Which Head Gasket to use?

[97 STS]

Looking for input or suggestions on what brand of head gasket to use. Stock from GM, Cometic or something else?
97 N*.

[sipur]

go to http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/ and chek The $$

[submariner409]

Never used a Cometic gasket in a N*, but we use copper/stainless sandwich head gaskets in marine Olds 455 conversions and have never had a failure. Pricey but good insurance. One of our GM techs may have some experience with Cometic/N*.

[AJxtcman]

Originally Posted by 97 STS

Looking for input or suggestions on what brand of head gasket to use. Stock from GM, Cometic or something else?
97 N*.

I am aware of several people that have Cometic head gasket in Northstars. I have never had one in my hand yet. I have one of my customers that is in a current build. He said that he is going to apply some hylomar to parts of the gasket. The stock 3.6L head gasket are MLS and they have a coating on the gasket around the coolant passages. I think it is Teflon, but I was told that is the coating FelPro uses on the gaskets. I was told that about 20 years ago.

I honestly can't see if the block had Norm's inserts and this head gasket combination that it would ever fail again. I would seal the Case Halves up with the new procedure. It would cost less the $100 more. Then you would never leak oil or have a head gasket failure. You could pull the engine in 10 years and put it in another car.

The Big Timesert may work just as well as Norm's, but I have never had one in my hand. GM does not approve of either one.

[AJxtcman]

I forgot one thing

The 4.4L S/C Northstar uses a MLS type gasket.