These 2 pics show a comparison of the 3 headgaskets that this engine has had in it's lifetime. The top and left one is the stock one that Chrysler installed when they built it. It's a graffoil type with some impregnated silicone beads. It wasn't blown when we got the engine, and looks to be very well made. The middle gasket is the first MLS gasket that we bought. It was a 3 layer POS with rubber on the top and bottom layers. I was not impressed, but after hearing such great things about the MLS gaskets Dennis decided to go with it. That is, until he talked to some more people who said that that didn't sound like the "good" gasket to them. What the hell did we really get? Who knows? We also didn't use the spray on that one because Dennis didn't think that the rubber would have any trouble sealing up. The last gasket is the "latest" MLS that we bought to replace the 2nd gasket. The engine never had a chance to run with that rubber POS obviously since it still has not run. This last gaket has 4 layers that you can probably see in the pics below. It has no "soft" parts. Just 4 layers of steel shims riveted together. This one definitely needs the spray goo. The supposed "hot tip" is to pull off one of the layers(top layer? bottom layer?) according to Mopar Action/Mopar Now, so that you don't loose any compression by installing it. It has a thicker compressed thickness than the original gaskets when you use it "as-is" with 4 layers. We went with 4 layers, because with the turbo, low compression is our friend :-).

Notice how much BIGGER the cooling passage holes progressively get as you move from cylinder 1 to cylinder 4? Hmmm.... wonder if that would work out on the 2.2/2.5's with THEIR #4 heat problem????