Fail-Pro Gaskets

[OM605]

I've had my share of terrible aftermarket parts, even from reputable brands. OEM is perhaps the only guarantee of not having to do the job twice. Most of the issues my car has is related to those parts installed during the past year or so and not the old worn out stuff from 97 that was obviously built better.

 

[BurrWinder]

We've seen a run on Fel-pro stuff needing warranty replacement come through the shop recently too. A handful of sets of valve cover gaskets, and a couple of rear main seals as well. Decided from then on out OE rear main seals were the only good option, and have gone to either Mahle or Victor Reinz, or OE for other gaskets. Sorry you're having to dig back into it.

From a DIY shade tree mechanic perspective, did Fel-Pro used to be a go-to after market company that has fallen from grace, similar to how MOOG and Timken have become questionable? I used a Fel-Pro transmission gasket over a dozen years ago and it was a very stout, high quality product.

Or is Trav hinting that some of Fel-Pro products are o.k., but you have to do due diligence to figure out which ones are good (with any brand)?

From a DIY shade tree mechanic perspective, did Fel-Pro used to be a go-to after market company that has fallen from grace, similar to how MOOG and Timken have become questionable? I used a Fel-Pro transmission gasket over a dozen years ago and it was a very stout, high quality product.

Or is Trav hinting that some of Fel-Pro products are o.k., but you have to do due diligence to figure out which ones are good (with any brand)?

This is very true - I have had great luck with Fel Pro items over the years, but it seems that some aftermarket is again changing in quality. I used to always specify MOOG suspension at the dealer level on non warranty GM items - esp trucks as the OE GM parts such as a pitman or idler arms as they were as loose as the worn stuff on some vehicles with the new parts. The MOOG items were always high quality, well built, smooth operating replacements that were of a better quality. Now it is a grab bag of what you find in the parts box from these vendors. May be great new / old stock built very well, or some other " aftermarket" reboxed part to fill a need and a part number that isn't made by the original MOOG manufacturer ( eg, no grease zerks, poorly made ball joint sway bar end links, etc ) OE is even sometimes falling into this trap if it is not a "newer", still in use from the original vendor - part. It may be some cheaper one to fil a SKU and not much attention paid to the quality. YMMV and the buyer beware. If you are a pro technican or know parts I would have no qualms about not purchasing a part that is of inferior quality if presented with it at the time of sale.

 

[The motor guy]

i’m an OEM only guy when it comes to gaskets. i’ve had way too many fel-pro redo’s.

They usually have to make them different to not violate copy right laws

 

[AKhan87]

Depends who you talk to. My success rate has been 100% with Stone, others consider them to be as terrible as Fel-Pro.

my success rate has been 100% with Fel-Pro valve cover gaskets but my experience is limited to the following applications:

1) 1ZZ-FE (130+)
2) 2ZZ-GE (2)
3) D16Y7 (2)
4) D16Y8 (1)
5) 2AZ-FE (1)

Toyota Corolla
Toyota Celica
Honda Civic
Toyota Camry

it is all about prep, and using the OEM manual for directions and torque specs, yes I torque my valve cover bolts to OEM specifications using a digital torque wrench.

older Fel-Pro valve cover gaskets were blue, they were more "pliable" and thicker for the above applications compared to OEM, the downside was the valve cover gasket would "stretch/expand" if removed when the engine was hot—for example: checking valve clearance, no leaks. Re-installing the Fel-Pro valve cover gasket after it had slightly stretched was annoying but doable, still no leaks even after I had re-used them over and over...

The newer Fel-Pro valve cover gaskets are orange, no issues with them yet but I can't say anything about longevity.

 

[VersatileGuy]

my success rate has been 100% with Fel-Pro valve cover gaskets but my experience is limited to the following applications:

1) 1ZZ-FE (130+)
2) 2ZZ-GE (2)
3) D16Y7 (2)
4) D16Y8 (1)
5) 2AZ-FE (1)

Toyota Corolla
Toyota Celica
Honda Civic
Toyota Camry

it is all about prep, and using the OEM manual for directions and torque specs, yes I torque my valve cover bolts to OEM specifications using a digital torque wrench.

older Fel-Pro valve cover gaskets were blue, they were more "pliable" and thicker for the above applications compared to OEM, the downside was the valve cover gasket would "stretch/expand" if removed when the engine was hot—for example: checking valve clearance, no leaks. Re-installing the Fel-Pro valve cover gasket after it had slightly stretched was annoying but doable, still no leaks even after I had re-used them over and over...

The newer Fel-Pro valve cover gaskets are orange, no issues with them yet but I can't say anything about longevity.

I installed a Fel Pro valve cover gasket on a 1ZZ-FE last October...I see signs of leaking around this month, a thin coating of oil on surfaces that were wiped clean for installed.

 

[Donald]

One would think when these companies move manufacturing overseas that if the product is inferior and shops start having to redo things that their sales will drop as shops go to other brands or OEM. This is not rocket science. Drop the quality of your product and many customers will switch brands so they can continue to use a high quality product

And a company like Fel Pro is big enough that they have the ability to test the products coming out of overseas factories.

I thought a lot of manufacturing was so automated that the labor component of the product cost was insignificant..

 

[AKhan87]

I installed a Fel Pro valve cover gasket on a 1ZZ-FE last October...I see signs of leaking around this month, a thin coating of oil on surfaces that were wiped clean for installed.

can you send me pictures?

did you torque it to spec? and did you use RTV on the two spots as mentioned in the OEM Toyota manual?

I have seen over-torqued valve cover gaskets leak, including a few Fel-Pro ones on the 1ZZ-FEs but that was because someone severely over-torqued them, the leaking gaskets were half the thickness of the original, mine have never been that way after installation, which has been confirmed by removing them several times for valve clearance checks on various 1zz-fes

 

[zzyzzx]

And a company like Fel Pro is big enough that they have the ability to test the products coming out of overseas factories.

That doesn't mean that they do or will. You are the quality control.

 

[dogememe]

One would think when these companies move manufacturing overseas that if the product is inferior and shops start having to redo things that their sales will drop as shops go to other brands or OEM. This is not rocket science. Drop the quality of your product and many customers will switch brands so they can continue to use a high quality product

And a company like Fel Pro is big enough that they have the ability to test the products coming out of overseas factories.

I thought a lot of manufacturing was so automated that the labor component of the product cost was insignificant..

No sales will be fine, even if product quality sinks, because availability. If Fel-Pro is what every auto parts store stocks, that’s what you’re going to get. That’s how Dorman succeeds… make everything and it’ll be the only one available for that random part you need and even if it’s junk it’ll sell because the customer needs it now.

 

[Hootbro]

They usually have to make them different to not violate copy right laws

Patent laws, not copyright laws would be in play.

I would venture most gaskets designs are no longer under patent anyways and the biggest problem would be lack of them having access to original engineer specs and reverse engineering most of them unless they were the OEM to begin with.

 

[The motor guy]

Patent laws, not copyright laws would be in play.

I would venture most gaskets designs are no longer under patent anyways and the biggest problem would be lack of them having access to original engineer specs and reverse engineering most of them unless they were the OEM to begin with.

Oops, yes sir you are correct.