[Mk2] [Turbo] Stainless Steel Head Gasket needed for under 400HP ???

[gline]

I recently bought a SS head gasket. But its very pricey to get it installed.

Do I need an SS head gasket if im not planning on really going over 400HP?

What will the OEM head gasket handle?

Is there anyother no SS head gaskets that are a bit uprated but dont require all the work to fit (head skimming etc)?

[jimGTS]

if you fit a headgasket, be it stock or uprated, you still need to take the same parts off of the car and do the same thing....

it is a full camblet off, turbo and manfiold off, and head off job....

you could strap on i guess a HUGE turbo, keep it running at 1bar and hope for 400hp, but afaik, its really the higher boost pressures the stock hg doesnt like, ie anymore than 1.1-1.2bar....

[gline]

but for a stainless steel gasket there is more work needed to get a good seal which costs extra.

Im just wondering do i really need a stainless steel gasket??? or will a standard one do for running 1.2bar+???

[dansREV2turbo]

but for a stainless steel gasket there is more work needed to get a good seal which costs extra.

what? on my old rev2 i had a steel hg put in, cost no more (besides the gasket itself) to install than a standard one.

i think the person who told you that is pulling your leg or just cuts corners where possible..

[Razor04]

anyone know off hand how much roughly it costs to replace a head gasket on a rev 3 at a garage?

[hnygt4]

I dont know how much a garage would charge, but if your confident with some spanners just get a mate or two to help, its not 'that' bad to do. I did mine myself and I'm a plum, although my cars a celica so everything in the engine bay is a bit easier to reach, but dont think its that much different. I chucked my mate £100 for helping, had the head off in a few hours, and back on the next day(had already built a spare head) two or three days work yourself or nearly a grand in a garage?!?!?! see jimgts's thread, helped me alot, also there's no point putting a metal gasket in without uprated head studs

[gline]

is that the only work that needs to be done for an SS head ?

I was told by at least 4 garages that to get a good seal the head needs to be skimmed.

Also its a 1.2mm gasket, anything else that needs to be done?

also wat is jimgts's thread????

[jimGTS]

yes of course you ideally need the head skimmed....
but it can be prepped by hand if you just gona stick a stock gasket on....but MSL one, would be best to get the head skimmed.....that only costs £30 roughly, and delivery/postage....

this is my thread where i did my own HG change with a little help.
i also replaced a hell of alot of gaskets, oring, seals, had the head cleaned up and redone, and cleaned and painted the whole lot.

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... 25&start=0

in an ideal world, you should get the block skimmed as well, but that means engine out, which is very expensive when considering your only changing a gasket....i prepped my own, and as said, sent the head away.

if youve already got a 1.2mm gasket, then you need to tell whoever is skimming the head what gasket you have.....i got a 1mm cometic type, its virtually the same thickness as stock, and my head only needed very little removed....you will obviously need a bit more skimmed to fit a 1.2mm one.

[gline]

is the stock HG 0.8mm??

so for a garage to do the 1.2mm HG it is actually a lot of work, i was quoted €1000

[jimGTS]

really should be any more than £400-500....

unfortunatly with that lot off, you may as well replace idler bearings, get a new cambelt, new oil, new coolent etc etc, my list went on and on...
i did the oil cooler gaskets, hose from hell pipes to, as alot easier to get to with the head and turbo off....

1000 euros is a hell of alot for a HG change imo...

[gline]

ok i was thinking of just buying a head and then send it away to get skimmed and HG installed, then swap with my current one.

what would I need from here to do that?

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... 821#870821

just the head?

you think that idea would work?

[jimGTS]

you can send the head away to be skimmed, but the hg isnt put onto that....
you swap it with the hg left thats on your block.......

you then fit the head over onto the block...

hg on the block...

[gline]

ah ok thanks, i think buying another head is the way to go and sending away to be skimmed, then its just a case of putting the gasket and new head on??


does the block have to be skimmed aswel?

[jimGTS]

you will more than likely find this when you remove the head.....




i then cleaned it up to this by hand

[jimGTS]

to get the block skimmed youd have to remove the engine really...

[gline]

and does the block have to be skimmed aswell to make a good seal.

also its a 1.2mm HG i have so do u have to skim that off the block?

[jimGTS]

i dont know whether you skim both, or just one or the other....

to make a perfect seal yes youd need the block skimmed to, but i personally havent had any problems at boost spikes of 1.4bar (oops), with my arp head studs and the 1mm gasket....and i prepped my block by hand....(and had head skimmed)...

if your going to get another head, you may as well get the valve stem seals changed, have it relapped, reshimmed, cleaned, and new cam seals to...thats what i did when i sent my head away (to nathan at century motorsport)....

[gline]

excellent mate, sounds good.

il see if the seller is just willing to sell the head. would save me a lot of bother

[gline]

here is a pic of the yellow tube.






when this is plugged there is no problem boosting.

what is this tube?

[gline]

can anyone tell me what this tube is for ?

excuse my ignorance