Would you use this head gasket?

[BavHyena]

I received a damaged head gasket in the mail. It was bent at the timing cover end which cracked the gasket material around one hole. The fire rings are fine. The vendor has been dragging his feet replacing it. Do you think it would be ok to install with a little sealant around the crack?

 

[dj_efk]

If you paid for a gasket in as-new condition then you should have received one.

Therefore if your supplier has not taken sufficient care to ensure you received it as such, then they should replace it or refund you.

I would not install the one you have.

 

[sfdon]

Who is the vender? Tell them no problem at all, you will use it and if there is any problem you will hold them accountable.
Mention that it will be $6,000.00 to replace.

Any body that gives you pushback on that gasket- quit talking to them.
It's dickish behavior that wont stop soon.
Call your bank - tell them to do a chargeback.
Vender will learn a lesson.
Order a new gasket from a good vender.

 

[BavHyena]

The vendor is Autohaus AZ. I've been ordering parts from them for years without any problems. I asked for them to ship me a replacement right away, since it took them three days and two emails, and a chat to respond to my initial inquiry. They said they would replace the gasket, but only after they receive the damaged item first. I sent four separate emails a couple days apart asking for a return label. It seems to take two emails to even get a response, and when I do, they say they're working on it. I'm still waiting. The head has been off the car for two weeks now and IF they send me a return label next week, it'll be three to four weeks that my project will be delayed. I'd like to talk to someone higher up in the organization, but I can't find any phone contacts.

 

[lip277]

That's too bad. I have ordered parts from them for years.... and had one problem that I can recall.
I ordered brake rotors and oil & air filters at the same time.

Well... They packed them all together.
The brake rotors made the filters a fluffy mess of cardboard boxes and filter material (within the outside box). That outside box looked perfect. The weight of the rotors just overpowered everything inside and... Kaput.....
I emailed them the pics of the 'stuff' that used to be my filters. They sent new filters the same day. Not any problem on that for me (this was maybe 10 years ago...???)

From then on - whenever I ordered something from anyone - car parts wise....
If I am ordering something that is heavy - I do not order anything else at the same time.
If I need to do that - I wait a couple of days to make sure they are packed and sent separately...

Hope it works out for you on your thing. Never had that happen to me (such as you found with your head gasket).

 

[boonies]

I'd like to talk to someone higher up in the organization, but I can't find any phone contacts.

If you are on Linkedin you can do a search there by the company and come up with a list of people who have profiles on the site. You could send a message through the site or find the email structure elsewhere (perhaps through your communications) and send an individual with the right title a message directly.

I too have bought a fair amount from them, prices are usually good and no issues so far.

 

[dp]

My .02 cents: this is a rotten venue for resolving what you present as a vendor concern.

ps...if this comment troubles you, post your mailing address here,
I'll happily send you that 2 cents, just don't blame me if you bend one of them tearing into the package

pps how much positive pressure is there really in the timing case?
Enough to blow out that bend at the bolt hole? Even with sealant?
And yes since I asked that IS (at least part of) the point ;-)

 

[CSteve]

dp, disagree. This is the perfect venue for resolving an issue like this. If I was in BevHyena's position I would welcome all the useful comments, especially sfdon's and boonies'.

And dp, "this is a rotten venue" for inflicting your unwanted sarcasm on BevHyena and the rest of us.

 

[dp]

CSteve, disagree with you as well. And I'll add, grow a pair. While a 3-4-5 week delay in getting a job done would irritate pretty much anyone here, not one person answered the "would you use this gasket" question, which is what the OP actually asked about. The thread is pretty rotten...eg so far unhelpful to the OP. You're turning it into something even less, e.g. how does your phony outrage resolve an issue like this?

@BevHyena, consistent with your suspicion, the gasket is use-able. While I do not usually gasket sealer on any portion of a head gasket, if you are concerned about leakage at the area in the photograph and need to get this job done, you shouldn't have any problems at all with a small dab of rtv-like gasket sealer on either side of that "crack." If you prefer to close the loop with Autohaus AZ, might I suggest a phone call to them might expedite things? Work harder at getting their phone number. Especially since you'd been ordering parts from them for years without any problems.

-30-

 

[dj_efk]

I answered. See post #2

 

[CSteve]

dp, reread sfdon's post, he answered loud and clear. Perhaps if you read slowly, move your lips, and breathe through your mouth you will see sfdon and Boonies answered the question.

I couldn't resist after your kind advice to "grow a pair." I rarely stoop to your level, but this is getting to be fun.

 

[dp]

You really don't know what -30- means do you?

 

[CSteve]

I do know what -30- means. But your response was so obnoxious and insulting I could not resist. And, your PM to me just now is so childish and clicheish. Isn't the "F" word a bit tired and over used?
You coudn't come up with something more creative?

 

[nedrepsa]

I do know what -30- means. But your response was so obnoxious and insulting I could not resist. And, your PM to me just now is so childish and clicheish. Isn't the "F" word a bit tired and over used?
You coudn't come up with something more creative?

I spent over 30 years in the British military all over the world and believe me I have heard much worse language than was on a previous, now edited post but I never thought I would experience it on this platform.
I am pleased it was edited before the majority of members saw this foul mouthed rant

 

[sfdon]

Key initials for trolls..

F&S

Flag and Starve

Never feed a troll.

And now back to our regular programming…

 

[BavHyena]

Well… step away from a post for two days…

I won’t respond to dp’s post because it doesn’t deserve one. Enough people replied and we don’t need to continue it further. CSteve, I’m sorry you were subject to that abuse on my behalf.

My initial post was to ask for technical advice on whether the gasket I had was useable. That question was answered.

So coincidentally, the day after my post I received a message from FedEx that a package was being overnighted. No message from Autohaus, no return label, just the notification from FedEx. Today the replacement gasket arrived in a larger, properly sized box with much more padding. So in the end, the problem was resolved. I just wished it would have been handled more professionally.

Now let’s get this car back on the road!

 

[Stevehose]

Well… step away from a post for two days…

and a lot you didn't see