GL 1100 Head gaskets

[dan filipi]

As you know I'm on a tight budget so I'm REALLY shopping for the best price I can possibly find for all the parts for my '83 1100 engine build.

I found on Ebay head gaskets for $25 each.

Seller's reply to an email "I have them made for me in Taiwan. I have sold several hundred with no problems and positive feedback."

Anybody can "say" anything so I'm looking for opinions.

I tried Saber Cycle's head gaskets and was bit so I'll stay away from them.
OEM's are almost $60 each.
Are there other sources at a comparable price ($25 each) we can trust?

 

[bk2valve]

Hi Dan, I bought the headgaskets I used back a couple of years from a source on ebay...I am sorry I can't remember who but if I remember right they were brand name maybe Vesrah....I have been happy enough since the are still holding up after 15 or 20k miles or so I can't complain....

I would just look on ebay a bunch...

 

[mcgovern61]

Vesrah are good gaskets, but I think they are up there in $$ too. Tiawanese gaskets! That is where Saber Cycle gets a lot of their stuff. The big problem with Tiawanese and Chinese made products is that they often do not use the same type of materials as OEM and it is a fact that their quality control is lacking. Every product is suspect and it can be hit or miss with a good one.

 

[Heath]

Try here

https://www.cheapcycleparts.com/products ... ket-cyl-hd

Just rebuilt the right head with their parts and all good OEM parts. $46.29 for the gasket.

Heath

 

[Tory]

If you remember I to was bit by aftermarket head gaskets.Not from sabre,I dont buy from them,but them where not honda as I purchased a whole head set on line.
When I re-did the job do to a small combustion leak I purchased HONDA gaskets from "cheapcycleparts" and have had no trouble since.

 

[dan filipi]

Well I received these head gaskets yesterday. They look like Honda OEM for almost 1/2 the price.

This guy has them made in Taiwan.
I was pleased with the packaging. They came in a bubble envelope with a piece of 1/4 inch plywood to prevent bending with DO NOT BEND in large letters both sides of the envelope.

I know what your thinking, "Yeah Taiwan, crap" well I'm going to install these on my runner with completely refreshed heads.
Since I'm looking for the source of the notorious "engine knock", I'll run these while I'm rebuilding another '83 engine.
I'll put as many hard miles with high revs and summer heat as I can on these head gaskets as a tester for reliability. I'll even let the engine run into boil over then run it hard a few times.
Once I'm getting close to installing the rebuilt engine I'll pull these heads and open up the gaskets to look at the quality within.

I ran Saber Cycle head gaskets which ultimately started leaking with a squirt of coolant out the side of the head.
When I pulled the head I found their gaskets were made up of a hard sheet metal sandwiched between the fiber gasket material. Honda gaskets are made up of a softer metal which will compress better.
I believe the harder metal in the SC gaskets is why they are inferior. I will never use them again.

It will be a couple weeks before the fresh heads go on, I'll post an update.