For some odd reason, I searched for "EA82 head gasket replacement" and can't seem to get anything I can work with

 

Anyway, as some of you know, I snagged an '87 GL sedan for a couple hundred bucks and the heads are toast. I'm getting heads from mdjdc as soon as I wrangle the funds, but my main question would be:

 

I see an Ebay head gasket kit for around $50 shipped. "CNSautoparts" is the company selling them. Now of course I know I should be getting dealer-only gaskets, minus the HG's, which I should be getting FelPro Permatorques, but... $50 is slightly cheaper... and I'm on a really really extremely tight budget.

 

Any of you had any good luck with Ebay head gasket sets? If I do have to wait and get the good stuff just because the Ebay kit is utter crap, I will. But my main concern at the moment is saving money.

Any of you had any good luck with Ebay head gasket sets? If I do have to wait and get the good stuff just because the Ebay kit is utter crap, I will. But my main concern at the moment is saving money.

I've had great luck with the Ebay kits...just not on turbo engines. If the car isn't a main means of transport and can wait for the good parts, do it. If you need the car to run tomorrow, the cheap kit will work for a while.

 

If I'm on a budget, I use Fel-Pro Head Gaskets and cheap seals. You usually can find the fel-pros for under $20 each EDIT: just looked, they've gone up a little bit, around $22 each.

there's not much that "has" to be done with a head gasket job. if money is tight you're not going to want to do all the proper machine shop work that should be done with a head gasket job anyway...valve job, mill, and pressure test. so you don't need the main components that come with the head gasket set...you'll just be paying for a bunch of parts you dont' "need" - like fuel injector seals, valve stem seals (which you probably won't even use)...etc. i'm not recommending it, but saying you can probably get away with it.

 

so that being said if i were doing this on a tight budget i'd get Fel Pro permatorques ($22) and 2 new cam carrier orings ($2.13 x 2 = $4.26). and a tube of sealant for the cam carriers.

 

you don't need the complete head gasket kit at all. you can do valve covers, cam seals, crank, oil pump and all that jazz later on down the road as needed or as funds are avaialable.

Apparently, there's a tiny chip on the end of the cylinder wall, on the block. It's not THAT bad, but I see it, and it worries me.

 

Also, BOTH heads dropped a valve seat.

 

Compression was 125, 0, 0, 0.

 

Should I just get another block too?

can't say without seeing it. could go either way. try fitting a head gasket against the block and put all the head bolts in place, then take a picture of that area and post it.

I wasn't too happy with the eBay head gasket kit I bought. The valve cover gaskets did not fit that well, and something around the cams is already leaking (either cam seals or carrier o-rings). Not a lot, but enough to make me buy the better parts next time.

Andy

Most likely the very small rubber "0" ring will have to replaced on the cam carriers..the seal helps to maintain good oil pressure..sorry, I just saw this was already covered

I have used the headgasket sets from CNSautoparts and have not had a single failure. They are a reputable company and I would highly recommend their products. The Headgaskets hold up very well.

 

As for the chip you are speaking of, see if you can get a close up shot of it and email it to me . I can have my mechanic look at it and give you an opinion. Since this is not a turbo motor, it probably isn't going to be an issue.

 

Mike

here's a pic of the chip in the block:

 

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o176/misledxcracker/Picture003.jpg

 

and both heads:

 

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o176/misledxcracker/Picture004.jpg

 

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o176/misledxcracker/Picture005.jpg

Doesn't lok bad to me, but maybe others have some input. i will be seeing my mechanic in the morning and I will have him look at it.

it's hard to see but i hope it's not what appears to be next to that coolant passage? i would hope it's in a meatier part of the block.

 

is that where the headgasket was blown? i think it's odd to have significant piece of material missing for no reason. i wonder if it locally overheated there and wore the metal away? i've seen that happen before on blown headgasket engines that were driven too long that way. significant material loss on the block where the head gasket failed.

it's the chip on the bottom, literally in the center of the pic. doesnt seem to be close to the coolant passage.

I had my mechanic look at the pics this morning and he said that little ding will not effect you. it isn't touched by the rings and you shouldn't worry about using that block.

 

Let me know when you want the heads