Head gasket update

[jimmernet]

I posted previously about a getting billed for a new Headgasket that didn't look like it was installed. I want to nail this sucker, but I gotta have my ducks in a row before I can put the boot in, and I'd really appreciate your help...

Prevailing opinion is that I have to strip the head again and check the gasket for wear and tear as well as serial numbers / OEM part etc...

The garage that supposedly did the work quoted a part number for the head gasket set as -362440920. When I google this I get to a europarts web page, complete with a piccy below. Now is this part number the audi OEM part number or the europarts number - anyone able to say?

Also I took a photo of the bits of the HG that stick out - does this look like it's been changed 9 months ago or an original factory fit? Do you think it would stick?

The new gasket is the one from the euro parts site...

http://s3.postimage.org/6bqd84k26/image.jpg

 

[aragorn]

Doesnt look 9 months old to me, all that dirt and grime would have been cleaned off had the gasket been changed and i think there looks a lot there to have collected over only 9 months of driving.

Perhaps we could post some comparison shots of engines with newer gaskets and/or original ones?

I dunno if i'll be able to photograph that area on my engine as its mounted differently to yours, but i'll try.

 

[jimmernet]

Doesnt look 9 months old to me, all that dirt and grime would have been cleaned off had the gasket been changed and i think there looks a lot there to have collected over only 9 months of driving.

Perhaps we could post some comparison shots of engines with newer gaskets and/or original ones?

I dunno if i'll be able to photograph that area on my engine as its mounted differently to yours, but i'll try.

It would be a real help if I could get a compariason - so thaks very much... it was tricky to shoot as I was taking the pic through the inlet manifold. Luckily the canon ixus I was using was really small!

Thanks again - really appreciate it. It would be really good get one back on this guy!

 

[aragorn]

Well my camera is absolutely hopeless:



But suffice it to say if you cant make it out, the tab is still black (rather than rusty), and has a similar amount of crud around it as yours, and thats a 11 year old 120k gasket...

 

[jimmernet]

Thanks for doing that really appreciate it- Interesting that it's still got some paint on it. My S3 is a 2001 model and 127k on the clock too... Anyone else!? what about that part number - do Europarts use the same part numbers as audi?

 

[wesser99]

just asked my brother as he owns a garage and uses ecp and he said they use there own part numbers they do cross reference them but on the invoice and website they have there own numbers
hope this helps mate

 

[quattro1]

just took a pic of my one year old HG. uploading pics now!

you have no idea how hard it is to get an ipod in there to take a pic! cut hands galore lol

 

[quattro1]

sorry the quality isnt amazing as said, was taken on an ipod! but its really clean black and you can still read "germany" on it

 

[aragorn]

yeh thats defo more like what i'd expect.

The heads still a bit grubby mind, i'd have expected a good place to have skimmed it and had it washed so it would be shiney-clean.

 

[quattro1]

it is spotless everywhere but there! had an epic split in the vag hose just infront of it and oil residue went everywhere! thats just one of those impossible to clean places

 

[jimmernet]

quattro - that is awesome! Thanks so much - sorry about your hands but hey, at least you didn't drop the ipod in there! Thats gotta be pretty conclusive wouldn't you say. To nail this, do you know if your HG was from europarts? It looks different to the one in mine and the garage invoiced me for a HG set with a part number from europarts... Do you have the P/N on your invoice...?

Thanks again, this is what makes this forum so great and hopfully I'll be writing back with how another crook was nailed...

 

[quattro1]

i can find out for you mate! was a guy on here who did it on my car! ill pm him and get back to you

not a problem at all mate, LOADS of people have helped me out on here! swear to god this site has saved me literally hundreds...

hope it all turns out well for ya!