New head gasket fault

[BButturff]

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From my experience successful head gasket life can be attributed to 4 things:


1. Having block and head surfaces that are machined flat with no more that a 0.002 gap.
2. Using a premium head gasket. I too like the Best 509G (graphite) with copper gasket sealer. They can be a real bugger to remove later, that's how good they seal.
3. Using new head studs and nuts. I like ARP brand head studs and have used them in small block Ford drag racing engines for a very long time. If you get head studs from a vendor you probably won't know who made them or how much stretch they will have.
4. Following a torquing and re-torquing regimen. My initial torque steps using the widely published Model A torque pattern are 25lb-ft, 35lb-ft, 45lb-ft and lastly 55lb-ft. Then, after the next four engine warming cycles I check them all again. And finally, I check them all again every time I change engine oil. At the same time I check all manifold stud nuts.