special tool

I have used stock headgasket (normal and widefire) with no o-ring and just stock studs (reused a few times now). Through 100+ 400 RWHP dyno pulls, 15 80 lap track days, and thousands of street miles.
I just put the fourth use on the OEM studs in my block - pretty safe to say that you can reuse them, guys.
OH - my bock has NEVER been dismantled for mechanical failure - ALWAYS for upgrade/maint.

TRP951

I am on the fourth from what my maintanance records from the PO tells me use of the stock studs again. I am using a WF w/o o-rings on the head or block. So far 350 miles since top end

Fen

Well, I guess this thread is starting to prove that if you ask enough people you'll get experience of every eventuality. YMMV indeed.

Sticking to the original topic I have my doubts that WF is any better than a stock gasket.

On the slightly off-topic side I put my own $ into Cometic (and Raceware with higher than stock torque). Some people have had bad experience that way and some have not.

I think the bottom line is that all 3 (stock, WF and Cometic) work fine on a motor with good AFR and that is the key. Can you start to destroy them with good AFR and big boost numbers? I believe that maybe you can and if you can then it will be the stock and or WF that goes first, hence my choice of Cometic.