So im going to need a head gasket replaced on my 94 dd soon. I figured if im replacing that i might as well get a complete top end set and replace everything at once since she will be torn apart already. I was looking at some on ebay for dirt cheap but not sure if they are worth the crap. I can get a felpro set for around $140 or an oem honda set for $210 but im on a budget and this car is a dd, which means its auto, and bone stock, and is going to stay that way. so should I go with one off of ebay for around $40 or the felpro for $140? I dont want to be changing this head gasket 10k down the road so if i must spend the extra $$ than so be it. The oem one would be nice but the price pretty much puts it out of the question. Just wondering if anyone has used the ebay sets, and if they held up. thanks

 

Get the head check as well as check the block deck surface with a straight edge. Get an OEM D16Y8 headgasket at your local honda dealer (they're 3 layer steel as opposed to graphite) get a set of ARP headstuds and reassemble. Btw, you sure its a D15B8? They never came mated to an automatic transmission.

 

yeah i was going to check the deck surface as well on the block and head. yes its a d15B8 it came out of a 94 cx. the tranny is out of a 94 dx. And like I said, im on a budget so arp headbolts are out of the question as well. Honda wants $70 for a head gasket and i will need a new valve cover gasket at the least.

 

If the valve cover gasket isn't leaking now you can probably reuse it again. They're a rubber gasket. I've reused a ton of them.

 

this would make it a third time i would be attempting to reuse it, took the cover off twice to adjust the valves, its time for a new one

 

OEM Honda FTW

 

i found a ishino head gasket for $72 shipped. It recommends to change the head bolts as well because honda no longer makes the 004's but I have 004's. When I pull the head, and the bolts look to be in good shape, should i worry about buying new ones? It would be like $70 extra to replace them and if I can get by with my current ones, i would like to do that. The engine only has 140k on it.

 

wait... you're trying to be CHEAP on your daily driver... aka the vehicle you use every day... ur car man. i know every one has a budget but i shelled out the extra money for the metal head gasket and the arp's, good investment imo. as far as personal experience goes stay away from ebay gasket kits, i bought one for my current motor and have since replaced most of the gaskets with oem honda ones because they leaked, the headgasket blew out, and one of the napa head bolts i used bent some how... not sure...

 

You're really not supposed to reuse them. They stretch (honda also came out with an updated headbolt (the shoulder has a weird spiral)

 

thats what I thought. im going to pull it off and check to see if its warped and if not, then i will get the oem head gasket. Also, ishino offers 2 head gaskets one normal and one it says is for if your old head gasket was leaking. im thinking the difference in the 2 is the thickness ( and about $35) but i believe they are both 3 ply. Is the more expensive one really worth it or could i get away with the cheaper one and new head bolts if my head or block isnt warped at all?

 

bump