Head gasket change. Timing chain???

[orsum]

I am going against all my principles of if its not broken then don't fix it.

Just about to do the timing belt, water pump etc and the RS2 conversion to my 1996 ABY coupe.

The cylinder head on the car is fine no issues and its low on Km 100,000 since new. So as I said stripping the head off when there is nothing wrong feels just wrong.

Be that as it may I am going to do it.

Today I was reading a few comment off the forum and the timing chain was advised to be changed.

What do you guys recommend.

As far as I am aware there is nothing wrong with the one that is on the car except its done 100,000 Km

[hunker7]

Personally I wouldn't touch head gasket if there are no issues. As for camshaft tming chain, check for slack. When i took mine off (granted it was at 190k) it was stretched whereas new one was just enough for cams to sit properly. Supposedly idle can get rougher if chain is stretched. Just my opinion

[orsum]

The recommendation was to change the head gasket because of the RS2 plus upgrade and the higher boost due to the upgrade. On top of that is that the head gasket is the original of 21 years old.

[igor136]

Better than new one

[newsh]

The 3B had a paper gasket, these need to be changed.
ABY always had a metal gasket. I would leave it alone.

[mcandmar]

100,000 Km is nothing, that is only ~60k miles. If it had twice that mileage i would still say leave it alone.

[orsum]

Lots of doubt in my mind right now.

My main reason for the change is I was told the ABY had a paper gasket and the fact that boost will be increased due to a lot of other upgrades being done and some critical maintenance work.

If the 3B had a paper gasket and the ABY was built using a metal gasket then that paints a totally different picture.

This is a game changer. Thanks newsh

With all due respect to all firstly how can I confirm the ABY was built with a metal gasket. Reading some of the posts it seems like post 1994 ABY's have the metal gasket.

I have 99% of the parts to do the head gasket so its not a money saving thing, its all about doing what is needed and doing the upgrade right the first time.

While all the other upgrade work is being done RS2 Turbocharger, RS2 exhaust manifold, RS2 2.75"-3" downpipe, timing belt tensioner, crank pulley, water pump and belt change it just make logic to do it all at once, providing it needs to be done.

Several posts advise changing the exhaust manifold stud as they tend to snap and its much better to remove a broken stud with the head off the car. Another possible reason to remove the head.

The only cost to me would be the new head bolts and timing chain if I did remove and replace the cylinder head.

What is the right thing to do?

PS just found this reply to a post from Paul S2central (2003) Although it does say paper was used by the ABY engine. He also stresses concern going for higher boost.



Quote from Paul.
You will be absolutely fine on the paper gasket. I run 1.4 bar on my ABY with the original paper gasket at 118k miles. Have run this over 6 months now with no probs.

You don't need the metal gasket for chipping with the standard turbo, but the folks with plans for chipped RS2 or bigger turbos that are pushing 1.6-1.9bar will definitely give the head gasket some stress.

[Rikki Kitto]

Stick to your original philosophy If it ain't broke n all that

[stocious]

Change the timing chain anyway, while your there

[martinjs]

Leave it as it is.