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Head gaskets: what's going on with supply?

15K views 43 replies 13 participants last post by  alabbasi 
#1 ·
Does anyone know the full story of what's happening with the supply head gaskets? Mine blew a while back now and I'm unable to get the car back on the road due to there being no gaskets out there.


These are the things I have been told:


Prasad Automotive
They've been telling Bentley for years there is a problem with the head gaskets and finally they have listened to them and are redesigning them.


Bentley Tunbridge Wells
Part is being updated, 200 so far on back order.


Starmans
PA Wood are making some.



PA Wood
They have made some are currently testing them. Weeks away from release if all goes well.



Flying Spares
They have some in development and being tested. one or two months away. Bentley are also developing some.


Has anyone got the whole story? It would seem the original part is quite outdated, and its application on the Turbo R at least a weak spot given the power.
 
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#30 ·
PM's you Andy. The new (redesigned/MLS with copper rings) gaskets are a must if you are rebuilding the engine. It is a massive issue on these cars, in my opinion one which contributes to keeping the price of the cars low as well as making them a worry to use (same thing I guess).



P&A Wood and Flying Spares are both saying they have a batch due imminently.
 
#33 ·
Got the same mail and watched the video with Ronnie. Ronnie is one of the best indies in California and is the club's technical guy out there. He has many Youtube vids that are helpful for RR owners.
Hopefully the gaskets hold up.
 
#39 ·
Jake, that link is just to the old type head gasket back in stock. Why do you want to fit a gasket designed years ago for a much lower non turbo engine when there is one already designed by VW for the same engine with turbo and much more horsepower. It would be my guess that VW have much greater ability to spend on engineering and development than RR/B ever had. Or is it just petty bickering by RR/B still thinking theirs is a better design?
 
#40 ·
Hello John.

I do not want any head gaskets for my car. The only reason for posting was Introcars explanation for the lack of gaskets and what had been checked before they started stocking them again.
Be honest, cannot see what they were up to as they said that none of there gaskets were faulty!

Jake.
 
#41 ·
I'm having a set of the Introcar/Bentley ones fitted at the moment.


The problems were down to the thickness of the gaskets, many were below standard apparently. They are now all individually checked and come with a warranty (two or three years, one or the other?).


Others, including Introcar, P&A, Flying Spurs are developing a new gasket which I believe is an MLS material. These gaskets have been due "within the next two weeks" for at least the last eight weeks when I have asked P&A and FS. They will not come with any warranty and require buyers to sign something removing the supplier from liability. testing will be very limited on these products and are done without the backing of the factory.



The gaskets for the later Arnage cars need modifying and are not a straight fit. Depending on who you talk to these have had both success and failure in the earlier cars.


The specialist repairing my car (highly regarded on this very forum) said without question, he'd rather fit the ones with a warranty (Introcar stock).


A new radiator, with the metal tanks, is going on at the same time.


I'm confident, with new 100% checked gaskets from a supplier happy to warrant them, a new radiator and hoses, and in my hands (correct coolant, warmed up, serviced, regular use and so on) that this car will be one of the better ones. I won't be worrying about the gaskets, especially as going through the extensive history file this is the first set it has had in over 20 years and 100,000 miles.
 
#42 ·
It’s fixed!

Collected my car from Starman’s Rolls Royce and Bentley Specialists last Saturday.

Very, very pleased with the work Duane and his son have done. Decoked, cleaned, refinished, new gaskets, silicon hoses, new radiator, etc.

What was most interesting was being told the engine had been apart recently and not put back together too well. This was in March this year before I bought it from Rod Tarft and drove it home from Attleborough. Rod had spent a lot of money on the car getting it where he wanted, just counting the big receipts came to over £20k in three years, but the last one tells a story as it went into Mark Taylor RR & B in search of coolant loss, disassembled and was put back together without new gaskets - I guess at the time they were unavailable?

Anyway, by the time I got it back to London, the coolant light was on. Refilled, drove it to Goodwood and the gaskets failed on the way home. A long, frustrating wait for parts but now, finally, driving beautifully once more.
 

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