If you havent replaced your head gasket, DO IT. Mine wasn't leaking very bad when I pulled it off, but what I found when I looked at the block made me wanna barf. The gasket had actually deformed so that it was blocking a lot of the area in the water jackets and also some of the oil jackets as well. I will have pictures of it soon so you can see what I am talking about, but its baaaaad. I'm surprised I wasnt overheating all the time. I'm also wondering if the restriction in the oil jackets is what caused all the blow-by I was beginning to get since the oil couldnt drain properly from the head...

On a positive note, after 92000 miles, 12000 of which were turbo'd, the block looked almost immaculate. I also ran 12 psi on it for a week before I pulled it out. There was no visible wear in 3 of the cylinder walls and only extremely slight vertical lines in cylinder #4. You could still see the factory swirl marks in all of the cylinders. I have yet to tear that block down to look at the guts, but when I do, I'll let you know how it looks.

I should have my head back today from getting the valve job, I got the right clutch and flywheel in the mail yesterday, and I should have my intake mani back today or tomorrow with the bosses welded in. If all goes well, then I should have it up and running on sunday... *keeping fingers x'd*

hey are u running on stock internals...
im planing on boostin in a year or so my car has 143000 maybe by then it will have 17000 shoul i rebuild...

Check your compression numbers first. If they are all 170+, then I say boost it. If not, then you may want to just rebuild it at the same time. Regardless of the compression numbers, I would strongly recommend that you change the head gasket to the new MLS gasket before you boost, and with those kind of miles, you should also probably get a valve job done while its out as well.

B.T.W. I have been boosting on completely stock internals up to this point.

I ran my 95 (built in Dec. of 94) boosted at 8.5psi for 8 months no zero HG issues. The thing was still in perfect condition when the #2 piston went and when the head came off.

I will take pics of mine tonight( I got the head off last night)...it is a 95 also. No visible wear on cyl walls at all. head gasket was in good shape boosted for about a week with one bad cyl. I am a 99000 miles.

This is obviously the old block... look how bad the jackets are all clogged.


This is the new block... notice any difference... haha

ok well i replaced the old headgasket with the MLS gasket did that about 1000 ago and did all the timing belt stuff aswell as installed a stage one clutch (clutch masters)
so if i boost i should not worri about breaking the internals
and lets say that it all goes wrong what would be the workst case scenerio that would take place from boosting.
cause i might be able to get the money for the HRC stage 2 turbo kit but not for the bottom end and top end from HOWELL.
wha tcan go wron and one more quetions if i do boost what are the odds of beating a GS-T or what are the odds of me being able to beat a Mazda RX-7 ...thanks

if the rx7 is turbo'd you won't have to much of a chance beating it...those are 276 factory...thats a ton of power and i can be a testament to their power, my boy w/ a gst 1st gen is boosting 17 psi w/a big 16g and couldn't keep up w/ the rx7's around here, most of them have dyno'd about 280 at the wheels...at 17 psi he shouuld be pretty close to 270ish maybe a little more and he has all the mods to support the big turbo....he jumps on them right out of the start but the rx7's just walk right by...good luck though...keep us posted if you do win ....

is that picture of the block with the head gasket still attached? because if it is, that is the way it is supposed to be. tha waterjackets are not supposed to be all the way opened lik on the bare block, even the mls head gasket has small holes for water to pass into the head they are not wide open.
lates
james

The head gasket was scraped off on the top surface for the most part. Where it is covering the water jackets, the gasket material is recessed down flush with the top surface of the block.

i guess the only way to beat the RX-7is to get enough money for a SUPRA TT and fix it..RIGHT>>damn..
thanks though