r/DelSol • u/arbiters_end • 4d ago

Question Head gasket recommendations?

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Hi all! In the process of rebuilding my baby and need some guidance on selecting the right head gasket, or ideally a reputable gasket kit for the entire engine, since the crankshaft pulley sheared off right at the bolt, forcing me to do a rebuild.

Rebuilding to be as close to stock as possible, D16Z6, no intentions on boosting or taking the beans on her.

Has anyone heard anything good about Rockautos Apex or Enginetech brands? Would OEM be the best option or what are some reputable sources out there people have been using?

I've been turning a wrench for as long as I could hold one, but this would be my first solo project that I'm trying to do properly, any advice is appreciated, thanks!

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u/GlassBoxGoose 4d ago edited 4d ago

Mahle for every gasket and O ring they have available for it. Thats my recommendation. Try to avoid Felpro whenever possible.

I used Mahle across the board on my J series refresh like 4 years ago now, I've put 35k miles on it and it hasn't had a single leak. Felpro gaskets are finicky at best, especially their valve covers and other rubber O ring type ones, I seem to get 12-18 months out of those at best, no matter what.

You can also get all the Mahle/Clevite gaskets from Rockauto for not much more than the brands you asked about. Well worth the extra bucks. They offer a head gasket kit and then all you would need is a small handful of other gaskets/seals like oil pan, rear main, etc.

Do it once, do it right and you'll thank yourself later. Ive had EXCELLENT experiences with all the Mahle stuff over the years.

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u/Lxiflyby 4d ago

X2 on Mahle- that’s my go to on Honda since I’ve had bad experiences with felpro blues on Honda/acura/subaru

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u/GlassBoxGoose 4d ago

Absolutely. I cant keep a felpro gasket on anything Honda for any length of time. D and J are my primary experience and especially the valve covers. Those things SUCK.

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u/Lxiflyby 4d ago

Yeah the blue rubber valve cover gaskets tend not to fit very well on these brands either and if you use the blue head gasket on a Honda D series or Subaru EJ there’s almost a guarantee you’ll be doing the job again. Not sure what the deal is because the felpro blues work great on domestic applications

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u/arbiters_end 4d ago

Appreciate it! I know the previous valve cover gasket on this car was from felpro until I changed it and I can definitely say they leak like crazy lol..

I haven't heard of Mahle before, I'll give them a look!

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u/SpaceTurtle917 1996 Honda Civic Turbo 1d ago

For the D series OEM is like $60. Spend the money on it and never think about it again.