Vesrah VS Honda head gaskets

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oldmopars

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Graham Wa
Well, I followed the advice I got here on this forum and ordered the Factory Honda head Gaskets and the Vesrah gasket set. I pulled them both out of the package and they are the same. I can not find any difference. I took some pictures to show the two. I have placed them one on top of the other and side by side. If I had not already bought the Honda gaskets, I would have used the Vesrah. I am not saying I got bad advice, just wanted others to know that there are good gaskets out there made to the same standards as Mother Honda. I kind of think these came out of the same factory and Honda re packages them. I can not find any differences, that is why one has an H on it, I was afraid I would get them mixed up.
gasket3

gasket3

Mother Honda Gasket on top, Vesrah on the bottom, look the same.
gasket1

gasket1

Side by side, Vesrah and Honda
gasket2

gasket2

Vesrah Gasket on top, Honda on bottom.
 
Those definitely appear to be OE/Honda gaskets, no doubt. It's possible whoever is assembling the gasket sets use whatever head gaskets they can get at the time, or may make a lower priced alternative kit using the aftermarket gaskets. I know the O/H gasket set I got was a Vesra kit, but it has some funky head gaskets that weren't even for the 1100 engine. :head bang:

Good to know you got a good set...keep the spare set for later. :good:
 
I think most of the difference will be in the Gasket material itself. Most of them look the same but reflect a small difference in the inner material, due to Oem specs and patent rights, and some that are not oem have an outer layer covered, that is kinda greasy grayish film with anit seize. Oem gaskets are always a better choice to me.
 
When it comes to most gaskets, and head gaskets specifically, I will spend a little extra just to get the OEM stuff. I have read too many horror stories of people that wanted to save a buck and ended up spending a bundle.
 
I put them side by side, no difference in materials, same antiseize, I had to make one to keep from mixing them up. These gaskets were made at the same factory. No question, same gaskets.
 
I've heard the stories too, but there are a fair amount who have good luck with aftermarket too. I wonder how many don't know that Honda did increase the torque specs and if there is a connection there.
 
I expect most of the failures are due to using 1000 gaskets on 1100 & 1200 motors and or not reading the head bolts are lubed. I was really surprised to read that.
 
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=109321#p109321:3sa2o2om said:
slabghost » Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:31 am[/url]":3sa2o2om]
I expect most of the failures are due to using 1000 gaskets on 1100 & 1200 motors and or not reading the head bolts are lubed. I was really surprised to read that.
Click to expand...
+1
I have been advised to do the head gaskets on my 07 2.5 Subaru Forester while I have the engine out to change the clutch (200k kilometres) as a preventative measure. My Subi mechanic has done 3 sets since Jan on customers cars and only recommends genuine Subaru head gaskets. He also noted that the torque and turn instructions have changed, he still uses the one that says two lots of 90 degree turns instead of one.
 
I have just bought a pair of new GL1100 head gaskets and I was surprised to find, that the actual combustion chamber metal was silver in color and not obviously Copper in appearance, as was the old one, and the new one I changed out for, on my '82 in '84.

The defective one then was definately genuine Honda back then, but that did not stop it squirting a stream of hot coolant, in a high arc, up from up between cylinders 2 and 4, right onto my left thigh, the machine had done no more than 2K miles when this happened.

At the time my tool kit amounted to not much more than a collection of bent spoons and borrowed tools, but I did change that gasket out successfully, on my own and never looked back.

My point being that I do not particularly trust Honda parts or Honda technicians installing them.

The new gaskets I have aquired recently are exactly the same as the ones photographed above, and I got those from England, No brand name, (but there didn't appear to be anyone in the US selling them at the time).

Just an observation, with the benefit of hindsight!
 
How often do some of you check to make sure the head and block surface is flat? If I have a head that needs the valve seats ground I have the head surfaced at the same time. Doesn't cost much and takes that possibility out of the equation.
 
yes I agree robin .. I think most ere are well informed on checking for flatness ..but the point can not be brought up enough ... some of us like me have never done the machine shop route ... as all the oldwing heads I have done have met my file and two hands ... I am not advocating this as it dose take touch ... but again I will have to say oldwing heads are small and easy to true by me and my file ... actually you can beat a machine head as the tools chatter with vibration of the speed they operate .. file has none of that .... the alumi heads are soft as metal goes and dosnt take to long or much effort to get one perfect...there are ways of redoing valve seats and valves too without disassembly also ...one can not expect much if you don't do much but change gasket ... the procedure and job outweighs the head gasket selection bigtime in results ... that's for sure

and I think robins point .. mine too no matter how you feel about how to get it done ... just a lot of things to do besides change the gasket ... I agree totally
 
If your machine shop has chatter from just surfacing a head you need a new machine shop. I've also had several heads that needed new valve guides. Very few people have the tools to ream those to fit. Installing guides is easy but fitting them takes the right tools. There is just some stuff that most home shop guys can not do.

I would like to hear more about this. "there are ways of redoing valve seats and valves too without disassembly also " How do you grind valve seats without disassembly?
 
okay ... ok no laughing ... just kidding .. I will try its almost or is routine for me to take various sanding pieces be it sandpaper folded over or scotbright type stuff ... cut to right size pices and sloted to center ... open vlave to with cam plulley still on ... slip sanding selection be paper or other ...to the middle of the valve stem .... close valve down till right tension is achieved you want ... from there it is a matter of turning the sanding selection evenly and not long strokes ..just back and forth ....allowing the tension not to be to great as to trapstuff and clean itself and of coruse you making sure trash run over is not going on ...I have used this method on heads that would not hold water long ...and later would it seemed forever ... its not a fix to a ruin head ... but I can look at on for just a minute or two and know if it will be helped by this ... I am running on about 100% right now and never had a head I couldn't make work great so far ... if one dose this right its something that can be felt in its running .... I also have various brushes and stuff to really get heads clean where it counts ... prep is everything in my book
 
I work at a place that we need to check stuff for flatness all the time, so we have a large granite slab that is made for that. I put fine sand paper on that and used it to surface my heads. They are perfectly flat now. I still need to do the block, but I can use a file, straight edge an light for that.
 
You guys probably know this already but OEM gasket kits are not made by the manufacturer (Honda in this case) no more than their oil or tires.
Although I know some manufacturers switch suppliers from time to time, I would not be too shocked if gasket companies such as Vesrah or Athena had long standing contracts for gaskets and seals. Vesrah is good quality, and as stated...prep work is very important no matter what brand gasket you use.
 

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