Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: JamesV6CDX on 14 May 2008, 20:45:52
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Ok I risk setting the cat amonst the pigeons here, but I'm after a bit of a sensible/factual debate based on current curcumstances.
Circumstances are as follows. I have a poorly 2.0 16v Omega which I'm currently doing a top end stripdown, clean, and rebuild on a low budget.
Chances are when it runs I will sell the Disco, and I will need the 2.0 Estate to "get us by" for about 6 months.
My question (and I want to ask a wide audience) is this -
I have bought a head gasket set with every top end gasket/seal required to complete the build.
All mating surfaces are squeaky clean and smooth and new studs will be used.
Do I use the composite gaskets that came in the kit for the exhaust manifold, and also use the supplied camcover gasket -
Or should I splash out around £40 extra for the genuine VX ones?
If this was a newer, nicer car I wouldn't even be asking the question, but remembering the car's value (about £400 most when running) and the length of time I need it, I am tossing up whether properly fitted pattern gaskets in these applications might get me by.
Answers on a postcard ;)
I'm not convinced either way at the moment.
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If it was a car I was going to keep I'd use the 'proper' GM gaskets. But in this case I think I'd use the pattern gaskets that came in the kit. Chances are it'll be someone else's problem by the time they fail. ::) :y
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I suppose it depends on how long you intend to keep the car.
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I suppose it depends on how long you intend to keep the car.
6 months max :y
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I suppose it depends on how long you intend to keep the car.
6 months max :y
Use the gaskets u have - not worth extra expense - yours should easily last 6 months!
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Well, the pattern cam cover gaskets are unlikely to last 6 months from bitter experience and the composite exhaust manifold gaskets are just not worth fitting.
Re-use the old cam seals though!
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Well, the pattern cam cover gaskets are unlikely to last 6 months from bitter experience and the composite exhaust manifold gaskets are just not worth fitting.
Re-use the old cam seals though!
Are pattern cam cover gaskets on the 2.0 any better than the V6 ones?
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James, your back...............now i know i have been away too long!!! Welcome home :y
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BTW James, if it were me i would stick the pattern parts on and keep my fingers crossed if this is not a long term car. £40 in the piggy bank towards the next one then ;)
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Use the pattern ones..
I rebuilt my head 3 years ago using a gasket set from partco/unipart inc cam cover and manifold gaskets and i have no leaks at all. I guess the 2.0lts arn't as prone to blowing the gaskets as the v6 ones.
lee
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Get a pattern one..I like the ones with bunny rabbits on.. :D
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Well, the pattern cam cover gaskets are unlikely to last 6 months from bitter experience and the composite exhaust manifold gaskets are just not worth fitting.
Re-use the old cam seals though!
Are pattern cam cover gaskets on the 2.0 any better than the V6 ones?
Nope, equally as shite!!
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Get a pattern one..I like the ones with bunny rabbits on.. :D
Thought you were into ferrets nowadays.
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Get a pattern one..I like the ones with bunny rabbits on.. :D
Thought you were into ferrets nowadays.
;D ;D ;D ;D
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Use the pattern ones..
I rebuilt my head 3 years ago using a gasket set from partco/unipart inc cam cover and manifold gaskets and i have no leaks at all. I guess the 2.0lts arn't as prone to blowing the gaskets as the v6 ones.
lee
They are more prone!
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Use the pattern ones..
I rebuilt my head 3 years ago using a gasket set from partco/unipart inc cam cover and manifold gaskets and i have no leaks at all. I guess the 2.0lts arn't as prone to blowing the gaskets as the v6 ones.
lee
They are more prone!
Guess i must be running on pure luck. I've done about 15000 hard miles on mine since the rebuild and i still hav'nt got around to cleaning the breathers yet :-[ so i think that goes to the top of my to do list after that comment..
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all depends on the quailty of them james i tend to use payern gaskets very good quailty but for manifold and cam cover i use only genuine ! :y
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Exhaust - use genuine - PITA otherwise
Cam cover - genuine not that bad - did mine
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Use the pattern ones, probably made in the same place anyway.
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Use the pattern ones, probably made in the same place anyway.
Sadly they are not!
And the genuine exhaust manifold gaskets are made from sheet metal plates where as the pattern items are a composite material.
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James I appreciate you are doin this on a budget, but sometimes you have to spend some extra money.
Think of it in context to how much the car will be driven?
Additional £40 over the course of 6 months and complete peace of mind?
Fit the genuine gaskets and do the job properly. That way it will not be niggling away in the back of your mind.
When you (if you have any sense!) go get the genuine gaskets, check them against the pattern parts and spot the quality difference!
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I would use the ones you have in the kit. Given that you will be doing a thorough clean of the breather system you stand a decent chance of them lasting IMHO. If they don't it is a trivial job to change on the 4 pot and you've not lost anything other than half an hour or so.
BTW I got 400 quid for my slightly poorly 4 pot Mreg estate last year , and had a queue of people lining up for it, so you should have no problems moving it on.
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Can someone possibly let me know the p/n and prices for the genuine items, so I can get them asap? :)
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Ok the stealers have genuine exhaust gaskets so I'll pick one of those up along with new studs and nuts. Can't go wrong for a tenner!
Unfortunately they don't have the cam cover gasket and can't get it for tomorrow - so for the purpose of the rebuild I will fit the pattern one until I can get one. (assuming it starts and runs and the HG cures the problem!)
Camcover is only 10 min job - at least the exhaust manifold will be sound!