Regular head gaskets vs. 0-ring groove

StangGT1995 said:

O-ring gaskets require you to have a receiver groove machined into the head and around the top of the cylinder and will handle increased cylinder pressure with boost, etc. I'm not sure if that's something that can be done at home however. If you're looking for regular head gaskets that will handle a little more without doing o-rings, go with something like a Cometic. Those can get pretty pricey, but I believe they're supposed to handle a hell of a lot. I'm doing TFS heads on an Explorer 5.0 block right now, and I'm using the Fel-Pro 1011-2 head gaskets after reading that they're supposed to be able to handle more with the steel ring that seals around the combustion chamber. They're also one of two gaskets that Trick Flow recommends for their heads, so I figured I'd use the manufacturer's recommendation.

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