reusing a head gasket?

[billy_bob]

i bought the Mopar Performance P4529242 mls head gasket and i just wanted to see if id be able to reuse it after i take the head off. i hadnt run it very much just down the street and a couple start up to let it run, altogether not even 30 min. of run time.
i half to pull my cam out to see if the lobes are flat and im not looken to spend any more money on stuff i have and havent really used.

[fishtaconc]

Once a hg has been torqued its shot, too much at stake to reuse a head gasket.

[SilverXJ]

I've heard of people reusing a head gasket after it has been installed but not after it was run except if it was an emergency.

If you don't want to take the head gasket off you could drop the oil pan and look at the cam... not much good for measurements. Your other option is to remove the engine, put it on an engine stand, put it upside down, loosen the rockers enough for the lifters to clear the cam (they will then rest on the pushrods) and remove the cam that way. Just don't rotate the engine back over.

[jcsj]

some of the people on speedtalk talked about useing the mls over several times, they take them apart clean them and spray with mopar head gasket sealant.I'm sure some sort of race engine not something with a million miles. Lots of information on mls head gaskets there.

[IH 392]

I've reused solid copper head gaskets, but I wouldn't reuse a composition one.

[5-90]

The only head gaskets I've seen reused were stamped copper jobs - and they still prefer to be annealed and coated with that "Spray Copper Sealant" you can find.

Composition gaskets? Reusing them is simply buying trouble. Why buy trouble when you get enough for free? Believe me, a new head gasket is cheaper than a redo job - even if you do it yourself!

[billy_bob]

yah i might as well buy a new one. i was hopen to throw my stock cam and lifters in it and drive it but as much work a blown head gasket can cause id rather get a new one

[gradon]

What makes you think the cam is flat after 30 minutes?

[amcinstaller]

What makes you think the cam is flat after 30 minutes?

thats what i was thinking. couldnt you just pull the valve cover and check to see movement of the rocker arms? i wouldnt run it to that of course, but at least crank by hand or starter motor.

[billy_bob]

well im not fully sure, but what ive been reading my symptoms relate. it all started when i missaligned my cam sproket with the crank and started cranking on it trying to figure out the cause of why it wouldn't start. this went on for two days as i went threw everything, indexing the distributer, testing sensors, losing hope and just cranking on it hopen magicly it started ect... i figure out during a compression test that my cam must not be aligned right, i opend it up frixed it cursed myself a lil and it fired right up, but ran bad. i reved it to 2000 rpm like its says, and it didnt feel really like a full misfire but running real rough. I took it out for a drive and it runs rough, hesitates, stall on me sometimes when i come to a stop, no power, and after i drove it i could hear some of my rockers ticking a little. i need to pull the valve cover off and watch the rockers, it got dark before i could. ive switched tps, coil, map and mat with spares i had and still same thing. one thing when i pulled my plugs this morning the side electrode seemed to start looking ranbow kinda like wrong heat range plug. i wouldnt think that would do it though. also had what seem to be some metal shavings in the oil.

my set up
90 block, kb944 .060, 94 head, 94 rods, new stock push rods, stock rockers, comp 68-239-4 and lifters kit, mopar springs 5249464, and late modle 258 crank.

[billy_bob]

http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewt ... t=stalling this is very similar to whats happening to me, it ended up being the cam thats why i was leaning that way

[SilverXJ]

All I had to do was drop the oil pan. There were metal fragments visible on the oil pan and crank case walls.

[billy_bob]

whats the best way to flush that out, would i be able to do it with out taken the motor out? i can pull a cam out where its at now, but i wouldnt be able to pull the motor till i get another project out of my storeroom in a month or so

[SilverXJ]

I removed the engine and cleaned it with brake cleaner and kerosene.

It varies on how bad it is.

[billy_bob]

i took off my valve cover and cranked the engine while watching the valves. all them looked normal, they went all the way down where they needed to go it seemed. im confused now.
i tryed messing with my distributor to make sure it was in right. just to make sure im doing it right, i cut off the ears on the distributor and used the hold down clamp from the 258. i put the engine at TDC and drop the distributor in at the 4 oclock position which ended in the 5 oclock position, then turned the distributor by hand till the engine started, then turned it to the best runnign spot. that sound like a sound drop in procedure