Head gasket upside down

I know, I'm a total muppet.

I torqued up the cylinder head and spotted the gasket was upside down.

I undid it and put the gasket on the right way up, and there's no oil or water in the engine.

Am I good to still use the gasket, or is it buggered and I need to get a new one?

TIA

What engine are we talking about here? i'm assuming 200-300tdi then if you torqued the head up properly the first time they you'll need new bolts too, as they're stretch bolts

Generally no once you crush/deform the gasket you can't reuse it..

Can’t quite see how you can fit it upside down

well unless it’s a single cylinder 2 stroke..

But as above if you have fully crushed (torqued) I wouldn’t risk it Tbh. Will it mess up the work you have just done for the sake of a new gasket?


J

Henry_b said:

What engine are we talking about here? i'm assuming 200-300tdi then if you torqued the head up properly the first time they you'll need new bolts too, as they're stretch bolts

Generally no once you crush/deform the gasket you can't reuse it..

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200 head bolts can be reused up to 5 times so long as they meet length specs, I have never chanegd head bolts on a 200, and tbh never check their lengths either!
I would assume 300 is much the same?

marjon said:

Can’t quite see how you can fit it upside down

well unless it’s a single cylinder 2 stroke..

But as above if you have fully crushed (torqued) I wouldn’t risk it Tbh. Will it mess up the work you have just done for the sake of a new gasket?


J

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I might know a friend (cough cough) who fitted 300 head gasket upside down, and he did not notice until it blew oil out, friends eh!
Said friend removed head flipped gasket and reused it.

Thanks for the replies. Yes its a 200tdi.

There's a distinct top and bottom, I spotted part of the head protruding and realised my error.

I've just put it the right way up and tightened again, but sounds like the head gasket is a one time thing

Obi_110 said:

Thanks for the replies. Yes its a 200tdi.

There's a distinct top and bottom, I spotted part of the head protruding and realised my error.

I've just put it the right way up and tightened again, but sounds like the head gasket is a one time thing

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Good chance it will be fine.

Obi_110 said:

Thanks for the replies. Yes its a 200tdi.

There's a distinct top and bottom, I spotted part of the head protruding and realised my error.

I've just put it the right way up and tightened again, but sounds like the head gasket is a one time thing

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Just run it, it will probably last for years.
And if it doesn't, another gasket isn't a vast amount of money.

lynall said:

200 head bolts can be reused up to 5 times so long as they meet length specs, I have never chanegd head bolts on a 200, and tbh never check their lengths either!
I would assume 300 is much the same?

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Ahh didn't know that..

Well i'd just run it then

Huh, now you've thrown me

if it were your engine, would you leave alone or swap the gasket?

Obi_110 said:

Huh, now you've thrown me

if it were your engine, would you leave alone or swap the gasket?

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I would leave it alone, unless it blows again.

Well, after all that I've whipped the head off - glad I did, as I spotted one of the push rods was bent.

37 mins to strip down, obviously benefitting from the practice

kevstar said:

View attachment 296952

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You're not wrong

At least anyone finding this post will know there is a right way and a wrong way for a head gasket - you're welcome everyone

After a right faff waiting for parts, cylinder head is back where it should be - onto the water pump and rest of the cooling system