I tried searching this and didn't have much luck so here is my question. To those who have replaced head gaskets or who know for SURE, which side of the gasket goes toward the block and which side goes towards the head? My gaskets have a 16 stamped on one side of them.

 

To those who wish to respond with some sort of "helpful" statement like "put them back on the way they came off" or "why didn't you look when you took them off", PLEASE be nice to me! I am already kicking myself for not paying attention! :-)

 

Thanks for the help,

Greg

Hi Greg,

 

I don't believe there is an outside and an inside. The two gaskets are identical, but the gasket surfaces are mirror images. Therefore, you'll have one facing one way and one facing the other, relative to the gasket surfaces. I don't think you could have them each have the same side out, for instance, even if you wanted to.

 

Tom

I may be thinking of the older style of engines but I think an oil passage got blocked by the gasket if it was reversed. Just make sure no holes get blocked when you install it.

Greg,

 

No one will give you grief for asking questions here. And so you don't feel silly, I thought it was a good question. I have no idea what the answer is. What I do know is that you should never use tape on a torn gasket and then put it in the engine. The end result isn't pretty. (Wasn't me. It was my husband...aka Mr. Badwrench)

 

Welcome and good luck.

Greg,

 

No one will give you grief for asking questions here. And so you don't feel silly, I thought it was a good question. I have no idea what the answer is. What I do know is that you should never use tape on a torn gasket and then put it in the engine. The end result isn't pretty. (Wasn't me. It was my husband...aka Mr. Badwrench)

 

Welcome and good luck.

Well Dresch thanks for the support and positive outlook. However I have received such "helpful" information in the past and I wasn't real anxious to get it again.

 

It frustrates me as I took pictures of everythinng as it came apart and laid everything in the back of the stationwagon in order of it's removal. Never thought to look at the head gaskets though.

 

Maybe I will break down and call 1st Subaru where I bought the parts.

 

Thanks for your support,

Greg

aka Mr. Sometimesgoodwrench

both gaskets are exactly the same just did it to a 98 legacy gt 2.5 liter 123,729 miles on it you can't install them the wrong way I hope they are subaru gaskets

i'd be worried about a parts supplier or dealer not knowing that particular head gasket very well. someone needs to know that model fairly well to know those kinds of details about the head gaskets.

 

most of the time quick/short answers come from questions that are answered over and over again and can easily be answered by doing a search. i've done it before, so i'll appologize. getting "snapped at" is a small price to pay for free advice though not necessary, so just bare with us we have good and bad days too so don't take it personally. i'm not as active here as xt6.net, so im not speaking specifically of the USMB for myself but the same thing applies here. there are some seriously childish forums out there, this one is one of the best. some forums have no knowledge and sound like 8th grade spats on a daily basis.

I did mine a few months ago - 98 obw - I had the same question but the anwer is straighforward - there is only one way they go back - try both ways and you will see that one way, some holes don't line up (probably the oil passages).