Can you reuse a head gasket

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dag019

Well-Known Member
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6,169
Location
Warwick
Pretty much as the title. Can you reuse a head gasket or do they have to be new every time.
Now the reason I ask is I have just done a load of engine work to a new to me 200tdi. Had a new head gasket fitted was test started and run long enough to realise one of the glow plugs is blowing. (See video on my rebuild thread: link). I have now once again removed the head to try and repair the glow plug threads. If I succeed in this today I can put everything back together again and test it IF I can reuse the head gasket. If not I will need to wait for a new one to arrive.
 
Ive re-used head gaskets on boat engines as your pretty much stuffed if you dont have a spare
there is still a couple of them still going strong after 5 years. Tbh id throw it back together & see
it works. Whats the worst that can happen o_O :D
 
Pretty much as the title. Can you reuse a head gasket or do they have to be new every time.
Now the reason I ask is I have just done a load of engine work to a new to me 200tdi. Had a new head gasket fitted was test started and run long enough to realise one of the glow plugs is blowing. (See video on my rebuild thread: link). I have now once again removed the head to try and repair the glow plug threads. If I succeed in this today I can put everything back together again and test it IF I can reuse the head gasket. If not I will need to wait for a new one to arrive.

Edit ive re-used an old cosworth gasket & it worked just fine.
 
Once got the wife to iron a copper head gasket off my Mini, worked a treat torqued 5lbs ft more than it should have been
 
Excellent. Thanks for confirming all. It has only been fitted for a couple pf months and probably been run for about 2min. I will see how I get on with glow plug repair. And if successful will throw it all back together with the existing gasket.
 
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