Head gasket/bolt reusable?

[RabbitHoleSS]

I was gonna post this in the downfall of society thread but I didn't wanna shitpost Built6spdMCSS thread.
So im not poor, but I'm cheap. Should/can I reuse this head gasket N/A? And the head bolts, would you reuse them? They dont look that crooked.

Hypothetically ,if you were to reuse the gaskets how would you clean them up. What are they made of?

 

[79 USA 1]

Never built an LS but as far as I know the bolts are torque to yield, one time use. Head gaskets are one time use also but, then there are folks that enjoy a good game of "Russian Roulette".

 

[Streetbu]

Yes you can, spray it with brake clean, then a good coat of copper spray gasket. Don't over torque the bolts. Spend some time watching the Sloppy channel on YouTube. He's done it with great success.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

Clean the MLS Gasket and spray with Copper, the bolts should go as long as you don't over torque them.

It's been done, the bolt is still decent steel and by no means torqued to It's limit on the initial install.

 

[CopperNick]

. So, okay they can be re-used. Apart from Scrooge grade miserliness, WHY?? New OEM grade bolts and gaskets are available from the dealer and better quality components are as close as your nearest Indie Speed Shop or Aftermarket Parts Chain. As pointed out above, the stockers are one use and discard. If you were located out in Far West Bumque County, State of Near Total Isolation and the local mail was being delivered by a tortoise who had a side job match racing the local hares, then I'd say hey, do watcha gotta do, but even with having to use snail mail you can still go on line, order decent performance parts, and USPS Priority Post will deliver them. Recent example, needed a pair of rear shocks for Project Regress; ordered them from Summit and FedEx had them on my doorstep in less than a week, even with a border in the road and a weekend in the middle. Just my 1.5 cents.



Nick

 

[abbey castro]

Well, anything is possible, but since you are willing to risk a head gasket leaking go ahead, you're the one that's doing the work. Felpro start around 25.00 with GM from 56.00 up depending on the source. Don't ask if you can use the same bearings with just a wipe of # 0000 steel wool to just clean them up! Good Luck and let us know.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

Don't ask if you can use the same bearings with just a wipe of # 0000 steel wool to just clean them up!

That's how you polish a Crank..

 

[abbey castro]

That's how you polish a Crank..

Back in the late 60s: My cousin had a 63 Chevy 283 that spun a rod bearing. He had another 283 with a hole on the side. We took one piston w/rod and bearing out of it. Then used wet sandpaper wrapped around the crank journal with string around it to move it back and forth and "cleaned "the scarring on it. No plasti-gage even, put rod and bearing back in, sealed the bottom with plenty of Permatex, put in the old oil we took out and ran it. As I remember the fix outlasted the Power Glide from when we did Neutral Starts in order to spin the one tire! Oh, those were the days my friend!

 

[RabbitHoleSS]

Thanks for replies, I know it seems like a dumb question but where do you draw the line on replacing good enough stuff because your "already there" or "do it right the first time, dummy"?
Well I found the line lol, for this scenario anyway.
The gaskets looked a little rough(like s#/+) after I cleaned the first 1. It had rust lodged in spots and probably a crack on the corner. I ordered some felpro gaskets on Amazon they were 36$ a side. At my local oreilly they were 80.99 a side. Seems like a big difference.
Definitely using the bolts though. I was able to bust them loose with 3/8 ratchet fairly easy. I think Built6spdMCSS is right. I don't think they were torqued to yielding from the factory. I'll just follow the gm procedure.

Well, anything is possible, but since you are willing to risk a head gasket leaking go ahead, you're the one that's doing the work. Felpro start around 25.00 with GM from 56.00 up depending on the source. Don't ask if you can use the same bearings with just a wipe of # 0000 steel wool to just clean them up! Good Luck and let us know.

I will also not be looking at the main or rod bearings. But it didn't knock before so hopefully it doesn’t knock now. 🤞

 

[abbey castro]

The difference between where do you stop replacing parts and not replacing parts is how much do you owe your credit cards or how much is there in the bank? That is why so many garages have great cars to restore/fix being used as shelves; they ran out of both will and money, hard to tell which one 1st, I would say $$$$