Cyl base steel Gasket troubles.

Dragonalain

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So I’ve been boosting for 7 years now but never high boost (over 10psi). A couple years ago I switched to some better fueling electronics and the sled runs extremely well at 5 or 15. Anyways on my last trip out i blew a cyl base gasket at first I though it was a crank seal as that’s probably pretty likely on high boost. When I got home I figured this engine has seen about 2000 boosted miles so maybe I should do a full tear down. That’s when I found out that the crank seals were 100% and the steel base gasket failed. The cyl bolts were all still very tight and I don’t think I was boosting enough to stretch them. So I guess my question is what do guys do to prevent a steel gasket from failing on a boosted engine.

I’m going to be reassembling this engine on the weekend and am wondering if ppl use a gasket sealing product on steel gaskets or if that will make it worse. Don’t want to have a ruined day/ trip because the gasket blows out again and I don’t think I’ll ever ride under 10 pounds boost again so that’s not a option.

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Bnorth

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Copper gasket spray or Edlelbrock gasgacinch. I've been using it on mls headgaskets in boosted applications for years. Blown lots of chit up but never an mls headgasket that was sprayed.
 

JMCX

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It looks like you have a cylinder spacer, probably with a fix kit. The bolts that come with the kit are 10mm longer but the shim and extra gasket are about 5mm. I have seen the bolts bottom out in the hole just as they are starting to clamp. When this happens the gasket won't be compressed properly.
 
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