I'm in a pinch and damaged my Mazda head gasket. I believe I used a Fel Pro before and had no problems but I'm uncertain. I have a spare in the garage, but I'm a little nervous.

I painted the first one with that copper headgasket spray and fucked-up the finish with dirt and smudging it with my finger. A friend emphatically insisted I use it, so I did to make him shut up...now I'm paying the price.

 

I have one in my 1.6 (composite) now, it's fine.

 

Any thoughts on using the Mazda gasket with the smudged copper? It's not a break in the copper surface, it's general dirt/gunk from my (Michael Jackson) glove.

 

White car: use it

Green car: don't use it??

 

nguyen!!!

 

Felpro makes good head gaskets. I would go with them without worrying about it whenever I didn't have a Mazda gasket. They are the only other company I have tried and I know tons of people who swear by them. Very reputable company

 

Fel-Pros are the gasket of choice for most Ford pushrod stuff/ many other domestic applications. They make a quality product. I'd use an OEM Mazda or a Cometic before a Fel Pro, but it should do just fine.

You shoul be able to get the copper spray off with brake clean, btw. Make sure you let it all evaporate before you try to respray it, though.

 

Used one on the white one.
Worked like an bawsss

 

You need to talk to your doc about putting you on Ativan. Felpro is one of the biggest gasket makers in the world.... For a reason. It'll be fine. Just cinch those ARP studs down a little tighter

 

Agreed with everyone here. Used a felpro on a friend's 02se and it was solid piece.

 

Oh I'm fully ******* aware.

Thanks for the advice to everyone.

 

FelPro gaskets are good. I'd use it without hesitation.

 

FTI, it's a real bitch to get the head/intake plenum/exhaust manifold on the block, alone, without headstuds in place due to the coolant reroute. It's a good thing I'm so manly.

 

I sometimes think the ease of cylinder head installment outweighs the clamping force and general high performance glory.

I usually use Fel Pro head gaskets purchased at Advanced Auto, mostly because it is a mile from my house. Never blown a head gasket yet.

 

Try it on a 1.6. One 1/4" mistake and you scrap your head gasket. Ask me how I know.

 

I use them on subaru's with great success. Anybody that has any experience with them knows how they love to eat factory head gaskets.