Copper spray and metal head gaskets

[Peter Serwe]

On a related, but slightly off topic note:

I'm wondering why people tend to fork over the big
$$$ for a non-OEM head gasket?  Are the OEM (Nissan)
ones not metal?  What's the big difference, is it final HP
numbers?  In other words, what's the HP cutoff, if there
is one for a regular Nissan OEM headgasket?  I had always
thought that the stock one was adequate, and somebody
who's never had an SR20DE(or T) head off an engine
claimed that all headgaskets are metal.

On the copper spray or not thing, the only experience
I've had so far has been on the domestic side, where
some guys claim that using a steel gasket alone won't
hold as well as giving it the copper spray treatment.

Towards that end, my domestic iron has copper sprayed
metal headgaskets, but that's all I know on the subject.

Mike?

Peter

"P@" wrote:

> Dont know about the rest of you guys, but the only time I use copper spray
> on gaskets is when I need them to *stick* into place.  Like on a vertical
> surface to keep the gasket from falling out when bolting things up.
> Personally I wouldnt use it on a metal head gasket.

--
Peter Serwe <peter at easytree.net>
Cheaper, Faster, Better, pick any two.