Cylinder Head Gaskets

Installing performance or custom head gaskets made with better materials than the OEM design creates a stronger seal that will prevent leaks in high compression, boosted, and nitrous applications. This greatly reduces the chances of head gasket failure that will result in the need for repair.

Using performance head gaskets for trucks and cars improves both engine reliability and longevity by providing a stronger barrier and seal. The amount of time before repairing head gaskets is also greatly increased with the use of higher quality materials and designs.

Cylinder head gaskets are seals that are located between the cylinder head and engine block. They keep engine coolant, oil, and combustion from leaking. Head gaskets can be made from different materials that range from fiber to copper. In high performance applications, stronger head gaskets are required to maintain sealing in engines using nitrous, high compression, and boost from superchargers and turbochargers that produce increased heat and pressure that can damage standard head gaskets.

In stock applications on late-model vehicles, cylinder head gaskets can last up to 200,000 miles in most cases. There are a variety of engine factors that can affect the longevity of cylinder head gaskets. Some of these include the engine application (street, race, towing, etc.), whether it has overheated, and the amount of preventative maintenance performed.

There are a variety of sources that can cause a head gasket to fail. Common reasons include engine overheating, defective gasket material or design, too much pressure from high engine compression, nitrous oxide systems, boost from superchargers or turbochargers, improper gasket installation, and more. Typical symptoms of damaged head gaskets include coolant in the oil, oil in the coolant, a sweet smell coming from the exhaust pipe(s) due to antifreeze leaking into the combustion chamber, and high engine temperature.