silver Level Sponsor
Hello all,
Has anyone had Cometic Gaskets or any other manufacturer custom make modern MLS head gaskets for our hard working Alpines?
Expensive, I should think, but might be a better bet.
David
 
F

Five Reviver

Silver Level Sponsor
I’ve partly answered my own question: called Cometic in Ohio, they don’t do them for Alpines . Tigers yes. They’d look for demand of some hundred or so per year before tooling.
 
DanR

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
They already have a demand for V8 Ford engines so that was apparently no big deal.

To do something for an Alpine would cost them.

Companies are looking for big returns quickly.

Seems to me a small investment for an item that "no one" else is doing could pay off.
 
F

Five Reviver

Silver Level Sponsor
Cometic has these patterns on file. Someone’s had them made in 2013 by the looks but for 84mm bore. They said they’d adjust for 82mm bore but I’m not sure if it would need changing. Any expert thoughts out there?

I think the one with the elongated holes for the welded crescent would be perfect, better than the round holes, eliminating error arising from position of holes drilled after welding.

Cometic can do them in copper in a wide range of thicknesses and in composite with fire rings in 0.43 or 0.59 thicknesses.

I’d like to try composite (one of each thickness, about 67 USD each) but I’ve just been quoted about 300 USD for freight to Australia. Ouch!
 
alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
The slotted holes allow more tolerance ...but basically bring back the same weakness of a stock gasket.. Long thin bridge areas next to the chamber... The holes in the block and head are slightly offset...or were on mine...so on my head we had one coolant passage hole elongated and it went over the top of that part of the gasket.

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F

Five Reviver

Silver Level Sponsor
What’s the gasket material? The connected fire rings are nicely webbed. I see that the crescents in the gasket are best avoided one way or another.
 
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