PRODUCT DETAILS
SpeedFactory MLSS-HP Head Gasket - Honda/Acura B Series VTEC
Building a B-series and need a head gasket that won't be the weak link? This is it. The SpeedFactory MLSS-HP isn't just another MLS gasket, the name stands for Multi-Layer Stainless Steel plus high-performance silicone beads, and it'll seal anything you throw at it, from a clean stock rebuild to a boosted, high-compression, nitrous-fed animal. It's also the gasket you want if you're doing an LS-VTEC or B20-VTEC, where you're bolting a VTEC head onto a non-VTEC block. SpeedFactory's pushed this thing past 1400 wheel horsepower, so whatever you're building, you don't have to wonder if the gasket can keep up.
Why It Seals When Cheaper Gaskets Let Go
Here's what you're getting under the hood of this thing. It's a 4-layer stainless gasket, and those layers are what keep your combustion seal tight even when your deck flexes a little under big cylinder pressure, and trust me, it will flex once you're making real power. It's 0.040" thick where the stock gasket is about 0.028", so it makes up for the material your machine shop took off when they decked your head and block, and that thickness is right where you want it if you're running O-rings on a serious build. The part that really sets it apart is the silicone bead built right into it around the oiling passages, that's what keeps your fluid passages sealed up way better than a bare steel gasket would. On top of that, there's an elastomeric coating across the whole face that fills in the little surface imperfections you'll never get perfectly flat, so you get the best seal your surfaces will allow. And it's made by an OE-certified shop (ISO 9001, ISO/TS16949, ISO 14001), so you're not gambling on the quality.
No Stopper Ring, And That's On Purpose
This one trips people up, so let's clear it up. You won't find a gas-stopper ring on this gasket, and that's not SpeedFactory cutting a corner, it's them doing their homework. They ran all kinds of B-series gaskets, with O-rings and without, and here's what they found: a stopper ring barely helps on a non-O-ringed block, and the second you add O-rings, it actually fights them. So why chase a feature that gets in your way? They built this around what actually holds power instead. Bolt it down with a 1/2" L19 stud kit and it's good to 1000 horsepower, no drama. When you're making more than any stopper gasket could dream of holding, their move is O-ringed sleeves with this metal gasket, and that's the combo that's made over 1400 to the wheels.
Run Whatever Studs You Want
Good news here: the stud holes are already opened up so this works with factory studs or big 1/2" studs, whichever your build calls for. If you're going 1/2", only the two locating dowel holes stay OEM-sized and need a quick modification, everything else is already done for you, so you're not sitting there reaming the whole deck during assembly. SpeedFactory ran this exact gasket with their Extreme Duty L19 studs on a wet-deck Bullet Billet block all the way to 1400+ wheel horsepower, so it's proven where it counts. Pair it with a SpeedFactory head stud kit, torque it to spec, and you've got about as good a seal as a B-series can get.
Building An LS-VTEC Or B20-VTEC? This Is Your Gasket
This is a huge reason guys grab this one. If you're doing the classic budget-power move and putting a VTEC head on a non-VTEC block, an LS-VTEC (VTEC head on your LS B18A/B18B bottom end) or a B20-VTEC (VTEC head on a B20 block), a regular head gasket won't cut it, because you're marrying two parts Honda never bolted together at the factory. This gasket's built to seal exactly that. It gives your hybrid build the combustion and fluid sealing it needs whether you're keeping it streetable or chasing big boost on that extra displacement. So if you're piecing together an LS-VTEC or B20-VTEC, this is the gasket that ties your VTEC head to your block and holds it all together.
Grab The Right Bore Size
Match the gasket to your engine's bore, and always size up to the gasket that covers your bore, never under it. Here's what each one's for:
- 81.50mm gasket: for an 81.00 to 81.50mm bore
- 82.00mm gasket: for an 81.50 to 82.00mm bore
- 83.00mm gasket: for an 82.25 to 83.00mm bore
- 84.00mm gasket: for an 83.25 to 84.00mm bore
- 84.50mm gasket: for an 84.00 to 84.50mm bore
- 85.00mm gasket: for an 84.50 to 85.00mm bore
Two Things You Can't Skip Before You Order
Get these two right or you'll have a bad time. First, if you're building a B20-VTEC, you need the 84mm gasket or bigger, so don't talk yourself into a smaller bore. Second, LS-VTEC and B20-VTEC both have to run VTEC conversion stepped dowel pins, that's not a suggestion, it's how your VTEC head locates right on a non-VTEC block. Sort those two out and you're good to go. Running a standard B16A or B18C VTEC? Then you just match your bore from the list above and you're set.
Features
- MLSS-HP (Multi-Layer Stainless Steel plus silicone bead) head gasket built for high performance use
- 4-layer stainless design that holds its combustion seal through deck flex under high stress
- 0.040" (1.016mm) thick, ideal for surfaced decks and O-ring use
- Internal silicone bead around the oiling passages for better fluid sealing
- Elastomeric coating that seals minor surface imperfections
- Stud holes opened for factory or 1/2" studs (only the 2 dowel holes need modifying for 1/2")
- Non-stopper-ring design, dialed in for O-ringed high-output builds
- OE-certified manufacturer (ISO 9001, ISO/TS16949, ISO 14001)
- Proven to 1000hp with a 1/2" L19 stud kit, and 1400+whp with O-ringed sleeves
Fits These Engines
- Honda/Acura B16A VTEC
- Honda/Acura B18C VTEC
- LS-VTEC, VTEC head on an LS (B18A/B18B) block (must use VTEC conversion stepped dowel pins)
- B20-VTEC, VTEC head on a B20 block (requires 84mm or larger gasket, must use VTEC conversion stepped dowel pins)
Note: SpeedFactory MLSS-HP (Multi-Layer Stainless Steel plus silicone bead) head gasket for Honda and Acura B-series VTEC engines, including B16A, B18C, LS-VTEC, and B20-VTEC. A 4-layer stainless design with an internal silicone bead around the oiling passages and an elastomeric coating, 0.040" (1.016mm) thick to suit surfaced decks and O-ring use. Stud holes are opened for factory or 1/2" head studs; only the two locating dowel holes stay OEM-sized and need modifying for 1/2" studs. This is a non-stopper-ring design, optimized for O-ringed high-output builds, and it's the correct gasket for LS-VTEC (VTEC head on a B18A/ B18B block) and B20-VTEC (VTEC head on a B20 block) conversions. Proven reliable to 1000hp with a 1/2" L19 head stud kit, and over 1400whp with O-ringed sleeves on a wet-deck Bullet Billet block. Built by an OE-certified manufacturer (ISO 9001, ISO/TS16949, ISO 14001). Available in 81.50mm, 82.00mm, 83.00mm, 84.00mm, 84.50mm, and 85.00mm bores; select the size that covers your engine's bore. B20-VTEC requires the 84mm gasket or larger. LS-VTEC and B20-VTEC must use VTEC conversion stepped dowel pins. One head gasket per order.