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Experience with complete head gasket sets? AJUSA, MAHLE, VICTOR REINZ, FEPRO..

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chrisman287

Proven Member
737
523
Jul 19, 2021
New_York
So.. since putting my car back together I noticed I’ve got a knock at idle. I intend to pull the oil pan but I imagine a bearing has spun. I plan to take the head off to be tanked (already have new lifters on the way) and I’m probably going to get another short block just to play it safe.

While everything is apart I plan on changing as many of the gaskets as possible. I see a few kits online for just the head side and I see one for the complete engine.

I’ve read good things about AJUSA here as well as Felpro. On my Nissans I’ve always gone with Mahle or Victor Reinz for most gaskets as they’re typically OEM. One of the previous owners that may help me with the motor recommended the Felpro kit.

Has anyone used any of these kits? I do like the idea of the complete engine kit by AJUSA (last picture).

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I have every FelPro gasket that is in that set, only separate, not in kit form. I have used FelPro since, oh, 1978 or so. Maybe I am biased but never had any issue with their gaskets. I didn't like some of the other companies head gaskets, or they way they were put together so FP has been my go to if not using a Cometic HG. Just my experiences, not everyone's.
 
Mahle, VR rubber gaskets I use when that's all I have around but otherwise it's all FelPro. I like their cut-your-own gasket sheets as well but they have an interesting odour.

I've only used a Mitsu composite once, and now run the FelPro 9627PT head gasket through a few different engine variations with no issues but I'm in the 400whp and under club. RockAuto now has them for $13CAD on wholesaler closeout.. so I stocked up a couple.
FelPro is the most consistent aftermarket manufacturer around, in my opinion. I never hesitate to run any of their gaskets almost anywhere. In fact, in some cases, I prefer them to OEM (for instance, the intake manifold gasket -- harder to clean up but I don't like the metal OEM one).

I think the only OEM ones I still use are the 4ply exhaust manifold and the 7cm.
 
I had a TopLine gasket kit for my build but decided halfway through to just buy everything as OEM (minus the head gasket). The Fel-Pro 9627PT is a fine replacement piece for a mild rebuild.
 
I once bought an ITM set from rockauto and was thoroughly impressed. To my surprise about 75% of it (rear main seal, valve seals, etc) was the oem stuff repackaged. I bought not for a full rebuild but just because I needed several of the gaskets and couldn’t beat it for 55 bucks (few years back, don’t know if they still have it listed or the price now). Me and my buddy Dan got a kick out of it as he was giving me a hard time for buying a cheap set until I set the rear main seal out of my ITM kit next to his OEM Mitsubishi packaged rear main seal to see the same markings and all, except he paid $45 for the rear main seal by itself, I essentially got one with the rest of the gaskets for 10 bucks more. I wouldn’t advise using the head gasket out of that set as it didn’t look like the OEM composite and I prefer the Felpro composite, but I’ve gone through every other gasket in that set now with zero issues. I’d say most of these gasket kits are fine and likely to find the same thing I found with the ITM set, however I will say there’s a few gaskets I prefer Felpro over anything for different reasons, but on most of it the gasket is a gasket.
 
I'm running an Ajusa fibermax headgasket with Ajusa head bolts and my 7 bolt sees regular 22 psi of boost since 2019. Not a single symptom or indication of HG failure. Followed FSM torquing procedure with no fancy copper sprays nor did I machine my head or block (did it by hand the good ole fashioned way). I also used an Ajusa valve cover gasket which leaked twice and on the third time I just glued it all up with black Victor Reinz RTV and sealed it shut. I would say Ajusa is really good quality and good bang-for-buck. Of course if I had Felpro available here I'd prolly have gone with that.
 
I used on my own cars

Cometic mls .... worst gasket i had (surfaces were on 20ra

Felpro 9627 ..... good choice and great if you put a set of arps too , it holds 40 45 psi even some shot of n2o without problem

Ajusa... 40 -45 psi without problems with arp l19 on head

Also used some called dc gasket from 22 psi and less without problems

One thing is worth to mention is tune is the key to get them last or not and a gasket isnt a bamd aid for a bad tune for too much time, i preffer to pop a gasket than not but send other stuff to shit going with mls and having tune issues
 
I’m going to give the Ajusa full kit a try. Will report back with pictures once the kit is here.
Even if you opted to not use the the head gasket that comes with the kit the felpro composite is real cheap right now and well proven, buying that separate you’d still be in cheaper than buying a whole felpro or oem kit by far. Hell, I even once bought one of those cheap “evergreen automotive” sets off eBay, again the head gasket in that set was sketchy like many of the other cheap kits, but have used multiple gaskets out of it, have some stashed for my new engine along with others out of that ITM kit, and I would say even out of the evergreen kit there’s not many that I wouldn’t use.
 
AJUSA kit just to update this.

Didn’t take a picture with the oil pan gasket as that went straight into the garbage LOL.

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How come? I’ve seen others say it was fine both here and other forums.
For all we know it’s a relabeled OEM gasket, but then for all we know it’s a no name made god knows where. Looks like the gasket that came in the “Evergreen” kits that started showing up 12-13 years ago, there were a few of these used that popped within a few hundred miles not even under heavy driving. With that being said as proven as the Felpro gasket is and as cheap as it is I wouldn’t take chances on it.
 
How come? I’ve seen others say it was fine both here and other forums.
You'll always get people who prefer a certian brand (fel-pro in this case) But there is plenty of information out there with people that have had good results with the AJUSA that I wouldnt hesitate to run it for a stock or mild HP rebuild.
 
You'll always get people who prefer a certian brand (fel-pro in this case) But there is plenty of information out there with people that have had good results with the AJUSA that I wouldnt hesitate to run it for a stock or mild HP rebuild.
Ajusa, evergreen, whatever the brand may be, there’s documentation of the no names failing extremely prematurely on here (example 200 miles of normal driving) however the Felpro is proven to 8.90 at 151, take that “preference” as what you will. I’d rather spend the $20 or whatever a Felpro is and know it’s good opposed to rip into it with 200 miles on it and torch the head while you’re at it.
 
Ajusa, evergreen, whatever the brand may be, there’s documentation of the no names failing extremely prematurely on here (example 200 miles of normal driving) however the Felpro is proven to 8.90 at 151, take that “preference” as what you will. I’d rather spend the $20 or whatever a Felpro is and know it’s good opposed to rip into it with 200 miles on it and torch the head while you’re at it.
Where is the documentation of the AJUSA failing? There's plenty of people who have run them with no issues and I haven't seen any documented issues. You cant just toss them all in a no-name category if this specific brand name has been used sucessfully. Its made in spain for one which any evergreen kit i have seen says china or has no country listed.


 
Where is the documentation of the AJUSA failing? There's plenty of people who have run them with no issues and I haven't seen any documented issues. You cant just toss them all in a no-name category if this specific brand name has been used sucessfully. Its made in spain for one which any evergreen kit i have seen says china or has no country listed.


I stand corrected for classifying them with the no names, however the Felpro is still good reassurance in my book. That’s to each their own, but when one is well proven I have a hard time not spending the little bit for the reassurance. Yeah they had good luck with it, and it doesn’t mean it’s not good, but nowhere in those posts do I see anything about it being pushed hard to the point the felpro has been proven to.
 
I've used FelPro head gaskets on ALL of my rebuilds, because of their track record, for the last 40 years. Every motor, except the 2 4g63s I have that are running a Cometic and a HKS (and I have had good luck with them also, as long as the head and block are decked) have had that brand. I have never had a single issue with them is why I keep using them. Not to say others are inferior but I just trust FelPro so I don't have to tear a motor back down. We have one relatively stock 4G63 that has a FelPro on it and that motor should be going in the White 90 I have sometime this winter I hope. (That car just has low oil pressure so I want to yank it now before it gets hurt). Just my opinion on the head gasket thing.
 
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