Thread: 300tdi head change. Other parts?

Originally Posted by Spel1

I think you mentioned that you already have (or ordered) an Elring gasket kit - when I got my head from Turner's they had supplied the Elring, I was disappointed at the time I didn't get the choice - I actually didn't think to ask at the time. But, with a time constraint I used it anyway, had to get back on the road. So far its been OK as its been a year (touching wood), so I would say the Elrings are not all that bad in my limited experience - they are a German product and the teutonic stuff generally is of good quality.

Elring is supposed to be OEM. It was an easy choice between them and Britpart.

Originally Posted by Dougal

Elring is supposed to be OEM. It was an easy choice between them and Britpart.

It was just that you mentioned that your supplier had MLS in stock - Elring are composite gaskets. The decent MLS are Victor Reintz - in case there has been any confusion.

Originally Posted by Spel1

It was just that you mentioned that your supplier had MLS in stock - Elring are composite gaskets. The decent MLS are Victor Reintz - in case there has been any confusion.

I bought an elring kit which includes all the ancillary head gaskets but not the head to block gasket.
I will purchase the mls gasket locally when I have it apart to check the required thickness.

OK sorry, misunderstood. Did not realise Elring made all the other stuff as a separate kit too.

Originally Posted by rick130

Actually I'd use aftermarket VW air cooled racing ones or Crane or Comp Cams 8mm ones.
Much more consistent, the current OEM Land Rover seem like cheese. Actually Fetta.

X2
Yep, the set of genuine ones I got in the Elring gasket set turned into donuts and then the engine reco shop denied they were ever in the kit. So got a genuine set from an LR spares store and same thing, so went the racing ones and they have lasted years. Race ones are your best bet.
I remember the guy I got the last set of genuine lash caps off, I asked him if I could test them. I brought a metal file in with me and ran the base of the lash caps down the file, the soft lash caps grabbed the file as the file did it's job and the hardened race ones skated down as if on ice. He was shocked. I had to prove the point when no-one would believe me they were rubbish.

So the parts have arrived.
The gasket set isn't an Elring (despite Elring being on the invoice), it's a Federal Mogul brand with an intake/exhaust gasket that looks like cardboard. Are they any good or should I send it back and ask for the Elring?

No valve stem caps in the set either. What's the description of the better VW items?

Originally Posted by Dougal

So the parts have arrived.
The gasket set isn't an Elring (despite Elring being on the invoice), it's a Federal Mogul brand with an intake/exhaust gasket that looks like cardboard. Are they any good or should I send it back and ask for the Elring?

No valve stem caps in the set either. What's the description of the better VW items?

They would be VW dak dak ones for aircooled kombi's etc, i have used FM gaskets on ford/holden V8's before but not on a TDI - i would ask for what you paid for, Elring.

If anyone has a part number for these improved lash caps I would also be interested.