Does any store stock the LD9 w/o EGR .030" Cometic head gasket? Anyone have one for sale?
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Cometic makes ALL gaskets to order and takes about 1 week to ship.
-Aaron
www.TurboTechRacing.com
Performance Parts For Cavalier, Sunfire, Cobalts and More!!!
I know, but no store like you ever buys a couple just to have around?
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Most have so many options that you cannot stock all the options. They are all special made per order, it is how cometic sets it up, and all companies follow this.
-Aaron
www.TurboTechRacing.com
Performance Parts For Cavalier, Sunfire, Cobalts and More!!!
Alright. After cancelling my order I placed on 9/01 through Jeg's learning that it would be shipped out on 9/20, I ordered direct from Cometic today and it will ship in 3 days. Much quicker.
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Doubt they will follow through and ship in 3 days, but you will see it ship in about 5 business days...
-Aaron
www.TurboTechRacing.com
Performance Parts For Cavalier, Sunfire, Cobalts and More!!!
Hopefully they make it right. Last time i ordered 2 from them, they both leaked.
^^^ were you 150% sure both ur surfaces were true?
I feel like taking a tinkle on an ecNOtec...
When it leaked from between the layers and not the gasket and block or head, I am confident that the surfaces were done right. I find it odd that the first one sealed even though the surfaces were not correct yet the two that I purchased later (at the same time) did not seal between the layers even with the correct surface finish. The problem was with sealing between layers with the last two. Copper spray on both surfaces of each layer did the trick.
Just my personal experience with Cometic. If I ever buy another new one (reused a couple, with copper spray on them) it will have the rivets removed and copper sprayed before it even sees the engine.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Sunday, September 12, 2010 12:58 PM
Did you torque it to 90 lb-ft with ARP hardware like the other successful users of the gasket? That's what I'll be doing. Both of my surfaces have been prepped to the proper RA.
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
mitdr774 wrote:When it leaked from between the layers and not the gasket and block or head, I am confident that the surfaces were done right.
You don't think it's possible for fluid to come through the layers if your head wasn't torqued down properly enough or your surfaces were curvy? I'm also curious how you were able to tell that coolant ONLY leaked through the middle layers when you pulled off the head? You convinced me not to use the MLS gasket before, and it has been my mistake twice.
The shop that did the prep (D&S Engine Specialists) builds factory and performance engines all day, every day, and uses Cometic in the majority of their applications without a single issue as long as the engine has studs and is torqued down. They have significant experience with the LD9 and previous variants, and are confident in the usage of the MLS on my application, so I am as well.
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
D&S did my engine surfacing for that motor. They knew I would be using a MLS. Cometic warned against going over 75 ft-lbs so I didnt. It leaked. 85 ft-lbs and it still leaked. 85 and copper spray sealed the bastard. I could visibly see where the coolant was leaking from without taking a damn part off the engine. When I drained the cooling system and pulled the head there was no signs of coolant on the surfaces that mated to the head or block, yet between the layers were full of coolant. I find it odd that my very first one didnt leak at all even with a completely un prepped head or block, yet the two ordered at a later date would not seal even with a properly preped head and block.
I switched to a stock GM gasket and had no isses with any leaks. I will never use a Fel Pro head gasket in any vehicle I own, they leak way to often. Did you use studs with a stock graphite gasket? Several people on this forum have had great sucess with a stock graphite gasket.
i switched from the cometic to the GM but only because i had clearance issues... .030 was too small... .070 was counter productive since stock is .046 ... so i went stock
BIG BUMP
Just exhausting my options before ordering direct, but does anyone have a stock bore LD9 Cometic gasket laying around?
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Mixed opinions on D&S good thing I have a guy with a fly cutter for this!
jason norwood wrote:Mixed opinions on D&S good thing I have a guy with a fly cutter for this!
D&S does amazing work... I don't see where you're getting mixed opinions from.
My recent failure was my fault. I
knew it would happen, and expected it. I put the engine back together without having the head surfaced properly, it had grooves around the cylinder sealing area.. it lasted long though and worked well, until I stupidly did a full-cold engine wide open throttle pull...
This time I'm having D&S cut it and will be using copper spray.
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
This is how it should've looked:
This is how it looked when I put it back together the last time:
My fault. If it was mirror finish + copper spray, it would last. My full-cold WOT pull to show off to a co-worker @!#$ it up though. I was surprised it lasted as long as it did with that scoring on it.. it ran perfectly fine untiI did the cold engine BS..
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
You could use a SCE Titan headgasket, but it is alt least a 3 week lead time as they are made to order.
Jason
99 Z24
LG0/LD9 for Life
10 Year Bash Veteren
I don't really feel like re-torquing every oil change though.
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Has anyone ever used the .051 cometic? I just bought one last week thinking it would be a happy medium between the .030 and .074
2004 Cavalier Sedan
I'm sure it would be. Stock is .046" so it's the closest to stock height. I'll be using .074" this time..
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
-Z Yaaaa- wrote:huh? why would you have to do this...?
I was under the impression that SCE made copper gaskets.
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
