MSL head gasket and APR head studs question

[Batz]

Are they really necessary if im planning to turbo my car and hoping to be pushing around 300whp (+-) I read somewhere that when you have 200whp+ the head studs are highly recommended even though i dont have a full idea why.
Can i maybe just used mls head gasket and normal head bolts? Dont want to sound cheap or anything, but both of those parts cost about 450$ and not every college kid has such money.

THanks

[cleanasse30]

You don't need to get an MLS HG and there are a number of people using the Metric Blue head bolts for budget builds. IIRC the stock bolts are only designed to be torqued to spec one time (one time use) and to a lower torque than ARP or equivalent. You generally need to have higher torque specs on the head bolts/studs due to the increased cylinder pressures when adding das churbo (14 psig = 2x atmospheric pressure). MLS head gaskets also eliminate the fail safe of the head gasket because they won't blow out, so you may end up breaking more expensive parts.

I would recommend ARP studs with an OEM Style HG for 300whp. It would probably be smart to O-ring the block if you intend to make more than 350whp

[Batz]

Will the car be reliable if i use stock hq and metric blues? The thing is i want my car to be reliable and i head that mls never blows so i figured.... I will need this car to be reliable with 250-300whp for at least a year or so while im building my drift car. If oem hg can do that then ill just get that, but if its still better to get studs and mls, i will. I was just wondering how necessary it is to get them.

Thanks for a replay tho, im a total noob when it comes to FI.

[nomansland92]

If you use a stock gasket, I would suggest what cleanasse30 said and oring the block, even at 300 whp. Also how are you going to tune the car? Chips are really only good to 10psi at best imo.

[cleanasse30]

Cheap / Reliable / Fast ; You can only have 2, pick wisely

I have no experience with metric blues so you will have to do your own research on that subject. But if you want reliable you should use a stock HG with an O-ringed block. MLS head gaskets don't blow because they are all metal. That's fine if you are really good at tuning cars and know what you are doing, but if you've never tuned a car before you are going to break other things if you fuck up (pistons, rods, etc). The HG in an engine is designed to blow in the event of cylinder pressures becoming too high thus preventing more serious damage to other components. Eliminating the failsafe of the HG shifts the failsafe to other, more expensive components deeper inside the engine. Its your choice what you want to replace in the event of a bad tune, a head gasket or actual engine parts.

I would choose the head gasket personally.

[sayed ali]

No need for both if you're shooting for 300whp (+-), spend more money and get it tuned properly ..

[Batz]

To tune my car I'm getting a v2 megasquirt with preset tune, and then I'll have some short of tuning shop do the tuning for me.

[TheTacoMan]

Ive been on a oem headgasket and arp headstuds, as long as your tune is dead on you should be fine running this. Currently have been boosted on this setup for about 2 years now ranging from 6psi to 19psi.

[Batz]

Alright i guess stock hq and blots, and oring block will do for me then.

[ak-]

There's no need to o-ring the block or even change the headgasket if you intend to make 300whp and want it to last a minimum of 1 year.

Just stick your ARP's in and get it tuned. Any "preset" tune you get with your MS isn't meant to flog around in at all. It's for you to be able to cruise to your tuner.