Head Gasket Install Support Needed - Compensation

I was wondering if anyone has experience with installing a new head gasket on a Redtop? Mine is leaking very slowly and possibly the front cover to the motor too...this is what the mechanic said that looked at it as I haven't heard the term "front cover used before". Any help would be greatly appreciated and I would be willing to compensate the individual that can help me do this since it's my attempt at it. Let me know as I would like to get this done sooner than later. Any other items I would need besides a Cometic head gasket for this job? Is it a pain to install rocker arm stoppers while this procedure is going on? Thanks!

bhavedikian wrote:

I was wondering if anyone has experience with installing a new head gasket on a Redtop? Mine is leaking very slowly and possibly the front cover to the motor too...this is what the mechanic said that looked at it as I haven't heard the term "front cover used before". Any help would be greatly appreciated and I would be willing to compensate the individual that can help me do this since it's my attempt at it. Let me know as I would like to get this done sooner than later. Any other items I would need besides a Cometic head gasket for this job? Is it a pain to install rocker arm stoppers while this procedure is going on? Thanks!

Changing a headgastket isnt really that hard if you know what youre doing. Having a Factory Service Manual helps a lot! Changing the old gasket to a new OEM gasket is pretty easy, but installing an aftermarket one like from Cometic can be more time consuming and costly. If you meant a metal headgastket, than you'd have to have the head and block mating surfaces decked/cut and made sure that both surfaces are perfectly straight. Metal gaskets will cause leaks if either surface is not straight and flawless. The OEM gsskets are easiest because all you have to do is clean the mating surfaces to the bare metal and throw the new gasket in place. OEM gaskets tend to compensate for any little imperfections that might exist better too! You might want to consider new head bolts or studs.

On the SR20 there is a timing chaing cover which is on the front of the motor. These cover(s) require rubber gaskets or some kind of sealant.

Copper gasket sealer + OEM gasket = good to go IMO

If he is talking about the timing cover, aka front cover, from what I understand you have to take the head off to get the cover off so you change the gasket while your in there. It's really not too bad but for gods sake... mark your cam's!!! I had a real bitch of a time when the chain wasn't lined up right showing the colored links and my white out markings came off.

It's really easy job on the SR IMO. But yea, listen to david cause he's got it down.

stop using crappy ass cometic gasket
88bore = fail

but its your motor, you're paying for it if you blow it.

Thank you for the information all. Is there anything I need besides basic hand tools to do this job? From what I see I don't see why a special tool is needed but I could be wrong.

Jay - what would you suggest instead of the crappy Cometic gasket? OEM are pretty expensive...I'm not trying to go cheap-skate punk on the motor as I know it makes up the majority of the value of my car. I have an AEM EMS, NISMO injectors and a Z32 MAF that I would like to get installed so I wanted to get this done as inexpensively as possible...notice I didn't use the word cheaply as they are very different.

I haven't done any internal engine work but I have been modifying cars since '96 and I have installed a turbo kit on a car in my garage before as well as other non-bolt on items. I've just never gotten into the internals of the tranny or motor...I guess it's time to start now. I'll look over the FSM and make sure I'm not about the butt-faq myself on this. Thank you for the information as I love the sponge it up and also pass it along.

An OEM gasket is all you really need. Its going to be the most effective and at the same time least expensive.

I could do it, if you paid me of course.

Jay wrote:

stop using crappy ass cometic gasket
88bore = fail

but its your motor, you're paying for it if you blow it.

WTF? Why are Cometic gaskets crappy? I've heard good things from Cometic. Im using a Cometic MLS headgasket in my CA18 and its been running fine since i started breaking in the engine. Im going to do a compression test on it very soon, i just need to cop me a compression tester. The first time i did a compression test on the engine all my numbers were pretty even and nothing was leaking. Im thinking the numbers woould've gone up a bit by now so ill know if im still ok.

Like i said before, any multilayered steel gasket will leak if the surfaces are not perfectly straight! Doesnt matter if its Cometic, Federal Mugol, Fel-pro, HKS, Tomei, etc. People complain its the gasket's fault but its actually the surfaces not being perfectly straight or the head bolts/studs werent tightened correctly! Some tend to be a little more forgiving than others though. Its best not to take a chance and do it right. If you dont want to spend the money or time, OEM is the way to go!

Oh I did forget... SR uses torque to yeild bolts which means they need to be replaced after being torqued. Also, they are a Hex bolt so if you don't have a good Hex socket, you should get one.

Other than that, its pretty straight forward. Check the FSM for loosening and tightning sequences and get the right torque specs. Make sure to gradually tighten them starting at like 20lb/ft, 45lb/ft, then final torque... going in order of course.

davidricardo86 wrote:

Jay wrote:

stop using crappy ass cometic gasket
88bore = fail

but its your motor, you're paying for it if you blow it.

WTF? Why are Cometic gaskets crappy? I've heard good things from Cometic. Im using a Cometic MLS headgasket in my CA18 and its been running fine since i started breaking in the engine. blah blah blah blah

I already said why they suck. but now i made it bold and underlined so you dont miss it for the second time.

SR bore = 86
Cometic headgasket bore = 88
OEM HG bore = 86.5

look up FA, ZT, Zilvia and look around. Most people who run stuff go for something that fits better.
CA might be different - don't know don't care. He asked about SR, so I tell him about SR and how Cometic shit don't fit.

Jay wrote:

stop using crappy ass cometic gasket
88bore = fail

but its your motor, you're paying for it if you blow it.

Well I dont know who you know who's putting a 88mm bore headgasket on a stock sr20det bore. Cometic is actually very good. My buddy has had one on his car for over a year and Ive had mine on for over 5months with no problems. Ive never heard of any problems with them. O and I bought the 86.5mm bore.
Here is a couple of links

http://cometic.com/sportcompact.aspx

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cometic-Headgasket-S13-S14-SR20DET-RWD-86-5mm-040_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33665QQihZ015QQitemZ250173226704QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

240slider,

Thanks, I dpon't just go with someone that says something crap without any real back up. Any 88mm head gasket is going to cause problems with a stock SR20DET, I guess those people need to do some research befor blowing blowing up the motor and then blaming a company...

what's ur setup turbo/injector wise?
i wouldn't use a stock gasket once the motor's pretty modded.
it's like a piece of paper between there.

I have stock internals, a Forced Performance Big 28 turbo with stock injectors that will some day be swapped with the NISMO 555cc set as well as having a Z32 MAF and AEM EMS put in place. The Z32 MAF pigtail is already soldered in.

I'm that guy that looked at your car when it had popped the motor...I'm sure you had a few people look at it so let me know if you remeber me asking about buying the car with internals done to it or with a new SR in it. Also, what did you ever do?

i bought a fresh sr sold the pistons and all that stuff. i'm just doing 740cc's APFC z32 maf 2871r cometic headgasket and a bunch of bolt on stuff. those are the main mods tho.

yea i remember...
what car do u have? i don't think i've seen pics yet.

I drive a green '97 240sx with some mods. I can send you some pics if you like...it's ok but it needs to have some things swapped...like the suspension, I don't know if there are poly bushings all over or that the Megan coilovers are the problem with it riding like a tank, it's way too tight for me as a daily driver.