My barely over a year old cometic gaskets just failed...

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 8:36 am

Just like the title says, they failed.... WOW.

Sorry to bitch, but i'm fucking pissed.....

kimokalihi · Post by **kimokalihi** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:22 am

I've heard plenty of stories about cometic gaskets sucking. I won't ever buy any. Stock ftw.

sqc151 · Post by **sqc151** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:02 pm

wow that sucks man.

same here too... stock ftw.

Grayguy · Post by **Grayguy** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:18 am

Yup, and I even ran 22e gaskets in my Tleg and they are fine after 4 years haha

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:34 pm

When you installed them, was the engine deck & heads resurfaced? Were you using stock head bolts or ARP studs?

I've heard mixed opinions on the Cometic gaskets. Unless you have an absolutely flat surface, they're not as foregiving as the stock head gasket. Also, Dan had mentioned using some copper spray gasket material on the top & bottom of the gasket.

How did the gasket fail? Was it catastrophically (blown chunk) or do you have an exhaust leak into the cooling system?

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:26 pm

I'm assuming exhaust into the coolant. Ill pull the heads tonight. I got the engine out and mostly torn down. I've had a real rough couple days

Plus I needed a 23 or 24 wrench for the cams. Didn't break the gears loose before I pulled the belt.

No I did not resurface

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:47 pm

Yeah....after my similar experience....not resurfacing the heads & deck is a risky proposition on these motors as you push them for more power.

Let us know what you find out.

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:11 am

Well I broke my wrench holding the Cam while trying to loosen the Cam pulley bolt. So they're still not off...

I did see this tho,

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 6:54 pm

What did you see? Maybe I'm missing it in the pics?

kimokalihi · Post by **kimokalihi** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:17 pm

I see a hose with a clamp in the middle of it serving no purpose other than a slight restriction in the system.

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:28 pm

That clamp was your kink stopper. Look at the discoloration on the left side of the gasket.

kimokalihi · Post by **kimokalihi** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:10 am

Looks the same on both sides to me.

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:26 am

Maybe the pic doesn't do justice. Ill edit it later

Bheinen74 · Post by **Bheinen74** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 1:02 am

use stock hg x 10000000

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 1:14 am

I'm almost sure I wont even be able to use this engine

beatersubi · Post by **beatersubi** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 1:58 am

Bheinen74 wrote:use stock hg x 10000000

Thats too many. A subaru engine only needs two.

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:16 am

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 3:59 am

What really sucks is i just picked up this bad boy

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:03 pm

I built a rig for the cam pulleys out of a piece of angle iron and some stainless U-bolts. The bolts went through the spokes of the cams and into the angle iron, which went across the engine to tie the two cams together. Then I just cracked both bolts loose before removing the rig. If you lived close, I'd just give it to you, but it's and easy enough thing to make. I think I may have had to grind some parts of the angle iron to clear various things, but nothing major.

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:22 am

I'm following what you're saying!

euroshark · Post by **euroshark** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:19 pm

most knowledgeable subaru performance shops use oem head gaskets and will punch you in the face if you mention cometic.

btw, i see the discoloration in your pic. looks like a stain from burnt coolant=leaking head gasket.

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:27 pm

there's spots on the top of the rh side blockhalf that are pitted from being too hot. the leaking power steering that was under my intake manifold was boiling.

euroshark · Post by **euroshark** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:54 pm

damn, thats terrible

cj91legss · Post by **cj91legss** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:11 pm

yeah, and with the rarity of the block, i may have to break down and buy an ej20....

wurkenman · Post by **wurkenman** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:57 pm

I learned my lesson years ago with Cometic gaskets and Harley's. I will never use their stuff. The best head gaskets are OEM.

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