[Mk2] [Turbo] Rev 3 metal head gasket on a rev2 - NOW WITH PHOTOS!

[Danbob]

I was told a rev3 HG was a direct fit on a rev 2, so I ordered One.

Now I have it I notice it is missing some of the coolant holes that the rev2 has and the coolant channel design in the heads are totally different

So I'm not sure I should use it. What is the general consensus??

Thanks
Dan

[Danbob]

OK, here are some photo's of what I mean.

This is a brand new rev 2 gasket over the top of a brand new Rev 3 gasket.


The holes are smaller on the rev 3, which might not be a problem, but also there are two holes in the middle two cylinders on the intake side which are missing from the rev 3 gasket



The holes are present on the rev 3 gasket but they are much further around the cylinder



Looking at the channels on the head it looks like this will mean only a small section of the intake side will get coolant flow.




Anybody else notice this? Have people drilled the extra holes in the rev 3 gasket in the past??

Anybody ran a rev 3 gasket for a few years (of hard driving) and had no problems?

[MartinF]

Why didn't you just buy a metal headgasket for a Rev1/2?

[Danbob]

Because:

I was told a rev3 HG was a direct fit on a rev 2, so I ordered One.

Also because a genuine Toyota rev 3gasket was £40 compared to a cometic rev 2 mls at around £100

[MartinF]

So why don't you go back and ask whoever it was who told you that exactly how it fits?



P.S. There's a guy down the road told me the winning Lotto numbers for tonight so I handed my notice in at work yesterday

[Danbob]

Thanks, that's a really useful reply!

Clearly you don't know the answer to the question, so if you don't' have anything useful to post, then please don't bother.



There was no one person who told me to use a rev 3 gasket. If you do a quick search of IMOC or MR2OC for head gaskets, you'll see it is recommended countless times

This post isn't intended to complain about the quality of information shared, it is an attempt to gather facts that will be helpful to me and to future forum users in the same situation.

Dan

[markstevieandmads]

I agree. It states on many Mr2 forums that the rev 3 hg is stronger than a rev 2.
Its recommended to a rev 3 hg to allow more boost.

I was looking at ways to spot a fitted rev3 gasket as I have no history with my turbo and wanted to know if it was done without removing the head.

[Danbob]

I agree. It states on many Mr2 forums that the rev 3 hg is stronger than a rev 2.
Its recommended to a rev 3 hg to allow more boost.

I was looking at ways to spot a fitted rev3 gasket as I have no history with my turbo and wanted to know if it was done without removing the head.

I was wondering how to check last year aswell. If you lie under the car and look up the intake side of the engine you can see some of the gasket sticking out, around where the arrows are. If you can see the brass rivets then it is a steel gasket, or if you feel them you can usually tell the steel gasket from a composite type, A bit of mine broke off in my fingers so I knew it was a paper/composite one

[jasongtr]

i once had a rev2 turbo engine that was fitted with what i was told was a metal rev3 head gasket

[h20490]

I also got told this but then did some digging and found the same problem so just went for a Cometic Headgasket and its been sweet now for 10k and its used as my daily dispite people slating me for using Cometic I deffo would use one again.

my car is a rev2 turbo fwiw.

[planted1]

My block is rev 2 ,
my head is rev 3.
My hg is hks i think.
When my engine was being built,the builder called me to say that the
h/gasket did not match up,same as your photo.
Luckily he was pretty adept at problem solving,he machined the gasket
to mate the block and head together.

[Peter Gidden]

People of been fitting Rev3 head gaskets onto Rev1/2 engines for years with no problems.

[planted1]

Looked up my receipt,
it wasnt hks it was cometic triple layer,
he changed the rivets for copper as the original were cr*p,
he machined each layer separately,
then tidied up the block and head waterways to remove narrowing,burrs and casting marks.
I suppose it depends on what you want,
if either fit and dont compromise temps, cool ,
i'm happy he pointed it out and did it properly.

[slipping clutch]

I have a genuine rev 3 head gasket on my rev 1 and its been on there for over 7 years - I know its there because I bought and fitted it. I'm struggling to find my photos on this at the moment but I like you placed my rev 1 gasket over the rev 3 item and checked all the holes lined up - the only mod I had to do was enlarge one hole. If I can find the pictures I will post them up for you but I'm doubtful that I will find them as I have gone through a number of p.c's since then.

[slipping clutch]

p.s. can you take a picture of the rev 3 gasket on the block with out the rev 2 one in the way? that may be a bit more relevant in helping out with what may be wrong.

[pistol pete]

I fitted a rev3 metal on my rev2
As told by Peter g that's it was all good
Through you trust him
Currently running 14psi and no issues

[Danbob]

p.s. can you take a picture of the rev 3 gasket on the block with out the rev 2 one in the way? that may be a bit more relevant in helping out with what may be wrong.

The third pic down that I posted is of the Rev 3 gasket on the block on its own.


OK thanks for the responses, maybe I am just being too pedantic and it will be OK, just doesn't look quite right to me, I might sell both gaskets and buy a Cometic

[mrdb]

People of been fitting Rev3 head gaskets onto Rev1/2 engines for years with no problems.

100% Agree. Mates 400bhp on one no issues. Coolent still flows around and afaik the rev3 hg was a modification to the rev3 to improve cooling.

Plus TRD rev2 metal gasket AFAIR is actually a rev3 Metal one.

[greeny]

Not sure why people have problems with cometic gaskets?

I've ran one on mine and re-used it 5 times over the years.

[planted1]

The gasket was fine,still is.