Cometic gasket
Sean,
Just read through the 40+ pages and 2+ years of travails with the brown truck!
Astounding amounts of work, attention to detail, and patience. I would have been very tempted to follow through with the slug through the block. I know it's not alive, but walking around it concentrating deeply while loading and unloading the pump action couldn't have hurt. With as many problems as you have encountered it would sure set the right tone for the next time!
Your tale (and others) caused me to conclude that a build for power without addressing the weak link in our trucks as the head gasket is like hanging $3-4 grand and lots of hours work, out the window of our trucks and hoping it won't blow away.
Some have gotten away with the Felpro/ VR composite gaskets, the best post I've seen was on another site and he used bolts over torqued to 105lbs, the gaskets failed approaching 20 lbs of boost and he reworked the setup with 3 coats of copper seal on block, both sides of the gasket, and rebuilt heads. He re-torqued to 110 lbs and had ran it for 30k miles at the time of the post.
I blew my passenger side head gasket in August while towing a heavy load of wood and have been looking for the ROL original '93-'94 7.3 IDIt OE carbon fiber gaskets before I broke the motor apart. BTW what brand head-gasket were you using when they failed?
Just found out about the Comitic possibility and found your post. Just based on current posts on head gaskets there might be enough interest to follow through with a group purchase. Start up costs split between those of us interested would be something I'd be willing to get in on. I had even called Hypermax to see if they had a 'C' ring gasket still on the shelves. That part was over $1,000 and I would pay it gladly to make sure i didn't waste all the time and money on a rebuild that just blows a head gasket.
What is the status on you communication with Comitic? The Phuzion would be the gasket I'd be looking for. I have left messages last week and sent an e-mail today. No response yet. Who are you speaking with? I'm pretty good on the phone and would take over contact responsibilities if it would help.
Thanks for blazing a trail and all the pictures. Its been great to see.
Robb