Do I Need To Upgrade My Headgasket?

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

Hi all,

heres a quick reminder of my car :

gti6 engine fitted with lynx low boost supercharger kit.

 

I have the engine in bits and am just gathering parts for its rebuild.

Would it be a good idea to fit an upgraded headgasket? If so which make do people recommend, cost and were can I get one from.

 

For the time being I will be keeping it low boost but possible in the future will fit a stand alone ecu which can be mapped better than the standard ecu.

If I do go slightly higher boost is there anything I need to do to the bottom end to increase its life span a bit?

I am putting new bearings in so I think thats a good start.

 

 

thanks

Jamie

[welshpug 1,661]

standard one should suffice as it is a MLS item and cheaper from a dealer than anywhere else especially for the quality and fit.

Edited September 3, 2012 by welshpug

[mang 3]

The guy who sells uprated gasket around by me sells them for £90

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

It is sensible to put a strong HG in when it is apart. I did this on my CTI with a Spesso one and it has not caused me any issues.

 

Also with the head bolts being stretch ones, they are not reusable so it is a false economy to be putting a cheap one on IMHO

[welshpug 1,661]

They arent stretch bolts on iron block xu, only on the alloy block.

 

I cant see how a £90 aftermarket mls gasket is better than the o.e £40 mls gasket.

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

Don't lynx supply a fancy a pants MLS head gasket anymore? I seem to remember everyone going mad for them on the gti6 forum.

[Emmy Seize 8]

They arent stretch bolts on iron block xu, only on the alloy block.

 

But they obviously do stretch, as the engine manual for the RFS tells you to measure the bolts' length before re-using them.

Once past a certain length, you're supposed to change them.

 

I cant see how a £90 aftermarket mls gasket is better than the o.e £40 mls gasket.

 

Neither can I.

If you look at the Peugeot MLS and the 'uprated' item side by side, there is no visible difference.

 

Besides, it might not be the the best idea to use an MLS gasket on a wet-linered block as MLS gaskets tend to be a lot less forgiving

when it comes to leveling tolerances.

[welshpug 1,661]

Indeed, but jamie has an rfs with rotrex I wasnt saying you shouldnt replace the bolts, at £18 a set.

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

Thanks guys, so should I change the head bolts aswell?

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Depends how old they are by sounds of things, though they are cheaper than I thought for an iron block so it might be a no brainer.

[ydoidoit 1 1 Cars]

I got an uprated one from Rich_W on the 306 gti forum who works at Lynx. Was only about £85 and they use them on 400bhp engines. Might be more expensive than a standard MLS, but cheaper than a standard gasket +head bolts+head skim if the standard one fails!

[allye 530 3 Cars]

is there anything I need to do to the bottom end to increase its life span a bit?

I am putting new bearings in so I think thats a good start.

 

If your going higher boost you'll need forged pistons and con rods,

 

http://www.lynxpowerengineering.co.uk/HighBoost.pdf