Reuse head gasket after 250miles

[K7ERG]

Whats the thoughs on using a head gasket after 250miles?
Not the best practice i know but i need to get the engine back together ASAP. The head gasket i have on the car at the moment is the 034 motorsport lower compresion item. This will take some time to come from the US.

I know some people use 2 standard 20v turbo gaskets but do the rivets get removed?

[PeteRR]

Personally I wouldn't re-use it.
It's not so much the mileage covered, but the fact that it's already been 'compressed' by fitting it. It wouldn't seal as well if used again.

[Rusty]

With the cost of a metal one of std thickness at £30 or so it seems silly to risk any damage. Just have to run less boost until you can get anothe low compression item.

[AUDIS2avant]

Ehh dont you guys check the headsurface if it´s straight aso??
Normal practice is that everytime you take the head off you have to get it machined, otherwise it will be a waste of headgasket, as an aluminum head works a lot, so first time a new headgasket is fitted, and engine has been to normal working temp, it has "adapted" to the surface and headgasket.
This is normal on cossie engines btw

[goodall]

is the gasket bit crinkled or still flat?

as said above case of temperature, if the head was torqued down and you remember youd forgotten the pistons, i cant think of many other reasons need take straight back off, then be ok, but if its run you might have bother.

if engine didnt get serious hot any point in the 250miles, id,
get a block of straight wood and some 600 grit paper used wet over the gasket and head and bolt it down (after cleaning)...

[Flat on my back]

is the gasket bit crinkled or still flat?

as said above case of temperature, if the head was torqued down and you remember youd forgotten the pistons, i cant think of many other reasons need take straight back off, then be ok, but if its run you might have bother.

if engine didnt get serious hot any point in the 250miles, id,
get a block of straight wood and some 600 grit paper used wet over the gasket and head and bolt it down (after cleaning)...

Pardon...

[Knight Rider S4]

is the gasket bit crinkled or still flat?

as said above case of temperature, if the head was torqued down and you remember youd forgotten the pistons, i cant think of many other reasons need take straight back off, then be ok, but if its run you might have bother.

if engine didnt get serious hot any point in the 250miles, id,
get a block of straight wood and some 600 grit paper used wet over the gasket and head and bolt it down (after cleaning)...

Is it the 1st April

[K7ERG]

will just have to get a new 034 item then. No point in running low boost and then having to remove the head again to put the lower compression one on. Just a though to save money.

[goodall]

what he asked if could be reused and it can, just not very kosher
i wouldent, i know people who reuse intake gaskets, that i have even told when they were doing the work to get new gaskets, then few weeks later ask me why not running right

its perfectly fine flatten the head back abit.
how use be done on a older iron head-ed engine if just doing gasket change, that wasn't caused by over heating, therefore not distorted
i was also guessing its a multi-layer steel gasket, so no issue flatten it down imho
just dont go mad, a few passes

maybe should be asked why do you have the head of so soon after putting it on

[Flat on my back]

.

will just have to get a new 034 item then. No point in running low boost and then having to remove the head again to put the lower compression one on. Just a though to save money.

Use the old gasket as a template to determine the proper layer construction...and see if peeps on here have got any spare MLS ones around.

That's if you feel ok with making your own from 2 MLS gaskets.

May have one spare if you say 'pretty polly please'...

May be the time to consider machining the pistons to get the CR you want?

Best of luck.

[K7ERG]

the reason for removing the head is i believe a valve or valve spring has failed. So will have to get it off to see what is what.