head gasket replacment advice needed

hi
took head off
gasket got 3 holes
2.5 BMW engine
head gasket and bolts, and gaskets
where to buy
best proven head gasket
cheers

Payen are a good brand, steer clear od Chink copies....try Island4x4 not sure if they do the Payen!

Saint.V8 said:

Payen are a good brand, steer clear od Chink copies....try Island4x4 not sure if they do the Payen!

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Believe Payen have stopped making head gaskets Ant. Possibly because of the chink stuff flooding the market. Payen old stock if he can find one or genuine or OEM. Nothing off eBay for sure. Most stuff on there is crap chink stuff. Island as good as anywhere. ERROR JUST STOPPED FOR SOME OLDER VEHICLES SORRY FOR MISS INFO.

wammers said:

Believe Payen have stopped making head gaskets Ant. Possibly because of the chink stuff flooding the market. Payen old stock if he can find one or genuine or OEM. Nothing off eBay for sure. Most stuff on there is crap chink stuff. Island as good as anywhere.

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Really...feck!! When was the memo?

Saint.V8 said:

Really...feck!! When was the memo?

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Belay that Ant, they have just stopped making head gaskets for certain older vehicles. My error.

wammers said:

Just something i read can't remember where or when. Why would you make top quality stuff that you have to sell just the head gasket for £45.00 when the chinks and Indians can make them out of rice paper or compressed cow dung respectively and sell complete gasket set for £25.00. What are the unknowing masses going to buy?

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But....but....but.....

I have done HG's before on other cars and once on my first Classic....the work is not difficult but can be lengthy to do so why would you buy a cheap gasket cos you're only gonna have to do it again....??

I have always used Payen gaskets, I know there good and I only have to do it once (alright twice on the Mini as I put it on upside down).......

oh feck...!!

wammers said:

......

Belay that Ant, they have just stopped making head gaskets for certain older vehicles. My error.

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Phew.......

Saint.V8 said:

Phew.......

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Yeah cleaned me glasses. That was a close one.

cheers all
can a new head gasket be reused
if only been on to test
say my head is still faulty
and I buy recon head
cheers

willywonker said:

cheers all
can a new head gasket be reused
if only been on to test
say my head is still faulty
and I buy recon head
cheers

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Not advised...

They are designed to compress and seal under the clamp force of the head to the block...if they have been compressed once, they will unlikely seal efficently again!

willywonker said:

cheers all
can a new head gasket be reused
if only been on to test
say my head is still faulty
and I buy recon head
cheers

Click to expand...

No not under any circumstances.

okee dokey
new gasket each time then thx
debating skim and pressure test
or go strait for recon head
its been fun so far
only ever worked on fords and vauxhall
learning curve lol

this site as helped me a lot
lots ov studying
rave disc helped loads
cheers all

Skimming and refacing the M51 Head is not advised either, RAVE and BMW indicate this is not to be done.

Gasket thickness is determined from Average Piston Protrusion measurements....

off topic
what size is head bolt thread
would like to clean thread with tap
then get new stretch bolts
do the job right
cheers

I now about refacing is a no no
but thought light skim is ok
please advise

willywonker said:

off topic
what size is head bolt thread
would like to clean thread with tap
then get new stretch bolts
do the job right
cheers

Click to expand...

willywonker said:

I now about refacing is a no no
but thought light skim is ok
please advise

Click to expand...

Wammers is your man for that advice...I am only quoting RAVE on the refacing!

ok cool
thank u anyway
I am ready to listen

willywonker said:

I now about refacing is a no no
but thought light skim is ok
please advise

Click to expand...

Refacing and skimming are the same thing. No harm in cleaning it up with some fine wet or dry on a flat block. The manufacturers consider these heads to be scrap if warped.

ok cool
just got to find out thread size now
of the head bolts
so I can clean out with tap
cheers
that's all for tonight
cheers all