Blown Head Gasket- Help.

[kickasskid2087]

Some of you may now that I recently pick up a rather clean 97 tsi awd w/ 68,000 miles on it. Well I started doing all my maintenance. In my shop at college did oil/tranny/diff/rear end/coolant/steering, all accessory belts, plugs, wired, filter, brakes. Well on the way home from college today I got on it about half throttle and next thing I know a guy is next to me in the turn lane telling me I just blew a line or something and blew fluid all over the road. Well I pulled over and end up getting the car home to find out my head gasket is blown.

So next week in my class I am doing my head gasket and timing belt.
My question is what gasket should I use? Would you guys recommend arp's. Where should I buy all the timing components.

Car is 100% stock at the moment, FYI.

Im looking for some places to buy and recommended components. I need to get these quick because I need my car.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks, Alex

 

[nuclearr]

Well when was the bet changes service life is 60k. If it has not been done you need belt water pump hydraulic tensioner. As far as head gasket what are you goals if you plan to upgrade hp I would conceder a cometic head gasket. You will also need new head studs (if they haven't been stretched you can reuse them but from my experience they are trow aways. I recommend ARP head studs.

As far as the belt and tensioner make sure you get oem not aftermarket (unless is a kevlar belt)! Check the vendors.

 

[DeadsEvolution1]

You should get ARPS. They are much better than the stock head bolts and will last longer and are reuseable. Also I would use the 4 layered metal one, incase you do want to run high boost and be safe about it. Just my opinion

 

[mikhro]

Please do not get your timing belt from your local autoparts store.....either use an OEM or superior

 

[lacroixdp]

You do not need an OEM timing belt - get the $29 one from Parts Dinosaur. He even has a kit with all the parts you need to replace for under $210. The reason they fail is incorrect installation, failure to replace pulleys, fluid contamination, or failure to correctly set the tension. You can also get a head gasket kit from Parts Dinosaur for under $80.

 

[Only2G4Me]

+1 for the aftermarket timing belt. It is always best to go with OEM but I've used them on DSMs and other cars I've owned, and I've never had a problem with aftermarket timing belts. I would recommend going with an OEM head gasket though. I don't trust felpro or the like. Besides, you can get an OEM head gasket for cheap. $55 at dsmparts.com - OEM DSM Stock HeadGasket#-#OEM DSM Gaskets#-#Maintenance#-#DSMparts.com I agree with others and would also recommend ARP head studs. They are a bit more pricey than the stock stretch bolts(about $100 on average for a full set), but well worth it. With MLS head gaskets like the Cometic and such it's recommended that the head AND block mating surfaces be refinished or it might not seal properly. So I'd stick with the composite, especially since you're all stock and not pushing 25+psi of boost. The composite hg with ARPs will hold just fine even above stock boost. Plus it'll save you some money and time, since the hg itself is cheaper and there's less machine work to be done.

 

[kickasskid2087]

I have big goals, and the full timing belt, pulleys and tensioners are being replaced. Along with coolant flush. I was planning on going with the arps and it sounds like you guys like the oem parts even for the timing belt. I am mostly doing this for the maintenance aspect. I will focus on aftermarket timing belt when I built the head later on.

Thanks, Alex

 

[kickasskid2087]

Oh, and what are your guys feelings on balance shaft elimination. I know the ups and downs, but what are your personal opinions on it.

 

[DeadsEvolution1]

Love the balance shaft removal. Easier to do the timing when you have to redo something too. I didn't notice any real vibration in the areas they said. It feels fine to me. So I say it's well worth it. A lot of dsm's aren't using them

 

[nyTalonTsi]

Well a Mitsu headgasket is fine, its proven to handle power. You can also add some arp headstuds so you would be set when the heavy modding begins.

Don't go cheap on the waterpump and tensioners. Especially the auto timing belt tensioner. Only do OEM. Especially not a parts store HG, fel pro and topline are alright.

 

[OneBad2L]

For your OEM parts, well hell even everything you order you can't go wrong by ordering them from JNZ tuning. Support the vendors. There's very few that will beat their prices and parts come quick.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Yep them or extreme psi great service.

 

[donniekak]

+1 for the aftermarket timing belt. It is always best to go with OEM but I've used them on DSMs and other cars I've owned, and I've never had a problem with aftermarket timing belts. I would recommend going with an OEM head gasket though. I don't trust felpro or the like. Besides, you can get an OEM head gasket for cheap. $55 at dsmparts.com - OEM DSM Stock HeadGasket#-#OEM DSM Gaskets#-#Maintenance#-#DSMparts.com I agree with others and would also recommend ARP head studs. They are a bit more pricey than the stock stretch bolts(about $100 on average for a full set), but well worth it. With MLS head gaskets like the Cometic and such it's recommended that the head AND block mating surfaces be refinished or it might not seal properly. So I'd stick with the composite, especially since you're all stock and not pushing 25+psi of boost. The composite hg with ARPs will hold just fine even above stock boost. Plus it'll save you some money and time, since the hg itself is cheaper and there's less machine work to be done.

The felpro composite has been proven by several members up to 500whp.

 

[DeadsEvolution1]

Donniekak? Are you saying the stock head gasket from fel pro is proven for 500whp? Really?

 

[Only2G4Me]

I've seen threads comparing the two where the minor diffrences in them are explained. I was just saying that you can get a genuine mitsu head gasket for about the same price as the felpro and have the peice of mind. Pleanty of people are making good power on the mitsu HGs too, espically with the ARP combo.

 

[donniekak]

Donniekak? Are you saying the stock head gasket from fel pro is proven for 500whp? Really?

Yes, i have used a bunch of them with no problems. Even had one on my hx40 galant for a while. I found out they were tough when i was switching back and forth between a few different heads, and didn't want to spend a couple hundred bucks each swap. Held 30 psi from a hx40 for me, and here are some other guy's results.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/drag-strip/346887-into-10s-we-go.html

 

[Silver99GSX]

im using ARP Studs with an Cometic head gasket works great...

 

[kickasskid2087]

Now with doing the head gasket, are you guys buying a upper head gasket set or just the headgasker and like valve cover gasket?

 

[BIGBLAZE79]

Just make sure you check the head and block to see if they are warped. I just replaced my head gasket, checked the head and didn't check the block. It is still leaking water into the #1 cylinder without even starting the car . I went from the MLS 4 layer OEM back to the OEM composite with ARP studs. Boy do I feel like an idiot .

 

[Defiant]

Oh

My

God.