What Head Gasket to use For Ls VTEC? (3 Suggestions)

Being confused is very normal when you are looking for a head gasket for your VTEC. It is a great thing that you decided to look up a gasket.

As a Honda user, your main concern might be what head gasket to use for ls VTEC? 

B18A or B18B and LS(90-01) head gasket is perfect for the LS VTEC engine. The multi-layer steel gasket is preferable for VTECs. Because of their high pressure and temperature resistance. Despite being multi-layered these gaskets are fairly thin. Thin gaskets are more effective than thick ones. 

Now we will discuss this in detail. Just stick with us till the end and it will help you choose the right gasket for your engine. 

Which Are the Perfect Head Gaskets For LS VTEC?

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Three gaskets can come as your first choice when you are building an LS VTEC. Because VTEC has a unique design. 

But according to the gasket features and price vary. You must choose the one that suits your car and your needs most accurately. 

B18A Head Gasket 

  • Multi-Layer Steel (MLS)  head gasket 
  • 140HP Engine 
  • OBD0 (88-91)
  • 84mm Bore
  • Thickness .030inch, .040inch, or .051inch
  • Victon coating
  • Heat resistant 250°C or 482°F
  • Price $88-92

B18B Head gasket 

  • Multi-Layer Steel (MLS)  head gasket 
  • 145HP Engine 
  • OBD1 (92-95)
  • 84mm Bore
  • Thickness .030inch, .040inch, or .051inch
  • Victon coating
  • Heat resistant 250°C or 482°F
  • Price $82-90

LS(90-01) Head Gasket 

  • Graphite Head Gasket 
  • Bore  81.00mm
  • Thickness: 0.051inch
  • Heat resistant 250°C or 482°F
  •  Price $142.45

All three of the gaskets are very good. A number of users have recommended these three. 

Which One Is Better Between B18A and B18B?

B18A and B18B both head gaskets are very much similar and mostly perform equally. Still, there is some basic difference that makes the B18B gasket better than the B18A gasket. 

The main difference between these two gaskets is in the head. Users have reported that the B18B gasket flows better than the B18A gasket. 

So, we can say that the best head gasket for ls vtec is B18B. 

Things to Keep In Mind 

You might be wondering are all ls head gaskets the same? The answer to that question is “No”. There are various types of gaskets. 

While choosing a head gasket you need to remember a few pieces of stuff. Because choosing the wrong gasket will only cause money wastage. 

A lot of physical properties depend on the structure and original material of the gasket. It makes a huge difference in the performance of the engine. 

Some of the things you need to look up while buying a head gasket are described below briefly. 

Thickness

Apparently, it might seem that thickness shouldn’t matter in a head gasket. But thickness is a very important factor when choosing a head gasket. 

The strength of the seal depends on the thickness of the gasket. Leakage can occur easily if the thickness is not right. 

There are two types of gaskets: 

  1. Thick 
  2. Thin 

The differences between thick and thin gaskets are: 

FeaturesThick Head Gasket Thin Head Gasket
Leak RateHigher rate Lower Rate
Stress RelaxationHigherLower
Load Sealability LowHigh

Experts always suggest using thin gaskets because of their leakage rate and relaxation state. 

Heat Resistance 

High heat-resistant gaskets are always preferable. Because when your engine gets heated, your gasket can get blown by the high temperature.

Mostly it is in your hand how you heat up your engine. But it is still preferred to have a high-temperature-resistant gasket for your engine. 

Nowadays most of the head gasket’s heat resistance is Heat resistant 250°C or 482°F.

Material 

You really need to check up on the material of your gasket. Because the physical properties of a gasket totally rely on its molecular structure. Which varies from material to material. 

Steel

Multi-layer steel (MLS) gaskets are famous nowadays for VTEC engines. This kind of gasket has a multi-layer of steel. Which apparently makes the gasket strong. 

Steel gaskets are known to be high-temperature resistant. It can also withstand high pressure. 

Graphite

Graphite gaskets can also withstand high temperatures and pressure. It won’t easily creep or become brittle. 

It can also deal with different types of strong chemicals. 

Brass

Brass is another element that is commonly used for gasket manufacturing. It is resistant to high-temperature steam. Brass gaskets do not blow up that easily. 

Aluminum

Aluminum is an awesome material and very much suitable for gaskets. It can handle high pressure. Which is required for head gaskets. 

It can also resist corrosion. That’s why is very much durable. 

Why You Should Use a Perfect Head Gasket? 

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Choosing the right head gasket is a crucial part of building your engine. A wrong gasket might blow up and cause a loss of engine power. You might ask where is the head gasket on an engine?

The Head gasket stays between the cylinder head and the engine block. 

A head gasket works as a seal between your engine’s combustion chamber and cylinders. There are some passageways around the combustion chamber. The coolant flows through those passageways. 

The head gasket ensures that the seal is tight enough. And keeps coolant, oil and compressed mixture in its place. That is why the perfect head gasket is very important. 

Because the perfect head gasket will tighten the seal. So, the engine gets to use the maximum of energy. 

What Will Happen If You Don’t Choose the Right Gasket? 

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VTEC engine is designed to give your car a sudden boost in speed. It mainly happens when the center lobe takes over and the engine starts to spin more quickly. Then the engine gives a sudden burst of speed. 

This sudden burst of speed is the main reason for the better performance of the VTEC engine. But this performance can totally be interrupted if your gasket is not perfect. 

Things that can happen if your gasket is not tight enough: 

  • Coolant can enter the combustion chamber 
  • Coolant and oil can get mixed up 
  • Oil can get mixed with the compressed air 
  • Coolant can get mixed with compressed air 
  • When the leakage happens the engine fails to use most of the energy created and a massive energy loss occurs 
  • The car gets slow and performance deteriorates
  • You won’t be able to get the best performance with a leakage rather the car might stop working 

Thus is it better to choose the right gasket for your engine rather than face these problems. 

What Happens When a Head Gasket Is Blown Up? 

Sometimes the head gasket blows up because of the excessive temperature. Here are some signs that will help you understand if your gasket is blown up or not:

  1. The engine should be overheating and you must be able to hear a loud sound when your gasket blows up. 
  2. The engine oils get contaminated with the coolant. Thus the lubricant quality decreases 
  3. White smoke is visible from the tailpipe. If it is from the contaminated oil. 
  4. The car will lose its speed and it will become idle and might get stopped as well. 

So, always be careful that you don’t heat up your engine too much. 

Setting Up the Head Gasket

Setting up a head gasket is a very complex procedure. And will be very hard for you if you don’t know much about engines. 

While setting up the head gasket for your car it is wise to leave it to professional hands. However, it is not impossible to set up a head gasket at home. 

If you have the necessary equipment you can set a head gasket on your own. But be careful not to injure yourself or to cause any harm to your engine. 

FAQs

Do rotary engines have head gaskets?

No, rotary engines do not have head gaskets. Basically, a rotary engine doesn’t have any head. So, there is no place to put the head gasket. 

How to adjust the cylinder block while putting a head gasket? 

Maintaining the perfect torque is very important for the tight grip in the seal. It is preferable that you start tightening from the center. Then go up and tighten two nuts and then tighten two nuts from down. And keep on doing it. 

What is a VTEC assembly? 

VTEC is an electronic and mechanical arrangement that allows the engine to have effectively multiple camshafts. It ensures stability with high RPM performance with low RPM fuel efficiency. 

Conclusion

In summary, selecting the right head gasket for LS VTEC engine conversions is crucial for optimal performance and reliability. Considering durable and compatible options like Cometic MLS, ARP, or OEM Honda head gaskets can ensure proper sealing, allowing enthusiasts to enjoy the enhanced capabilities of their LS VTEC setups without worrying about gasket-related issues, promoting smooth and efficient engine operation.

Hope you got your answer for what head gasket to use for ls VTEC? It might seem a little thing but, a head gasket in your engine is totally worth it. 

Hope this discussion was helpful to you. Do let us know what head gasket you use for your VTEC.

Leave a comment below and do let us know….

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Rob Dahm

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