Head Gaskets
From Nissan 350Z & 370Z Wiki
Head gaskets are something of a mystery to most people. Unless you need to know about them, you probably have never researched them.
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Why upgrade your head gaskets?
There are three scenarios where upgraded head gaskets will be usefull.
High horsepower NA engines
For those wanting to get the most out of their 350Z without strapping on turbos, you will want to increase compression and redline. With an increased in power comes an increase in strain on the heads and gaskets sealing them. An aftermarket head gasket is designed to seal better and hold stronger than the OEM ones. Some are surfaced with a rubbery substance to seal even better.
Boosted Engines
Forcing more air into an engine that was not designed to hold the additional pressure has its obvious downfalls. One severe problem is blowing a head gasket. This is not unheard of and now that there are plenty of boosted 350Zs on the road, we are starting to hear the stories of such failures. Aftermarket head gaskets will help prevent this type of failure.
Lowering compression for boosting
Something that has not been explored in the 350Z community yet is lowering the stock compression of 10.3:1 down to 8.5-9:1 by the use of a head gasket. Honda and Toyota owners use this modification quite often when they are planning to boost an otherwise stock engine. This will decrease the chance of detonation which is one of the most destructive
OEM Head Gaskets
- Part Number:
- List Price:
- Found For:
Thickness: Bore:
Aftermarket Head Gaskets
Cometic
- List Price: $
- Found For: $
- Thickness: .76mm
- Bore: 96mm/98mm/100mm/101.5mm
- Design: MLS
- Fits: VQ35DE, VQ35DER
- Cometic
MLS stands for Multi-Layer Steel. MLS head gaskets are comprised of three layers of stainless steel. The outer layers are an embossed viton coated stainless steel providing a superior seal with excellent rebound characteristics and are corrosive resistant. MLS head gaskets reduce bore distortion and withstand extreme cylinder pressures.
Cosworth
- List Price: $
- Found For: $
- Thickness: .75mm
- Bore: 96mm/98mm/100mm
- Design: Stopper-Type Structure
- Fits: VQ35DE, VQ35DER
- Cosworth
A must for high boost engines, the Cosworth head gasket uses multiple layers of stainless steel for increased strength. The outer layers are embossed with a flouroelastomer rubber material designed to meet the demands of harsh sealing environments and load conditions. Available in different bore sizes
HKS
- List Price: $360
- Found For: $317.52
- Thickness: .7mm
- Bore: 97mm
- Design: Stopper-Type Structure
- Fits: VQ35DE, VQ35DER
- HKS
The HKS VQ35DE Metal Head Gaskets are 0.7mm thick and feature a 4-layer stopper-type structure. The stopper-type structure employs a stopper ring around each combustion chamber that is molded into the head gasket for a precise and strengthened seal. The factory head gasket is only made from 3 layers and has a bead-type structure. A bead-type head gasket only uses a raised bead to seal the combustion chamber. The HKS VQ35DE Metal Head Gaskets are targeted for forced induction and high-horsepower naturally aspirated applications.
Nismo
