Headgasket break in?

[tdurr]

well i was thinking, wtf am i driving like a bitch for 500 miles after my new headgasket? does it really need to be broken in or is it just a myth?

[HypnoToad]

i heard u should put paint thinner in ur gas for the 1st 500 miles..

[slostang]

i heard u should put paint thinner in ur gas for the 1st 500 miles..

i thought it was sugar? J/K...

[Hondatwin23]

Just do the miles.
And you rarely hear of myths when it come to automotives in regards to how to do things.

[Barefoot]

i heard u should put paint thinner in ur gas for the 1st 500 miles..

wtf


to op i have most people drive normal for the 500. come back for an oil change filter check and a compression test.

[tdurr]

Drive normal as in i can hit redline? lol.

[tdurr]

Just do the miles.
And you rarely hear of myths when it come to automotives in regards to how to do things.

um yea there are alot of myths. But i guess it would be more or less called the old school way of doing things. Like breaking in a motor. What way is the best? Driving it like you stole it or babying it for the first 100 miles?

[AnthonyF]

lol @ breaking in the head gasket. I have never even heard of that. lol. No, just drive the car like you always do.

-Ant.

[Tech5]

drive it normal or blow it up you decide!

[tdurr]

sweet. might hit redline tomorrow...

[afwfjustin]

Just go through a few heat cycles (sounds like you have) and then re-torque the head bolts. Oh, hope you checked the head for straightness before putting it back on

After that, drive it like you stole it.

[punkr6]

lol @ breaking in the head gasket. I have never even heard of that. lol. No, just drive the car like you always do.

-Ant.

x2, either it seals or it doesn't. Look at any type of race car and you will see them build motors and instantly run them to red line. if it leaks there is other issues... LOL at breaking in a gasket of any kind.

[tdurr]

Just go through a few heat cycles (sounds like you have) and then re-torque the head bolts. Oh, hope you checked the head for straightness before putting it back on

After that, drive it like you stole it.

thanks for that. yea i feel dumb now. i never really thought about it. then today i was like wait.. its a motha fucking gasket why in the hell would i need to break it in??

[SPOOLIN]

lol i was wondering how far that would go.

[Tech5]

lol...I say that you hit redline period and see how long it will run until it blows up!

[Tech5]

x2, either it seals or it doesn't. Look at any type of race car and you will see them build motors and instantly run them to red line. if it leaks there is other issues... LOL at breaking in a gasket of any kind.

BTW this isnt a race car its a OLD 86 accord so I would say he is better off driving it normal!

[OldsTech]

x2, either it seals or it doesn't. Look at any type of race car and you will see them build motors and instantly run them to red line. if it leaks there is other issues... LOL at breaking in a gasket of any kind.

The problem with using a race car as an example they rebuild the motor after each race anyway.

To be truthfully. 500 miles isn't alot. And I think the term break-in is being thrown out of portion here. I think it should be call preventive maintance (double checking after putting some good road mile before red lining it and really fu**in something up). So drive it 500 miles retorque your fasterns double check all your components that was removed and do and oil change ( get all that trash out especially before throwing some rpms). And as one poster said checking the CR wouldn't be a bad idea for piece of mind.

[RedEj8]

Head gaskets don't need to break in. It's going to seal once you torque the bolts. Head gaskets have no moving parts so wtf would break in? Like someone already said, do a re-torque after a few heat cycles and you'll be good as long as the head and block is flat. Is it a B20 this went in?

[punkr6]

BTW this isnt a race car its a OLD 86 accord so I would say he is better off driving it normal!

race car, street car, grocery getter, doesn't matter. How many young kids have you seen with new cars and zero miles bouncing the rev lemiter ? I've seen a lot. How many people buy new cars with zero miles and have the head re -torqued ? none. How many race motors are built useing oem gaskets and never get re -torqued or broken in ? plenty. How many times have you heard of a shop telling a customer to bring the car back for a re-torque or to drive it easy for a while ? I bet none.

If it makes you feel better to drive it easy for a said number of miles then go for it. But in reality you simply don't have to do it...and it will make no difference..

[punkr6]

The problem with using a race car as an example they rebuild the motor after each race anyway.

Umm No, top fuel dragsters rebuild after every pass. but most race cars race all day on new gaskets with zero break in...

[punkr6]

lol i was wondering how far that would go.

ain't over yet, jump in any time you're ready. . .

[AnthonyF]

^it is over. The answer is No.

-Ant.

[Cool Cat Racing]

Gaskets never require any break in. You can redline it hard once its warmed up the first time you drive it. If you use a MLS head gasket and good bolts there is no need to retorque them either. That's another myth brought about by old technology gaskets that would shrink. Besides that, proper torque settings are always in torque angles therefore making it impossible to check the torque after they're tightened. Lets not even get into all the myths about actual engine break in, that's an entire thread to itself.

[punkr6]

Gaskets never require any break in. You can redline it hard once its warmed up the first time you drive it. If you use a MLS head gasket and good bolts there is no need to retorque them either. That's another myth brought about by old technology gaskets that would shrink. Besides that, proper torque settings are always in torque angles therefore making it impossible to check the torque after they're tightened. Lets not even get into all the myths about actual engine break in, that's an entire thread to itself.

finially some logic, I was about to lose hope .... I can sleep now

[southside]

x2, either it seals or it doesn't. Look at any type of race car and you will see them build motors and instantly run them to red line. if it leaks there is other issues... LOL at breaking in a gasket of any kind.

True notice the four letters in red.When you have somthing you daily drive im sure you want to have it running correctly.So if you end up wanting to drive somewhere you dont end up being the guy on the side of 85N scratching his head.But race cars do just put things together and run it but they also take there motors apart and use new parts every race.Ex.Guy bought a nascar motor off ebay and in 4days the motor had blew.

[punkr6]

True notice the four letters in red.When you have somthing you daily drive im sure you want to have it running correctly.So if you end up wanting to drive somewhere you dont end up being the guy on the side of 85N scratching his head.But race cars do just put things together and run it but they also take there motors apart and use new parts every race.Ex.Guy bought a nascar motor off ebay and in 4days the motor had blew.

your sense makes none...

[AnthonyF]

So if you end up wanting to drive somewhere you dont end up being the guy on the side of 85N scratching his head.

What you trying to say? lol I liked it on the side of 85...all 6-10 times.lolol

-Ant.

[RedEj8]

With graphite head gaskets you pretty much have to retorque. A Supra 7mgte, mine for instance. I did a retorque after five or so heat cycles and all the nuts (head studs) were loose..as in not at the 80 ft/lbs I originally torqued them to..

This probably isnt as important with a Honda motor as the block and head are both aluminum but 7m's use a iron block and aluminum head and they are known for their blown head gaskets. And it really isn't as important with a MLS head gasket on most motors...But on a 7m it still is.

[DirtyMechanic]

Just go through a few heat cycles (sounds like you have) and then re-torque the head bolts. Oh, hope you checked the head for straightness before putting it back on

After that, drive it like you stole it.

im sorry WTF is this re-torquing shit. i have NEVER re-torqued head gaskets. other than that one time someone else built the motor and the head had signs of lift..?..... anyways... the point of TTY bolts is strech and clamping force. if you use the proper torque then angle or just torque. then it should not lift if you use new bolts or head studs. and if you have a staight deck on the block and had the head shaved. for some reason i dont really trust checked the head for straightness with a machined straight edge. i will the block because its less likely for a block to warp then the head. especaily if its cast iron. head warp all the time so if you HG goes get the head decked and check the block get new bolts up or up to studs and be done with it. none of this re-torque shit.

x2, either it seals or it doesn't. Look at any type of race car and you will see them build motors and instantly run them to red line. if it leaks there is other issues... LOL at breaking in a gasket of any kind.

exactly. wtf on re-torquing