sailingharry

Greetings,

I've looked all over this forum, and can't quite get the answer to this, so here's a new thread.

My 94 CX with 160,000 has a blown head gasket (blowing coolant out the overflow). I'm getting ready to replace it, DIY. It's not the first time I've pulled an engine head, so the basics of the job don't bother me.

The issue is service bulletin 97-047, which lists a different head gasket for engines with a leaking gasket. I could simply go to Honda and buy everything there, but that's expensive. So, I'm considering aftermarket, probably through RockAuto.

My question is what do I need, or should I get? What is the "new-style" gasket -- especially since the "new-style" was new in 1997! How is it different from the old style? And are any after-market gasket kits appropriate? It sure would be easy if I could just buy a kit, rather than the individual parts. Honda even sells a kit -- but I can't tell what gasket is in that kit!

Also, is there anyplace other than Honda to get the special new style bolts? They are $5 or so each from Majestic -- OUCH!

This is a bone-stock, low performance, daily driver that takes this middle-aged man back and forth to work (remember, it is a CX!), and so reliable functionality at a value-price is all I'm looking for.

So, any comments?

Thanks,

Harry

mr22508

Autozone has a Fel-pro gasket kit for your car that is fairly affordable, 119.00, and is very reliable and good quality for the daily driver! Cheap is not a good way to go on a head gasket, even though it may be an easy job for some, it is still a pain in the *** time wise to do.

bomerman19

iTrader: (1)

the head gasket kit might be $119 but you can just get the straight head gasket for like $27

sailingharry

I agree on "cheap" being bad -- which is why I said "value." RockAuto has their house brand gasket set for $108, which is in line with that FelPro set -- but being mail order, I don't really know what they are selling.

The first big question though is the difference between the Honda original gasket, and the new one. I suspect the original is graphite, and the new one is MLS, but I don't know for sure. I also don't know what the RockAuto gasket is (or the FelPro either), but I am pretty sure that at the very least I should make sure the one I install is MLS.

Harry

bomerman19

iTrader: (1)

the rock auto honda and felpro gaskets are pretty much all the same MLS style honda does not use the graphite ones. but unless you know you need to replace every single gasket on the head I would not buy the head gasket kit just the head gasket it will save you a lot of money.