What head gasket to use?

[hodge1995]

What head gaskets is everyone using when replacing oem.

[cbenn]

just had mine done a couple weeks ago, the tech used OEM gaskets, I was told the OEM gasket were good to use.

[hodge1995]

I see you did elite studs are they that much better than apr? Also thinking about bulletproof coolers where did you get yours and what did you think of them?

[cbenn]

I do believe H11's are better then ARPS as if you do need to go back in you can re-use the H11's and was told ARPS were a 1 time use, I had my heads checked by a machine shop rather then the dealer due to the dealer uses the flatness method and I'm not comfortable with that process, the machine shop checked the complete surface, for the EGR coolers I got them from Bullet Proof Diesel, little spendy but if I need to have a tree hugger inspection I don't want to have to reinstall them, it isn't a hour job, so far really pleased with them and see no issues, to me it gives me some piece of mind.

[hodge1995]

What was the reason for upgrades? Did you have oil cooler or egr cooler go bad?I am really leaning into those coolers.Mine has a bad oil cooler.

[cbenn]

I started puking around 14,000 miles, only use the 210/250 Spartan tunes, whenever I pulled my 5th wheel up mountain passes it would puke, sometimes playing around with the 250 it would puke, back and forth to the dealer about 5 times couldn't get it to puke stock, but every time I would tune it it would puke, they pulled EGR coolers and replaced them and had same results. Dealer tried to get HG's done under warranty but without real proof Ford said no, so being that the dealer and I both talked about tuning when I got the truck he gave me a break on a HG repair, very fair price so just went with the HG replacement and added all the goodies. I din't want to delete the EGR coolers completely as I mentioned above. I'm happy with everything as I'm keeping this truck. HG's were replaced at 19,300 miles. #1 & #7 showed signs of leakage, #7 the most, I still believe there were flatness issues with that head, it's "FLAT" now!!

[hodge1995]

You must be really low mileage. I have 128,000. Dont get me wrong I love my truck but it has been more trouble than the all the rest I have owned put together. It is looking like I am going to need at least a short block. I think about the same as you as far as deleting the egrs, although we dont have all the testing yet , as soon as I delete that will change. I even went as far to get a spare dpf/cat to hollow out for my delete. I am really debating getting rid of mine.I depend on mine to work.

[cbenn]

I use mine for towing my 5th wheel 90% of the time, drive it on nice days other then that it sits in my shop, I have a 99/7.3 with 212,000 on it and it just keeps going no big issues with it, I would say put some upgraded mods into yours and it should improve, 128,000 isn't bad to add the upgrades.

[04hdfatboy]

Originally Posted by hodge1995

You must be really low mileage. I have 128,000. Dont get me wrong I love my truck but it has been more trouble than the all the rest I have owned put together. It is looking like I am going to need at least a short block. I think about the same as you as far as deleting the egrs, although we dont have all the testing yet , as soon as I delete that will change. I even went as far to get a spare dpf/cat to hollow out for my delete. I am really debating getting rid of mine.I depend on mine to work.

Why do you think you need a short block? What's wrong with your truck?

[hodge1995]

Here is thread I started with problem. Any suggestions?

Head Gaskets?????