My 91 CRX Si has a very minor leaky head gasket, and I'd like to replace it. Now...

The engine is completely stock, and I plan to keep it that way, cept for bolt-ons. If I were to use a D16Y8 head gasket, which is supposedly the thinnest SOHC gasket that Honda makes, will I get any noticable gains from the slight bump in compression ratio?

Also, without an adjustable cam gear, will that thinner head gasket mess with the timing a whole lot? Is the thinner gasket worth any of its supposed power gains? Or should I replace it with a stock-size unit? I've heard Fel-Pro is good for head gaskets. Any recommendations? Should I stick with a stock Honda gasket? thanks

 

Power gain from that little of a CR bump is going to be minimal.

 

why would he go thicker? he's not going turbo. also a thinner head gasket can increase compression .5 point or more. i check into an aftermaket one for your engine, try cometic, very strong. also combine that w/minamal head milling, which is not to expensive, and you could raise compression as much as a point or more...and yes you will feel the difference in power...and no it wont mess w/timing, however you will have to reset the gears, which is always a good idea when the timing belt comes off

 

A thinner headgasket might give you .2-.4 gain in CR, milling enough to get a full point out of stock internals is going to change your cam timing about 7 degrees or so from stock. I would still rather look at making power elsewhere.

 

Yeah, don't mill the head and stay with a stock-thickness headgasket from either Honda or Fel-pro. I'm with Harry on trying to find some power elsewhere, like a cam or something.

 

Thanks guys, I'll look into pickin up a stock D16A6 Honda head gasket, and have the head surfaced.