Technical Reusing head gasket? (hear me out, there is a reason to ask!)

[nes]

Hello,

I am in the process of replacing piston rings in a Palio 1.2 8V. I would normally get a full set of gaskets and replace the lot while I am at it, but it is not so simple here in South Africa.

The engine had a two layer thin steel gasket, which seems in good nick and came off just like that, no need to pry it with a knife or anything like that. The engine was working perfectly, just blowing a bit and building up pressure in the crankcase, but the head had no leaks whatsoever. The problem is that I haven't found a decent head gasket, let alone a full set.

I am not worried about reusing the manifold gaskets, maybe I'll use some high temperature RTV to be safe on those.

The only head gasket I have found is different, old fashioned thick material, probably about a millimetre thick, whereas the original gasket is not even half a millimetre thick.

So my options are to reuse the steel gasket or use a low quality thick gasket that would reduce compression a bit.

Any advice? Maybe head gasket spray?

Thanks,

Nestor

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi. All of the FIRE series headgaskets Ive replaced have had a TACKY coating..ZERO sealant :goo required

From memory though I dont recall them being thin... @1mm as a minimum..as I say..from memory.

TBH THOUGH... if the fire rings look sound you COULD refit.. however if there are issues you would need replacement head bolts also..can only be torqued twice.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HEAD-GASKE...665742&hash=item1c16082155:g:Fe4AAMXQlgtRuL0Z

 

[nes]

Hi. All of the FIRE series headgaskets Ive replaced have had a TACKY coating..ZERO sealant :goo required

From memory though I dont recall them being thin... @1mm as a minimum..as I say..from memory.

TBH THOUGH... if the fire rings look sound you COULD refit.. however if there are issues you would need replacement head bolts also..can only be torqued twice.

Thanks. The original gasket is made of two layers of steel, I just measured them, 0.25mm each, nothing in between. The intake manifold gasket is also made of thin steel.

 

[g8rpi]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HEAD-GASKET-SET-AND-BOLTS-FITS-FIAT-PUNTO-Mk-2-SEICENTO-PANDA-1-1-1-2-8V/120628715861?epid=1150665742&hash=item1c16082155:g:Fe4AAMXQlgtRuL0Z

Sellers exclusion list includes South Africa so won't post to the OP. Very few sellers will ship to African countries and from experience with sending packages to West Africa I don't blame them. It's nothing personal, it's just the amount of effort required nd the high risk of it not arriving.

Robert G8RPI.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Thanks. The original gasket is made of two layers of steel, I just measured them, 0.25mm each, nothing in between. The intake manifold gasket is also made of thin steel.

Gasket is already compressed, thicknes right now doesn't mean anything for a new gasket, I'm afraid...
If it's a good brand gasket, sometimes there are "notches" on the outside of the gasket somewhere, indicating original thickness..

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Sellers exclusion list includes South Africa so won't post to the OP. Very few sellers will ship to African countries and from experience with sending packages to West Africa I don't blame them. It;;s nothing personal, it;s just the mount of effort required nd the high risk of it not arriving.

Robert G8RPI.

Well, one more option, find a Chinese Ebay seller, they ship to the moon ( for free..!!), if necessary..

 

[nes]

Gasket is already compressed, thicknes right now doesn't mean anything for a new gasket, I'm afraid...
If it's a good brand gasket, sometimes there are "notches" on the outside of the gasket somewhere, indicating original thickness..

Yes, I measured the non-compressed protruding edges, though steel plate does not compress by a measurable amount anyway.

So, according to my calculations, with a bore of 70.8, stroke of 78.9 and original compression ratio of 9.1, the combustion chamber has a volume of 38.5cc. Adding 0.5mm by way of a thicker gasket would add 1.96cc to the combustion chamber and thus lower the compression ratio to 8.7.

9.1 isn't great, but 8.7 is definitely lame. That's the main reason i am thinking of reusing the original gasket, the 1mm thick cardboard-like replacement I can find here will compress a bit, but not to 50% of original thickness

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

It'll probably leak anyway...

Waste of time, imo..

 

[g8rpi]

If it realy IS a plain steel gasket and is undamaged it can be re-used. A quality spray-on sealant like Permatex copper https://www.permatex.com/products/g...rmatex-copper-spray-a-gasket-hi-temp-sealant/
Would be a good idea.

Robert G8RPI

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

I wouldn't trust it at all...

Just use ePER on top of this page to find the partnumber for an original gasket, and order it at any Fiat/ Lancia/ Alfa/Iveco dealer, or italian car specialist, can't be to hard.
With the correct part number it's also easy to find a replacement somewhere else..Ebay, carpartshop whatever, it's just a gasket after all...

 

[GeorgeDamper]

Email Shop4parts. They can post it signed for.

 

[dtimmins1985]

Email Shop4parts. They can post it signed for.

The chap is in south Africa so they may not ship to their.

I am based in bradford (3miles from shop4parts / also known as GGB auto spares) i can ship it to you if they have the part.

Price it up on their website and then price up postage via royal mail, ups, dhl, dpd.

If you can afford it, PM me and i can pick up the part and send it to you.

 

[GeorgeDamper]

The chap is in south Africa so they may not ship to their.

I am based in bradford (3miles from shop4parts / also known as GGB auto spares) i can ship it to you if they have the part.

Price it up on their website and then price up postage via royal mail, ups, dhl, dpd.

If you can afford it, PM me and i can pick up the part and send it to you.

They post Worldwide
https://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=pages&page=Delivery_Information#SOU

 

[Zapcat]

Midas or AutoZone can get you gaskets. Or if you are in Gauteng there is Uno Solutions in Boksburg or Uno World in Pretoria, they both stock a full range of Fiat parts not only Uno.

 

[nes]

The chap is in south Africa so they may not ship to their.

I am based in bradford (3miles from shop4parts / also known as GGB auto spares) i can ship it to you if they have the part.

Price it up on their website and then price up postage via royal mail, ups, dhl, dpd.

If you can afford it, PM me and i can pick up the part and send it to you.

Thanks very much. I lived in the UK for ten years, I still have a delivery address with a friend of mine which is also my banking address, so I thought of doing something like that. My main concern is that I get the impression that South African versions of Fiat cars get mixed parts, so ordering remotely is risky. There is no picture of the gasket in shop4parts, I'll contact them to see if they can open the box and send me a picture or better still measure the thickness of the gasket. I can get a thick one here no problem, it's the thin one that is the tricky one.

 

[nes]

Midas or AutoZone can get you gaskets. Or if you are in Gauteng there is Uno Solutions in Boksburg or Uno World in Pretoria, they both stock a full range of Fiat parts not only Uno.

Ohhhh I didn't know about Uno Solutions and Uno World, thanks! Midas and Autozone only have extra thick gasket, different from mine. I'll give them a ring first thing tomorrow.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Thanks very much. I lived in the UK for ten years, I still have a delivery address with a friend of mine which is also my banking address, so I thought of doing something like that. My main concern is that I get the impression that South African versions of Fiat cars get mixed parts, so ordering remotely is risky. There is no picture of the gasket in shop4parts, I'll contact them to see if they can open the box and send me a picture or better still measure the thickness of the gasket. I can get a thick one here no problem, it's the thin one that is the tricky one.

Forget all the guessing, just find the correct part number on ePER on top of this page.
Done.

 

[dtimmins1985]

Not always that simple peter... i spent £500 and a tad more buying parts for multijet stilo to find that my m92 body has abarth hubs!!! That's why it's the m92

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

And you did use ePER..??