Just my bias talking here... but everything has a service life, and from most people's experiences the headgasket goes about a buck-twenty to a buck-fifty before getting questionable. An iron block with aluminum head takes a toll on any headgasket. Its not that much harder to change it while you're in there, and you get to see the piston tops, check the deck and head, and oh maybe spend a little on head improvements <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> just cuz. But its your choice.