Engine gaskets -same or better/worse?

Question for the engine builders out there: I see factory and after market gasket sets out there, any real world observations on this, has the after market caught the OEM?

Does the gasket sitting on a shelf for a while get it hard/unuseable?

I don't drag race or rev that high, just had a head gasket start spewing alot this last week. At the same time, price is not as important as not having to redo this every year.

Thanks guys.

84GPz

I suggest staying away from the NOS (New Old Stock) gaskets, I bought a couple of sets for the 750 twins and the paper gaskets were brittle and broke easily.

I tend to stick to new Vesrah brand gaskets now.

Most after market gaskets are as good if not better than OEM but there are some cheap junky ones out there as well.

76 LTD wrote:

Most after market gaskets are as good if not better than OEM but there are some cheap junky ones out there as well.

Give us some names!
Which are junky brands for gaskets?

I`ve got Athena gasket set, and they say that valve seals
in that kit are OEM quality or better and head gasket is marked with VICTOR REINZ (I think that is large German producer of aftermarket gaskets).
Has anyone use these gaskets?

I have heard of those gaskets, and have not heard bad.

Now for my next question: ah shoot, I'll make a new post.

Personally, I have had good and bad luck with just about every gasket I've used. I bought some aftermarket from same place and some were good and others tore just looking at them. I try to stay away from any gasket I think may have been sitting around awhile but generally, a cheap gasket is a cheap gasket. Buy the good ones and you won't be surprised at the worst possible timing.

steell wrote:

I suggest staying away from the NOS (New Old Stock) gaskets, I bought a couple of sets for the 750 twins and the paper gaskets were brittle and broke easily.

I tend to stick to new Vesrah brand gaskets now.

+1, and specifically stay away from Athena aftermarket sets. The cylinder base gasket disintegrated within 100 miles of reassembly. I had to tear it all the way back down and do it all over again. It was an absolute nightmare.

The valve cover gasket was also crappy dry cardboard material and disintegrated when I had to pull the cover.

If Athena gaskets are all you can get, use their gaskets for templates to make gaskets out of gasket material from Auto Zone. That's what I ended up doing.

OldSchoolHr wrote:

76 LTD wrote:

Most after market gaskets are as good if not better than OEM but there are some cheap junky ones out there as well.

Give us some names!
Which are junky brands for gaskets?

I`ve got Athena gasket set, and they say that valve seals
in that kit are OEM quality or better and head gasket is marked with VICTOR REINZ (I think that is large German producer of aftermarket gaskets).
Has anyone use these gaskets?

The head gasket in my Athena set was OK, I am still running it. There were NO valve guide seals in mine, despite the claim that they come in the kit. Most of the other gaskets were not good quality material (too brittle).

I never had any luck with any brand aftermarket gasket myself. Not that they don't work usually, but the problem I have with them is they are never even close to being an exact fit, meaning you're going to have to trim them unless you don't mind 1/4" of gasket sticking out beyond the parts you are bolting together. I'm not about to get an exacto knife out and try to trim them, not going to live with looking at crappy gasket paper sticking out all over either.
Also a head gasket does not go bad and start spewing oil, the rubber seals between the head and cylinders cause this problem so be sure to buy them too.

If they try to sell you a gasket set with a copper head gasket or copper cyl. base gasket dont go for it ive never seen one that didnt leak in just a few miles. i have had good luck with the Vesrah gaskets. bought some no name gaskets from crc in indianapolis that were super good.you can usually tell just by looking.a composite type gasket will generally be your best bet.

Another thumbs down to the Athena gaskets.
Cometic and Vesrah seem to be the best of the aftermarket.
Never a problem with the gaskets from Z1 Ent. which are Cometic for the most part.

My athena gasket kit was fine. Valve seals were are good. Mine came with 2 valve cover gaskets. I used the original style one but it leaks (could be my fault ie. insufficient scraping of old gasket). The other one is a newer style material and I will be trying that this summer. Also its probably not your head gasket if its leaking oil, its probably the oval rubber rings in the oil passages between the block and the head.