New Gaskets?

[solson1041]

Hi guys, I've got a 93 TSI and I had the head rebuilt in octoberish, and about 3k miles ago. I'm gonna try to swing a miniature bottom end rebuild over my spring break and do main/rod bearings and piston rings (piston rings are the main problem, they're definitely bad). I'll do other things while I'm at it, like timing belt/tensioner, water pump, and some other miscellaneous things which go along with that.

My question is, do I really NEED to replace the gaskets? I'm not trying to spend an extra 50 bucks on a head gasket when the one that's in there is only 3k miles old. I'll probably have the engine apart again in the summer, so I'm really not super concerned if something were to go terribly wrong.

But if this is an awful idea, I'd like to know. Also, if there's anything else small I should do while I'm in there, I'd love to know.

Thanks very much.

p.s. it's a composite headgasket, I forget the brand off the top of my head, but it was from O'riley auto parts and a name I've seen recommended on the forums, so a quality composite gasket.

 

[jcarmichael]

probably felpro hg is what you have right now, but everything I read ever is to replace the head gasket always if you have the head off. Too do with the main and rod bearings if your replacing them not sure what you where planning on using but if it was me I would go with acl race bearings. Probably one of the best bearings out to use from what I have read and when I do my build in the next month it is what I plan to use. on the head gasket though I would replace it better safe then sorry and if you don't already have arp head studs I would get them as well.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Use new gaskets, when doing a build i rebuilt mine just now, its all new on the top and bottom end, why take chances, do it right and once, until a rebuild later.

 

[solson1041]

probably felpro hg is what you have right now, but everything I read ever is to replace the head gasket always if you have the head off. Too do with the main and rod bearings if your replacing them not sure what you where planning on using but if it was me I would go with acl race bearings. Probably one of the best bearings out to use from what I have read and when I do my build in the next month it is what I plan to use. on the head gasket though I would replace it better safe then sorry and if you don't already have arp head studs I would get them as well.

Yeah, I'm looking at things now, I'm just going to replace the gasket. It was a felpro for the record, that's definitely it now that I hear it.

I think the kit I'm looking at comes with either ACL or King bearings depending on availability. And I did plan on the ARP headstuds.

I'll be getting this kit here
93-94 Eclipse Turbo 2.0 4G63 Main Rod Ring Full Gasket | eBay

And probably the water pump/timing kit they sell as well.
Timing Belt Kit Water Pump Mitsubishi 4G63 4G63T 89-94 | eBay

And buy the headstuds from a local store since they don't seem to sell them anyways. Does anyone see any problems with this plan? Also... as a total side note, could this repair be done without removing the engine? I am able to... but as I'm thinking about it.. I think it could happen without having to pull the engine. And if I could do that, I'd be a happy camper .

Thanks everyone for the advice so far.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Bearing replacement would be better engine out, i never did it with the engine in the car before, of course i did full rebuilds in the past.

 

[beamer1341]

s.

I'll be getting this kit here
93-94 Eclipse Turbo 2.0 4G63 Main Rod Ring Full Gasket | eBay

And probably the water pump/timing kit they sell as well.
Timing Belt Kit Water Pump Mitsubishi 4G63 4G63T 89-94 | eBay

Go OEM on gaskets, IMO a penny saved now on internal engine parts is a $1000 spent later. If OEM is out of your budget I at least recommend using reputable aftermarket (fel-pro). Odds are you will be fine with these but personally I would even risk the possibility

Bearing replacement would be better engine out, i never did it with the engine in the car before, of course i did full rebuilds in the past.

One of my buddies did a complete rebuild with motor in, The car ran great for 2 weeks, but a incorrectly torqued piston ended that fairly quick. I would recommend doing the job out of car if possible

 

[jcarmichael]

I honestly wouldn't use an e bay timing belt kit. if it wasn't a zero tolerance motor sure but with ours I wouldn't take a chance on a faulty timing belt breaking and trashing your head if not pistons as well. also the bearing kit almost seems too good to be true. since extremepsi has the acl bearings, for around 150 main and rods together. 104.00 you will probably end up with the low end ones. almost guarantee it from the way its worded. goues back to what iugrad said which he has helped me alot in the past and I hold his words true. better to do it once and do it right then get cheap and pay the price.

 

[solson1041]

Bearing replacement would be better engine out, i never did it with the engine in the car before, of course i did full rebuilds in the past.

You're depressing me haha. I'm just a little nervous to pull the whole transmission out with it and have to disconnect everything from there. I'd rather wrestle with a bad vantage point of replacing bearings from under the oil pan than the head ache of potentially screwing up the engine block pull/reinstallation. Unless I'm really missing something with the bearing replacement process.. Its possible to do that right?

But, having the job done right and pulling the engine is a smaller head ache than having it done wrong.

I honestly wouldn't use an e bay timing belt kit. if it wasn't a zero tolerance motor sure but with ours I wouldn't take a chance on a faulty timing belt breaking and trashing your head if not pistons as well. also the bearing kit almost seems too good to be true. since extremepsi has the acl bearings, for around 150 main and rods together. 104.00 you will probably end up with the low end ones. almost guarantee it from the way its worded. goues back to what iugrad said which he has helped me alot in the past and I hold his words true. better to do it once and do it right then get cheap and pay the price.

I generally wouldn't have gone ebay, but I believe it was BryanWheat, a forum member here who recommended the company to me on another thread. He's apparently used them a good deal in the past. I do agree about the timing belt though, that's REALLY not a place to skimp.

 

[beamer1341]

If you feel confident enough to do a complete and thorough job with the motor in I say go for it. I personally wouldn't do it but Im also a lot more picky about doing things

 

[92AWDHX40]

Comes down to choice too, ive been around a long time and have used various parts,oem and non and have done fairly well, but engine has been built too many times to see maintenance during 60000 miles .

 

[TrystanGST]

I honestly wouldn't use an e bay timing belt kit. if it wasn't a zero tolerance motor sure but with ours I wouldn't take a chance on a faulty timing belt breaking and trashing your head if not pistons as well.

Quoted for truth. Ask me how I know.

 

[bryanwheat]

First off, why are you replacing the bearings, is there a problem with them? IF you are just doing it for maintenance than i would leave it alone. You might cause more harm than good if you don't do it right. IF you have a damaged bearing than changing the bearings isn't going to help at all.

 

[jcarmichael]

just noticed you where in indianapolis, if you need a hand as long as its not falling on a week I have my daughter I may be able to help theres a cpl dsm guys on the group indiana dsm on facebook if you wanna check it out, might be able to find more helping hands that way. waterpump wise you can use GMB from my understanding they make the oem one as well as there own brand but theres is quite a bit cheaper then oem.

 

[solson1041]

just noticed you where in indianapolis, if you need a hand as long as its not falling on a week I have my daughter I may be able to help theres a cpl dsm guys on the group indiana dsm on facebook if you wanna check it out, might be able to find more helping hands that way. waterpump wise you can use GMB from my understanding they make the oem one as well as there own brand but theres is quite a bit cheaper then oem.

That would be awesome! I'll be home from Purdue this Friday and working all between then and the next sunday (hopefully not all that time haha). I'll PM you if you're available. Thanks a bunch man!

First off, why are you replacing the bearings, is there a problem with them? IF you are just doing it for maintenance than i would leave it alone. You might cause more harm than good if you don't do it right. IF you have a damaged bearing than changing the bearings isn't going to help at all.

I was just doing it for maintenance, I assumed it was one of those things where, "replace the bearings or you're doing it half assed!" deals. If it's better left alone, I'd be very fine just pulling the pistons out, honing the cylinder, and putting new rings in. Especially if that's the smarter thing to do. Anyone else have any input on this?

 

[jcarmichael]

sounds good I actually met a guy awhile back, that goes to purdue with a talon but I think he has a 92 marroon one

 

[solson1041]

sounds good I actually met a guy awhile back, that goes to purdue with a talon but I think he has a 92 marroon one

Oh yeah! I've seen that around! It's awd. I don't know much about it, but when I saw it drive by, it sounded real mean.