What Do You Think Of Ezyfit Gaskets?

[wardie]

Once again I've got f***ing water in my oil. Don't know why yet but suspect the head gasket.

I was almost home from a 1000km trip on Sat night when I noticed that my water temp was rising. By the time I got off the freeway and found a place to stop it had pegged. When she cooled enough I filled the rad up with almost 8 litres of water and at that time the oil was still black. When I gave her a rev she blew lots of condensation vapour out the exhaust so I carefully limped the 10 km home and put her to bed.

This morning I checked the rad again and she was empty and the oil is chocolate. I topped her up and started her and she is blowing lots of water and condensation out the exhaust.

Last time she did this it was a pin hole in the rear of the water pump housing but I don't think that this is the same. When she was apart for this I fitted a Ezyfit VRS gasket after getting the head pressure checked.

I'm feeling that I've done a head gasket for sure this time (due to the amount of water/vapour out the exhaust). Since I fixed her last she has had cooling problems due to a clogged rad core and she has boiled twice on trips but I thought I had cured all that.

Anyone have good or bad things to say about these gaskets. Anyone have any alternate brands that they recomend.

Thanks in advance.

Wardie

[Ghostrider]

Once again I've got f***ing water in my oil. Don't know why yet but suspect the head gasket.

I was almost home from a 1000km trip on Sat night when I noticed that my water temp was rising. By the time I got off the freeway and found a place to stop it had pegged. When she cooled enough I filled the rad up with almost 8 litres of water and at that time the oil was still black. When I gave her a rev she blew lots of condensation vapour out the exhaust so I carefully limped the 10 km home and put her to bed.

This morning I checked the rad again and she was empty and the oil is chocolate. I topped her up and started her and she is blowing lots of water and condensation out the exhaust.

Last time she did this it was a pin hole in the rear of the water pump housing but I don't think that this is the same. When she was apart for this I fitted a Ezyfit VRS gasket after getting the head pressure checked.

I'm feeling that I've done a head gasket for sure this time (due to the amount of water/vapour out the exhaust). Since I fixed her last she has had cooling problems due to a clogged rad core and she has boiled twice on trips but I thought I had cured all that.

Anyone have good or bad things to say about these gaskets. Anyone have any alternate brands that they recomend.

Thanks in advance.

Wardie

There is ONLY one head gasket for any L series and that is a NISSAN genuine item.

The best of the engine builders use KD Gasket sets, but always buy a genuine head gasket.

Stewart Wilkins and Arthur Jackson always use genuine Nissan head gaskets and as recent as last saturday, Stewart told me he considers KD gaskets as second only to genuine, but their head gaskets are not up to it, so they buy the genuine.

The whole L series complete gasket kit will cost me about $210 including the head gasket.

Cheers, D

[wardie]

G'day Dennis,

I've looked at the S/W website and they are selling L24 top half gasket kits for $75 - no brand names mentioned. He also has "L28 Head gaskets Std - Genuine" for $71. I will be shopping around when I can to get some other prices.

According to the Ezyfit pdf that I have downloaded the L24 and L28 head gaskets are the same. Is this right to your knowledge?

I'm really pissed that this has happened and need to get it back on the road asap fairly cheaply but not at the risk of having another failure. I can't afford to be back at the mercy of using my wife's car when she feels like it.

Wardie

[StuiE]

Go genuine.

Are you sure the head isn't cracked?

[wardie]

The head wasn't cracked last time I had it off, I had it tested twice as it was still getting water in the oil after replacing the head gasket the first time I had issues. This time it seemed to go suddenly and with research I've done tonight it sounds like a head gasket leak into one of my cylinders. I think this because last night the oil was not brown and this morning it is, I'm thinking that the water has leaked passed the rings in to the sump o/night.

Do you know the cost of a Nissan HG?

Wardie

[works 510]

This makes me wonder...has anyone actually tried a non genuine HG on a stock or boosted motor? How do you know they are better. Anyone had dramas?

I know that the 1600 has never seen a genuine HG probally since it comming out of a 200b long ago and its been fine(latest being a ezifit).

Cheers.

[Ghostrider]

Well! I'm going on the advice of Stewart Wilkins & Co, but I would wonder what happened the last time.

When you had it off the last time, did you get it serviced, opr checked that it was flat and or maybe get a few thou taken off to be sure.

I have an L24 VRS set you can have for free john, but I'm not sure that the L24 & L28 gaskets are the same as there is some 3mm difference in bore sizes. L24 83 & L28 86mm.

There is a guy on ebay selling L24E VRS sets for $37.50 and that's very cheap by all reports.

May I suggest that set & a genuine head gasket, but get the head surface ground at the very least to ensure it was flat before the new assembly.

Cheers, D

[wardie]

D,

The last time I had oil in the water I had the head pressure tested for cracks and checked for warping.

There was a small issue with some corrosion around one of the water jackets near the edge of the head and I had that welded up and machined. I also had another small issue when I got it tested the second time when the shop guy scratched the head face slightly on pickup so it was machined/polished to remove that. So after all that it should have been within spec.

When I pull my head this time I will firstly check it with a straight edge to see if it is within spec. I will also pull my timing cover/water pump housing as this was my issue last time and they only welded the areas around the pin hole so there is still a chance that it could have corroded through in another area. I think that this is unlikely as I had water in the oil as soon as I drove it last time.

I saw the ebay VRS kit and that prompted this post as I used one of these kits on the last rebuild. His price is $37.50 plus $12.50 to ship it up here. I have seen on some Ford forums that Ezyfit are considered to be garbage so that's why I am chasing for Nissan owners opinions on them before I go that route.

My experience with the initial gasket set was that everything except the exhaust manifold to exhaust pipe gaskets seemed to fit alright. I had to reuse my original manifold to pipe gasket as the Ezyfit one did not fit at all.

Thanks for the offer of the VRS set mate, I'll see what I can dig up around here first though, as I'm really going to need my wheels this week due to some part time work that is firming up and may not be able to get down to see you before then.

Thanks

Wardie

[stagefumer11]

This makes me wonder...has anyone actually tried a non genuine HG on a stock or boosted motor? How do you know they are better. Anyone had dramas?

I know that the 1600 has never seen a genuine HG probally since it comming out of a 200b long ago and its been fine(latest being a ezifit).

Cheers.

actaully i am using a aftermarket head gasket on my l20et. HAvnt had problems. I did have one problem with the same stuff. water getting in but that was narrowed down to the last mechanic who i got to do the head job. Well..... lets just say cleaning back the block is a important. He didnt do a good job.

Im using ACL Monotorque gaskets.

[66yostagea]

Hi Wardie, I too have an 83 MR30 hatch. She has done nearly 600k.

Ive never had any trouble with either head gasket or clogged radiator core.

One thing I have always done is periodically drain the radiator and refill with good quality Engine coolant. The head has never been off.

Recently I bought an 84 hatch, for spares, that had a blown head gasket, but iI never got round to pulling it down. So didnt find out too much.

[george.bryant]

ok my gasket cost me $30 and i havnt had a problem with it.

get the head and blocked resurfaced too preferably.

the gasket is for L20, L24, L26 & L28

[Ghostrider]

He now has an ACL Monotorque VRS set, with the assistance of me.

He should be ok now.

Cheers, D

[66yostagea]

He's still got to fill it with GOOD quality coolant.

Remember the crunch test for radiator hoses. Give them a good squeeze, if they "crunch" you know its probable you radiator is stuffed and you neen new hoses all round.

A good catchcry is, Change the oil, change the coolant'

[wardie]

My thanks goes to Dennis for dropping off that VRS set.

Luckily for me he had to pick up a T*y**a from Newcastle today and was gracious enough to make a stop on the beautiful Central Coast to give it a rest.

66yostagea,

Unluckily for me I picked up my MR30 with 240K on the clock from a shonky dealer. It was only $1000 and seemed OK when my wife was driving it around town but it crapped out on me when I started driving it to Sydney each day. They must have done a quick engine flush and topped it up with new coolant to look good knowing it had cooling issues. I've probally got it close to acceptable but I think that I have had it too hot one too many times. I'll know in the next couple of days once I get it pulled down.

When it put it back together I will be giving the block a rub down with a emery stone to ensure that I have removed all the crap and any light corrosion if any. As to the head, I will straight edge it first to see if it is within specs and then get it machined if it's out.

Anybody have any suggestions whether I should lightly stone the head face to make a better seal or not?

Wardie

[Ghostrider]

He's still got to fill it with GOOD quality coolant.

Remember the crunch test for radiator hoses. Give them a good squeeze, if they "crunch" you know its probable you radiator is stuffed and you neen new hoses all round.

A good catchcry is, Change the oil, change the coolant'

Very old theory with coolant my friend.

Nulon does a long life product guaranteed to 20000Km and I wouls certainly hope you change your oil more frequently than that.

Cheers, D

[Ghostrider]

My thanks goes to Dennis for dropping off that VRS set.

Luckily for me he had to pick up a T*y**a from Newcastle today and was gracious enough to make a stop on the beautiful Central Coast to give it a rest.

Wardie

As for the T*y**a I picked up from Newcastle today.

It happens to be an 88 MX83 Cressida with a 1UZ FE up front.

For those uninitiated, a 1UZ FE is a 4.0L Quad Cam 32V all alloy V8 and is sourced from the Crown Majesta & Celsior/LS400 Lexus. 192Kw @ 5400 & 354Nm @ 4000 and 207Kw @ 6000 & 400Nm @ 4000 respectively.

Will let you know more later.

Cheers, D

[66yostagea]

D, That is a bit like cross dressing.

Actually I will be nulonning the Stagea this week. Stem to stern.

Edited June 13, 2006 by 66yostagea

[Ghostrider]

Well sir! Nissan have nothing in their range that is comparitive.

Skylines won't do the towing tasks I want the Cressida for.

I did look at Q45 Infinity, but for such a big car, I was very dissapointed in the interior space for a big person & a Stagea is just too much money for now.

Cheers, D