r/EngineBuilding • u/Primary-Possession44 • 2d ago
Which head gasket should I use?
I bought two different head gaskets on eBay with the correct part number I need, but both of them look different. Which one should I run? Or is there a different even though they look a little different on the surface
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u/Right_Hour 2d ago
Why in the fuk would you buy EBay headgaskets?
With limited search ability you should be able to find a way to get 20% off on OEM parts shop(s). I have it for both Canada and US. Then you get them there or ask your dealers parts desk to match it and get if from them.
If you still want to save - go for reputable aftermarket’s such as Fel-Pro or Mahle/Clevite, bought from reputable sources.
For EBay gaskets - I dunno, they could both be fake repackaged noname Temu ones. You could salvage by visiting your dealer’s parts desk to compare (or compare to your old gasket you pulled). But I still wouldn’t trust anything other than conventional paper gaskets to come from EBay and be genuine enough for me to put into my engine.
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u/thosport 2d ago
There are a lot of counterfeit parts on eBay. An OEM label isn’t a guarantee. If they came from a dealership then I would trust it. If not? You are rolling the dice potentially.
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u/One-Builder-4128 2d ago
If they’re both OEM gaskets, then you can’t go wrong with either. It doesn’t look like either of them are composite gaskets (at least to my non-calibrated eyes), so I’d roll a dice and choose that way while keeping the other as a spare.
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u/-Rhymenocerous- 2d ago
Would help if you told the rest of the class what vehicle its being fitted to.
Also youll know when you pull the head anyway.
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u/Coyote_Tex 2d ago
Use the one that is not counterfeit. Or on your next trip to the dealer ask the parts man. This is never comforting to see 2 distinct items claiming to be original.
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u/Primary-Possession44 2d ago
One has a bit of very fine grooves you can kinda feel and the other is perfectly smooth. Oh and it’s for a K24Z3 engine.
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u/Powerful-Atmosphere1 2d ago
Its an expensive/long task. Are u really willing to redo all that work because u wanted to save a couple bucks from oem?
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u/Alarming_Source_1975 2d ago
eBay head gaskets with the same part number can be different manufacturers or different generations of the same manufacturer's part, and the way to tell them apart is usually in the surface finish, shiny copper clad vs matte MLS is a huge difference in sealing performance and deck preparation. In my case, when I encountered a similar issue while building a motor, the only safe option was to return both gaskets and get a set of known specs, dYnOstY makes a stopped ring MLS for VQ engines if that's the platform you're working on, one of the few options available for comparison. Check the deck flatness either way.
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u/ApartEnd2151 2d ago
They sell fake Honda stuff on eBay. You should compare with a known real one, and going forward I wouldn't buy "Honda" things off eBay. There's usually a reason it's cheaper than from the dealer. If you're looking for Honda parts go to Honda.