Steve, JW used the better Felpro gaskets on my engine. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fel-1125/overview/make/buick https://www.jegs.com/i/Fel+Pro/375/...MI78n98tyM4gIVTAOGCh2c7gfCEAAYASAAEgJ3HPD_BwE
I used these with my TE2 heads, they have the extra bolt hole.....I'm just at 12:1. https://scegaskets.com/store/buick/sce-gaskets-part-number-571394/ 38 bucks each
I have used them all, I would have no issue putting the standard Fel Pro blue gaskets on that motor.. Really depends on the heads.. Stage 1 heads (Iron or alum) seal up just fine with nearly any gasket.. Don't think I would try a stamped steel on an alum head, but I bet if you sprayed up the gasket with copper coat, it would work. I guess I would be surprised if someone has not successfully done it by now. With Stage 2 heads, I use the extra bolt holes on the exhaust side, and a TA or SCE head gasket. I have used the fel Pro blues also with Stage 2 heads and the extra bolt holes. Just drill the holes in the gasket, with the jig, when your doing the block. The extra bolt holes are needed because of the design of the exhaust side of the head.. they will leak compression on race motors, and you will get cool down leaks on a street motor, due to the expansion rate of the heads vs the block. The extra 4 bolt holes help keep the head clamped to the block in that situation. If you want to use the Stage 2 Alum head without the extra bolts , or you have Stage 2 Iron heads, then get the TA gaskets and follow the torque procedure carefully. I don't care for the cometic gaskets.. used them early on in a race motor, and witnessed compression leakage into the valley.. right were the head bolt is missing at 12'oclock on the factory pattern. Have not used the cometic gasket with a TA block and a new set of heads with the extra head bolts yet, but I would think they would work well in that application. I have had two failures of head gaskets in 120 something BBB motors, and 30 years of doing it.. that I know of... one was a HP fel pro, that de-laminated the ends after about 3 seasons in a Stage 1 bracket motor, and leaked coolant. The other was a TA gasket, that blew between number 3 and 5 cylinders on a Stage 1 SE motor, after about 15 years of service. Was about the 3rd motor I built with that head, in 2004.. Both these engines were 600 HP 10.5-1 compression combos. In both cases, the heads and block surface was flat, just popped in a new gasket and go..
