UPDATE 2/8/26: GASKETS ARE NOW OFFICIALLY READY TO PRE-ORDER! I WILL ORDER THE TOOLING THE WEEK OF 2/9. ONCE THE TOOLING IS DONE, I WILL PUT IN THE ORDER FOR GASKETS.  I WILL ORDER AS MANY GASKETS AS I HAVE PRE-ORDERS FOR AT THAT POINT. SAVE $10 BY PRE-ORDERING.
 
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We've got the Cometic MLS head gasket designed and ready to pull the trigger. This will fit 1979-1985 TURBO OM617 engines. The investment cost to have the tooling/dies made for the production of this gasket is VERY substantial. Before I put the order in with Cometic, I am requiring a minimum number of pre-orders.
 
How the Pre-Order works:
-You'll put an order in for a $5 decal/sticker to show me that you're serious about ordering a gasket once I order the tooling.
-I will mail you your decal.
-If this head gasket doesn't end up being created, you will have still your decal that you ordered. There won't be any refunds.
-The head gasket will be $219 plus shipping. For those who order a decal, I will give you a discount coupon (amount TBD).
 
 
Tech Specs on the MLS head gasket:
-5-layer construction
-Surface finish of RA50 required. Having the head decked is highly encouraged. Having the block decked to ensure liners and block are flush is also recommended.
-Special consideration has been given to the rear right corner where the factory gaskets are notorious for leaking
-The gasket is designed to handle much higher boost pressures than stock, especially when combined with my P1 Head Stud Kit.
 
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THICKNESSES
This is the most important part. You will ideally add as much extra gasket thickness as material you remove from the head and block. The safest bet is to have your head & block machined, then order your gasket based off of your actual measurements. This way, you can avoid having to shim your prechambers and adjust timing.
 
The OEM gasket is listed to be 1.74mm new and 1.65mm compressed. I've measured several used OEM style gaskets to be right around 0.068".
 
The FSM calls for a minimum head thickness of 84mm. The typical starting thickness is 84.8-85.0mm. This leaves you with roughly .03"-.04" to play with on the head. You will want to measure your head before determining the thickness of gasket you want, since your head may have already been machined once or twice before.
 
The FSM calls for a minimum block thickness of 242.5mm. The typical starting thickness is 242.8-242.9mm. This leaves you with roughly .011"-.015" to play with on the block. Piston standout cannot exceed 0.9mm. I am told that it typically takes 0.006-0.007" to clean up the block for Cometic's RA50 spec.
 
This MLS gasket can be ordered in your preference of thickness. The thickest available size is 0.098". As a general rule of thumb, I would recommend at least .086" to give you enough room to clean up both surfaces.
 
Thickness Options:
.066
.070
.075
.080
.086
.092
.098