need help choosing a head gasket

cre · 12-10-2009, 02:01 AM

Actually, the genuine Toyota HG isn't bad at all. If you really need a metal head gasket though, I would recommend Cometic; They're the most forgiving. Forgiving or not though, you're asking for trouble if you don't get the block resurfaced. If you pull the head and there is ABSOLUTELY NO PITTING and the block is level within a couple thousandths of an inch you can try lapping it with a precision lapping plate and diamond lapping compound and hope for the best.

The only composite HG I would use myself would be the Toyota HG. Neither the HG nor the head bolts were the problem to begine with... it was just the low torque value. My HG and those of most MKIII owners seem to have lasted 15 years or more with the low factory torque holding things together.

Still, for a high power build I do recommend a metal HG, but I do not recommend cutting corners.

12-10-2009, 02:01 AM	#4
cre Toyota Racing Development Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 5,038	Actually, the genuine Toyota HG isn't bad at all. If you really need a metal head gasket though, I would recommend Cometic; They're the most forgiving. Forgiving or not though, you're asking for trouble if you don't get the block resurfaced. If you pull the head and there is ABSOLUTELY NO PITTING and the block is level within a couple thousandths of an inch you can try lapping it with a precision lapping plate and diamond lapping compound and hope for the best. The only composite HG I would use myself would be the Toyota HG. Neither the HG nor the head bolts were the problem to begine with... it was just the low torque value. My HG and those of most MKIII owners seem to have lasted 15 years or more with the low factory torque holding things together. Still, for a high power build I do recommend a metal HG, but I do not recommend cutting corners.