Where to get head gasket?

Ok, I'm changing my head gasket this coming week. I was wondering if it makes difference whether I buy, say a FelPro one from Advance, or if I should pop a few extra bucks for an OEM replacement one from the dealer? For most all other parts I replace, I usually just hit up one on the local auto parts stores.

Since the head gasket is such a critical part, I thought it might be better to have a 'factory' replacement part. What do you guys think?

TIA

Chad

Whats the price difference like ? If it's like $5 or so I'd go dealer but then I would also look at what comes with the dealer OEM one. Like the hoses, the oem cooling hoses come with springs, clamps and hose protectors while aftermarket does not. Buy em both and look em both over, you can always take one back.

It may of changed by your year but my 88 XJ 4.0 engine manual says you can reuse the head bolts one time - a total of two times. You are to paint the head of the bolts with paint to indicate this is the second time the bolts were used.

You may want to pick up a new set of head bolts at the dealer and install them rather than reuse the head bolts. If you want to I guess you could install ARP studs and go that way.

Also other parts to consider getting from the dealer:
1) Intake/Exhaust manifold gasket if you remove the manifolds
2) New intake/exhaust hardware, my cousin tells me never to reuse exhaust bolts, they break usually. It is less hassle to replace them with new form the dealer.
3) Doughnut for the exhaust manifold gasket to hook up to exhaust pipe
4) Fuel line coupling rebuild kits, qty 2 - needed on my 88 XJ, not sure if they changed the design.
5) new thermostat gasket, get this at the dealer, may want to drop in a new dealer thermostat while at it, the dealer thermostat comes with the gasket
6) Valve cover gasket -
7) the Crankcase vent hoses - the big and small hose connected to the valve cover. My 88 XJ says to change every 50,000 miles, since you have the valve cover off it would be an easy change. It also may fix a minor vacuum leak which you don't know you have.

Well, I'm 99% sure that I'm getting stuff from the dealer. I just figured I'd see if anybody could relay any good/bad experiences on buying such a part from a regular auto parts store.

I'm definitely replacing the head bolts, even though they've never been out before, better safe than sorry reusing torque-to-yield bolts over again. I wasn't thinking, however, about the manifold bolts. Thats a good idea too. I'll also be replacing all other associated gaskets, so...good there. I'm not too concerned about the vents hoses though; they're not cracked or dry-rotted and I use synthetic oil so they're clean and I have no blowby problems.

Any other advice is welcome!

-Chad

98JeepXJ said:

Well, I'm 99% sure that I'm getting stuff from the dealer. I just figured I'd see if anybody could relay any good/bad experiences on buying such a part from a regular auto parts store.

I'm definitely replacing the head bolts, even though they've never been out before, better safe than sorry reusing torque-to-yield bolts over again. I wasn't thinking, however, about the manifold bolts. Thats a good idea too. I'll also be replacing all other associated gaskets, so...good there. I'm not too concerned about the vents hoses though; they're not cracked or dry-rotted and I use synthetic oil so they're clean and I have no blowby problems.

Any other advice is welcome!

-Chad

Click to expand...

Take pics of the disassembly with a digital camera. Those can be lifesavers when figuring out 'hmmm, does this go this way or that way'....