Greets; (In the mid-sixties I recall talk around the job that many in olden times used leather for gaskets, and doing valve grinds on the side of the road). Since the sixties I only preferred FELPRO. The main thing was the third re-torque requirement, (In Service Check as per the FSM's), something like 500-750 miles after installation.
I've always liked cork.., lol.., ...'if it's good enough for a bottle of fine wine.., lol.
At Rock Auto I quickly noticed a very modern 4.0 FELPRO head-gasket that states that it is a NO-Re-torque gasket, with little protective dams, blah, blah.
Figuring that FELPRO has done enough studies to improve their product, and have so thusly introduced enhanced versions.., I'd go with them, even over my personal familiar bias to what I have been comfortable with in the past.
My only concern with such applications is the idea that new head-bolts will stretch, i.e., the reason to always use new head bolts, and the reason for the rebuild to operate to normal temps, and then accomplishing a second In- Service-Re-torquing to begin with.., jointly to provide the most evenly sandwiched seal between the block, and head.
I had always used a dimensionally fitted piece of 'flat' case-hardened glass, and oil to check mating surface of head in order to ascertain flatness, and making moves to correct if needed.
Now, I am limited to back yard mechanics, and simply go to NAPA, (lol, my bias), but now with so many choices.., sheesh.., I now wonder if I let the clerk simply hand me a bunch of head bolts, and some gasket whether or not those parts would be properly matched together!
PermaTorqueMLS states; "are more forgiving than other designs and accommodate surface irregularities up to 60 Ra (360 Rz)". (I'll leave that to somebody else to explain that micro-level).
Back in the day I always had good results with the old FELPRO cork, and perma-tex, and obliging the in-service-check re-torquing requirement, albeit a little hassle to dive back into etal for the third check after so many miles.
Seems that there were changes to head bolts, i.e., standard, and yield to torque, YtT.., or is it TtY (!?!). The former bolts could be re-used, the latter not. My guess is one could get away with the second in service torque check on the latter type, but I am uncertain, and most likely no third check required, and if done, it would 'break-the-seal'.
The VICTOR REINZ gasket you looked at sez; "Torque to Yield.., YES". This leads me to believe that you use torque to Yield head bolts, which are elastic, and non reusable. To me, doing an in service check is essentially backing off each head bolt, in proper sequence, and re-torquing to FSM values. Somehow I don't think T.t.Y. bolts would like that. FELPRO Perma Pro states; "no-retorque".
But here is a link that I just found via Rock Auto;
http://www.fme-cat.com/Docs/1425.pdf It will probably help you decide what to do with head bolt types, and gasket types that are required to match/mate together correctly.
Seems that the V.R., and Felpro multi-steel gaskets are T.t.Y. types, and thusly require T.t.Y. type head bolts. If you placed both types of head bolts in front of me, I'd be hard pressed to say which was which. So I'd be very careful to get the correct type to mate with whatever gasket you use, i.e., solid, versus T.t.Y. types.
Check out the link above, and see if that helps.
lol.., my two cents.
