Fel-Pro vs. Victor Reinz

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I've been using Fel-Pro gaskets for over 35 years and have always preferred them over other brands I've seen such as McCord. McCord gaskets were always a little thinner and usually didn't seal for many miles. The parts store I deal with never had Victor Reinz so I was never familiar with them until recently when I went to another parts store to purchase a valve cover gasket for my CRV. I compared the Fel-Pro and Victor Reinz gasket side by side. The Fel-Pro gasket was slightly thinner and was made of a material which felt like a mixture of rubber and plastic. The Victor Reinz gasket felt like soft pliable rubber and was a little thicker than the Fel-Pro. I purchased the Victor Reinz valve cover gasket and installed it. So far, so good. The counterperson told me that the Victor Reinz head gaskets are the best sealing head gaskets on the market. I've used Fel-Pro permatorque head gaskets for many years and always considered them great but the counterperson told me that they can't hold a candle to the the Victor Reinz head gaskets.
Does anyone else have experience with both gaskets?
 
Victor Reinz makes very good gaskets. So does Fel-pro , however if I am doing a job I am going to use a Victo Reinz. Just my 2 cents.
 
I've heard good things about VR. But like the OP, I never see them and they don't usually pop up as an option when I'm shopping online.
 
For imports (Mazda, Nissan, Honda, Toy, etc.) I always go with factory OE gaskets. They tend to provide the best, if not longest, most consistent sealing performance and lasts very long in-between servicing.

This is particularly true with Fel-Pro (perma-dry) and some others, which I had used on Mazdas and Hondas before when abysmal outcome (the longest one lasted only 2 yrs before it begins to harden and leaks; factory typically lasts well over 7yrs+ before visable seepage on VC gasket).

Q.
 
Originally Posted By: Kool1
I've used Fel-Pro permatorque head gaskets for many years and always considered them great but the counterperson told me that they can't hold a candle to the the Victor Reinz head gaskets.
Does anyone else have experience with both gaskets?


I've never had a failure with a Permatorque, so I'm not going to say they are bad. I guess the parts man likes VR better.
One VR gasket that I do recommend for an application that has a few miles, though, is the Victo-Foam thermostat housing gaskets. RockAuto sells them. However, VR is somewhat proud of them.
 
Originally Posted By: Kruse

One VR gasket that I do recommend for an application that has a few miles, though, is the Victo-Foam thermostat housing gaskets. RockAuto sells them. However, VR is somewhat proud of them.


Those sound awesome. I never understood how they figure a paper gasket will seal a ten year old gooseneck with corrosion and the inevitable scratching from removing the old gasket.

I usually turn this into an RTV goopfest, but this victo-foam sounds fantastic.
 
Cometic MLS headgaskets seem to be the favorite among engine builders now.

I have never had a VR or Fel-Pro head gasket fail on me prematurely; however, I did get more than one set of bad intake manifold gaskets from Victor many years ago.
 
There's a company called Apex, all china made, whom allegedly makes some gaskets for Felpro. The feedback I have on Apex has been positive so far.
But VR gaskets are excellent, as are Felpro.
 
I had a friend that needed an HG for a 1990s BMW 528, so he went to the dealer, and they sold him a Victor Reinz gasket.

I found that interesting.
 
Originally Posted By: artificialist
I had a friend that needed an HG for a 1990s BMW 528, so he went to the dealer, and they sold him a Victor Reinz gasket.

I found that interesting.


Victor Reinz was a German manufacturer acquired by Dana Corporation. Fel Pro is owned by Federal Mogul Corp. So, VR would have the European OEM relationship.
 
I recently did a headgasket job, and chose
a FelPro severe duty gasket over the Victor
Reinz. VR didn't offer a severe duty.

FelPro is such an old brand and I've used them
all my life. It's hard to break tradition...
 
I would choose VR over FP. They're both good but VR is a bit better, and is OEM on some EURO makes. Their MLS head gaskets are very good as far as OEM quality stuff is concerned.

Cometic makes the BEST head gaskets, hands down. They will also make a custom HG for any application all the way up to a Top fuel motor, try that with VR or FP..
 
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