Anyone used BGA head gaskets or bolts before? . . Recommende
Discussion
I was putting my engine together yesterday (VAG 1.8t, forged build) and after torquing my head bolts up I realised the head gasket was the wrong bloody way round!
It had been a long day so we'll blame in on the fatigue... Anyway, obviously the bolts will be useless and for the sake of 20 quid it would seem silly to use that gasket now it's been compressed.
Just spoke to Andrew page (formally caf co) as they're the only motor factor open today, and the only bolts and gaskets they have are BGA, their website seems legit (bgautomotive.co.uk/), but I have no experience with them my self. . .
Bearing in mind this is a 300+hp build, what are peoples thoughts/experiences?
It had been a long day so we'll blame in on the fatigue... Anyway, obviously the bolts will be useless and for the sake of 20 quid it would seem silly to use that gasket now it's been compressed.
Just spoke to Andrew page (formally caf co) as they're the only motor factor open today, and the only bolts and gaskets they have are BGA, their website seems legit (bgautomotive.co.uk/), but I have no experience with them my self. . .
Bearing in mind this is a 300+hp build, what are peoples thoughts/experiences?
As far as possible I will only source critical engine components from a franchised dealer.
Learnt that the hard way with a HG on a Scimitar. The aftermarket one - from a reputable maker - lasted around 600 miles. The genuine Ford one was impregnated with sealant, theirs wasn't. Head & block were true & the genuine gasket was on the car without issue when I sold it. The day after I fitted the one that failed the club magazine dropped through the letterbox with an article 'Don't use other than genuine HGs'
Did a hg on my youngest's 1.6 306 a while ago. The hg offered by the local factors was a composite & the one from the Peugeot dealer was MLS.
I work on the basis that the dealer part will be the latest evolution of the part with hopefully faults addressed.
Learnt that the hard way with a HG on a Scimitar. The aftermarket one - from a reputable maker - lasted around 600 miles. The genuine Ford one was impregnated with sealant, theirs wasn't. Head & block were true & the genuine gasket was on the car without issue when I sold it. The day after I fitted the one that failed the club magazine dropped through the letterbox with an article 'Don't use other than genuine HGs'
Did a hg on my youngest's 1.6 306 a while ago. The hg offered by the local factors was a composite & the one from the Peugeot dealer was MLS.
I work on the basis that the dealer part will be the latest evolution of the part with hopefully faults addressed.
Well the HG I was using is an Elring part... But within the VAG/1.8t scene they're tried, tested and trusted. I just have no idea about these BGA guys
Thing is as well, I kind of this engine together this weekend - I'm at Glastonbury next weekend, planned engine swap for the weekend after then my final mapping date is booked in for the Friday after. It's a tight scheduled as it is! Could do without these set backs
Thing is as well, I kind of this engine together this weekend - I'm at Glastonbury next weekend, planned engine swap for the weekend after then my final mapping date is booked in for the Friday after. It's a tight scheduled as it is! Could do without these set backs
I used to use a lot of BGA stuff on my race engines and had no trouble with it. However as you clearly haven't started the engine yet I'd put the existing gasket the right way round and do it back up again. It isn't sentient. It doesn't know it's been torqued up once and cares even less.
Indeed steve, these were my first thoughts as well but as previously mentioned I'm under some serious time constraints here...
Anyway, I just went and pick up some BGA bolts and the gasket looks fine, no bits of rubber stuck to the head or block so I'm gonna roll with that.
Thanks for banging your heads together guys!
Anyway, I just went and pick up some BGA bolts and the gasket looks fine, no bits of rubber stuck to the head or block so I'm gonna roll with that.
Thanks for banging your heads together guys!
I have re used head gaskets both before and after being used. As said before make sure the gasket is complete and not damaged.
One had to have the head taken off after being run on the dyno for a couple of hours (long boring story). Re used the original gasket and bolts and finished running on the dyno for a good few hours after that. Then did many thousands of road and track miles and never had a problem.
One had to have the head taken off after being run on the dyno for a couple of hours (long boring story). Re used the original gasket and bolts and finished running on the dyno for a good few hours after that. Then did many thousands of road and track miles and never had a problem.
Just an update on this... I used the BGA bolts in the end and they seemed fine apart from one thing.
There's a bolt hole in the head (for those of you familiar with the 1.8t the one nearest the VVT solenoid/tensioner) which is fractionally smaller than the rest of the volt holes.
So much so that the bolt would by no means go in and I had run a grinder around the bolt a few times to get it to fit... Which is obviously a bit sh!t and an obvious sign of a WELL under developed product. Just glad I never used their head gasket!!!
Anyway, thought it was worth giving that verdict and my experiance of BGA head bolts
There's a bolt hole in the head (for those of you familiar with the 1.8t the one nearest the VVT solenoid/tensioner) which is fractionally smaller than the rest of the volt holes.
So much so that the bolt would by no means go in and I had run a grinder around the bolt a few times to get it to fit... Which is obviously a bit sh!t and an obvious sign of a WELL under developed product. Just glad I never used their head gasket!!!
Anyway, thought it was worth giving that verdict and my experiance of BGA head bolts
VAGslag said:
Just an update on this... I used the BGA bolts in the end and they seemed fine apart from one thing.
There's a bolt hole in the head (for those of you familiar with the 1.8t the one nearest the VVT solenoid/tensioner) which is fractionally smaller than the rest of the volt holes.
So much so that the bolt would by no means go in and I had run a grinder around the bolt a few times to get it to fit... Which is obviously a bit sh!t and an obvious sign of a WELL under developed product. Just glad I never used their head gasket!!!
Anyway, thought it was worth giving that verdict and my experiance of BGA head bolts
maybe there was a fractionally smaller bolt in the kit and you used it elsewhere ?There's a bolt hole in the head (for those of you familiar with the 1.8t the one nearest the VVT solenoid/tensioner) which is fractionally smaller than the rest of the volt holes.
So much so that the bolt would by no means go in and I had run a grinder around the bolt a few times to get it to fit... Which is obviously a bit sh!t and an obvious sign of a WELL under developed product. Just glad I never used their head gasket!!!
Anyway, thought it was worth giving that verdict and my experiance of BGA head bolts
Sounds a bit random though for there to be a difference like that.
I'm pretty certain there was no fractionally smaller bolt... And even if there was, why the hell would you do that? You'd just make them all the same size like EVERY other aftermarket bolt manufacturer.
And it's not something odd about the head cos I've got anther three here knocking about and they were all the same, didn't fit...
It is quite obviously the result of poor product development
And it's not something odd about the head cos I've got anther three here knocking about and they were all the same, didn't fit...
It is quite obviously the result of poor product development
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