Would you use this Head Gasket

[DixieTDI]

I ordered a new gasket for my Jetta TDI and the one I received has much smaller holes than the original VW gasket that was on the motor. The old gasket holes matched exactly and the new one has some small round holes. Will this not overheat the engine being the water to the head is restricted. Please view the pictures and help me to decide if this gasket needs to be sent back.

[Keithuk]

Welcome to the forum.

Its funny that one side has the larger hole but the other side doesn't. I suppose you can expect that with patent gaskets. I suppose it depends on your driving style if you want plenty of power most of the time it could get hot, I wouldn't fit it.

[chittychittybangbang]

I don't know if it will overheat but I can tell you that smaller holes is very common on OEM gaskets where they want to control the flow. This helps build pressure in the head, control flow speed, make it squirt in certain ways, etc.. However, the OEM gasket isn't like this and I don't know if the return or feed hole is the small one. I can't say if it's better or worse or the same, just wanted to throw that info out there. I haven't heard of TDI heads warping from overheating just from a gasket if that helps.

[shuswap]

I guess the question I would have is what does the aftermarket gasket-maker know about coolant flow within the head/block that the OEM didn't?

Not much, methinks!

I share the OP's concerns. If I couldn't modify it a bit I'd likely not use it. Reason: The surface area of that port has changed quite dramatically and the flow through that hole will almost certainly be altered.

I just hate it when this stuff happens! Decisions...decisions.

[DixieTDI]

The gasket maker is Elring which is supposed to be a reputable gasket maker. I have allways read that heat is the death of a diesel and I live in North Carolina with mild winters, I just feel water flow should not be restricted. Has anyone out there changed their head gasket and had smaller holes?

[YMZ]

Originally Posted by shuswap

I guess the question I would have is what does the aftermarket gasket-maker know about coolant flow within the head/block that the OEM didn't?

Do you know for a fact that the OEM didn't change the design of the head gasket after the original poster's engine was built?

Yuri

[shuswap]

Originally Posted by YMZ

Do you know for a fact that the OEM didn't change the design of the head gasket after the original poster's engine was built?

Yuri

Nope, I do not.

Do you have any reason to believe that the OEM did make that change?

[YMZ]

Manufacturers are almost always making design changes during a production run... Assuming the original poster ordered the correct gasket in the first place (identical part number), if the replacement gasket manufacturer is a respected one, chances are that the new gasket is a later version. That said, there was a part number change for the 2006 BRM engine, depending on the serial number: up to 1K-6-751-614 and after 1K-6-751-615... it would certainly be worthwhile verifying if the correct gasket was sent...

Yuri

[DixieTDI]

I have talked with the company that I bought the gasket from and it is the correct gasket, we checked several times with the numbers in the new one and my ser#. I called 5 dealerships before I found one that is one hour and forty five minuts from me and the parts dept pulled the gasket and compared the holes and they are just like my old one and match the holes on the block.

[chittychittybangbang]

I've done a little searching, the elring ALH gasket is a good brand and has been used many times with success. I know the OEM BEW gasket was revised to restrict the coolant passages but it looks like for whatever reason, elring has modified their gasket while your dealer says the VW part hasn't been.

A little more searching revealed this: "The modification of the water passageways improves the thermal efficiency rate." I have added the .pdf and a link to this thread to the ALH head replacement article since it has some notes for all models, check the article for the .pdf. Here's a direct link http://www.elring.de/tsi/2011_TSI01_en.pdf