Epic Fail! Headgasket install.

[mike-tracy]

So after I replaced the HG's and got the motor back together, I noticed a bad oil leak on the topside of the engine! Traced it to the oil galley hump between the block and head.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/CIMG0171-1.jpg

Looking at a couple engines I had lying around, I discovered that I had installed the driver side headgasket backwards, so no gasket material was sealing the oil galley. FAIL!!!
Sadly the local dealer don't stock ej20k STI MLS headgaskets nor can they get them. But they DO stock ej20g GRAPHITE gaskets (p/n: 11044AA355). Same specs, different material.


(look at the top left of the block):
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/CIMG0187-1.jpg
Forged pistons are pretty. :)
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/CIMG0189a-1.jpg


Think I should scuff up the surface of the block for the graphite gasket? I had it polished for the MLS gasket.
Note that this engine is temporary until I can afford to build my ej22t, just need it to be reliable for 6-months to a year.

[chuckthefuk]

:-|

[Thomistopheles]

Whoops. LOL

What'd you have the mating surfaces finished to? 20RA?

[elislider]

you can get the EJ20K STi metal gaskets from Japan or you can get Cometic equivalent gaskets faster and cheaper. They are about $100 for the pair. dont use the graphite material ones!

[mike-tracy]

Whoops. LOL

What'd you have the mating surfaces finished to? 20RA?

I don't remember off the top of my head. I have the machinist's note somewhere.

[Thomistopheles]

If it's already prepped for a MHG, I'd go with the Cometic as elislider suggested. I ran them with ARP studs on all my toyota 7M-GTEs (famous for their headgasket issues) and had no problems, even with nearly three times as much power as a stock 7M.

[mike-tracy]

you can get the EJ20K STi metal gaskets from Japan or you can get Cometic equivalent gaskets faster and cheaper. They are about $100 for the pair. dont use the graphite material ones!

Don't want to wait a month for an OEM one and definitely don't want to use cosmetic's - too many people I know had theirs fail in high performance builds. There's always someone who didn't have that experience for every 3 I know who did, I'm well aware. :grin:

They used graphite for years on subies - ej20g's, ej20k's(non sti ones), ej22t's, etc. We didn't hear about massive HG failures on ej's until the 2.5L's showed up. My theory
is that they failed because of inadequate/improper torque specs (FHI has updated their torque procedure several times since the introduction of the ej25x) and "movement" of the unsupported and thinner cylinder walls due to vibration at higher rpm's was too much for graphite. (And yet the failure rate is statistically lower for the 96 ej25d's?) The failure rate is much, much less on open deck 2.0's and 2.2's on stock gaskets, and virtually unheard of on 22t's. So I'll wager my time that it won't be a problem with my closed deck 2.0, lol.

[elislider]

cometic part number for 1.3mm EJ20 gaskets is C4261-051 (for 1 gasket). they usually run about $50 per gasket

graphite are junk IMO. all high spec engines use an MLS (multilayer steel). note that all the engines you mentioned (ej20g, ej20k non sti, ej22t) run low boost and low power and are just not as refined of an engine.

take my advice as the first time youve heard someone use Cometic in the long term as a great gasket. i had them on my EJ20K STi and its still running strong 2 years later after i hand-rebuilt the engine

[mike-tracy]

OMG Eliot you are twisting my arm. :lol: Find me one or two 11044AA463 and I'll buy it. I'm morally opposed to Cometic's :smt005

I PM'd a guy on nasioc who had someone go into a dealership for him in Japan and get two of those gaskets. They came to almost $100 each before shipping. :smt021

[02_Legacy]

This is the first time I have heard a negative review for the cometics. I put them in my EJ251 when my headgaskets went. Granted I have only driven it about 8,000 sence the change but I have had no issues. I did research when I put them in too of OEM vs cometic, and like I said I never read a negative review.

[mike-tracy]

This is the first time I have heard a negative review for the cometics. I put them in my EJ251 when my headgaskets went. Granted I have only driven it about 8,000 sence the change but I have had no issues. I did research when I put them in too of OEM vs cometic, and like I said I never read a negative review.

So long as you had your heads checked for warpage, and followed the torquing procedure I don't think you have anything to worry about on an n/a build. I believe that Cometic DOES suggest the mating surface of the block and heads be polished however.

[elislider]

maybe cometic gaskets for other models aren't as good because of the properties of those engines, but I can't speak for anything but subaru cometic gaskets. they work well and are a perfect compromise for the expensive and hard to get EJ20K STi MLS gaskets. for all other engines, just do OEM gaskets, unless you need a custom thickness, in which case, cometic is the best choice

[Tradewind]

Victor Reinz is one of the few gasket companies in the world with special gasket kits for the Subaru turbo engines, these kits address short comings in the Subaru factory gaskets presenting a superior sealing solution

German made