Thread: Why Buy The Cosworth Headgasket?

This is from Eric Hsu's blog, Eric is the engineer in charge of street product development at Cosworth.



SR20DET swaps in S13/14 240SX’s are quite popular here in America. One of the questions I frequently get is, “Do you think I should change my head gasket before I swap the SR in?” I always recommend changing it because it’s fairly easy when the engine is sitting on a stand or even on the floor (don’t crush the steel pan people!). The paper gasket is fine for 205hp and probably even ok for 280hp, but in reality it’s detonation that usually destroys the stock paper head gasket. Since there are so many cheap asses that use the OEM ECUs on 91 octane in the SR20 swap world, it’s even more reason to change the head gasket. Yes, the stock ECU can handle 91 octane because it can default to more retarded ignition maps, but when people start running no cats, turning up the boost, with the little piece of **** in the corner intercooler on 91 octane, knock is bound to happen because the stock ECU isn’t calibrated for these mods. And with 91 octane, there is no headroom because the stock JDM ECU is probably already on it’s most retarded ignition map. When knock happens, the fire ring around the cylinder in the stock gasket will eventually fail.

Bart “Hijacker” Thornton, a NICO moderator, also asked me if the Cosworth gasket was as good as or better than some of the double priced JDM gaskets from Apex, Power Enterprise, or Greddy. The answer is yes, it is as good as the others. I have personally tested the Apexi and HKS SR20DET head gaskets using pressurex film when I was Chief Engineer at Apexi USA in my previous life. I can tell you that the HKS, Apexi, and Cosworth gaskets all work equally as well and not one of them works better than the other. Except that the Cosworth gasket costs about half the price. I have never tested the Greddy or Power Enterprise gaskets. The Cosworth gasket rules in the Subaru and EVO world already. It’s only a matter of time before people wake up and realize they are blasting away good money on the JDM gaskets.

There is also talk that the Cosworth gasket is a cheap imitation/copy of the Greddy gasket because it is priced so low. This is the most re****ingdiculous **** I’ve ever heard. First of all, why does anybody need to copy anything Greddy? They make some cool turbo kits, but otherwise… The Cosworth SR20 gasket was engineered from scratch to fit ALL SR’s including the VEs, DE front wheel drive, DE rear wheel drive, DET front wheel drive, and DET rear wheel drive. This means it will work with all iterations of the SR engine. Cosworth designed production turbocharged 4 banger engines long before Nissan even dreamed up the SR20 and has raced turbocharged 4 bangers much longer than the Japanese. What does this mean to you? That many Japanese technologies both OEM and tuning companies, are probably copied and/or derived from Cosworth’s technology. For example, the 4AG is an econo copy of the Cosworth BDA, the SR20 is loosely derived from the BDT, the 4G63 is loosely derived from the YB, etc. Even HKS used to make parts for the Cosworth BD back in the day. Anyhow, the Cosworth stainless multi-layer gasket is Cosworth’s own design. It is not a copy of anybody else’s. What I’m trying to say is that Cosworth has been designing innovative engines and components for 50 years - longer than any JDM company.



If you take a close look at the test results, you can see that the stock gasket is mediocre at best around the cylinders. The color is light red with many areas blotted in white. Then take a close look at the Cosworth gasket and you’ll see how defined and dark red the pressure is around each cylinder. The darker the red, the greater the pressure exerted over the area. I think the results speak for themselves.

The long awaited 90mm SR20 gasket is now available. Here’s where you can buy the Cosworth gaskets. Save yourself some of your hard earned money people. Good luck with your project.

It's everywhere you need it, and no where you don't.

Greddy gaskets are garbage anyway.

Mike I think the name COSWORTH is new to alot of americans. But like u said they been building four cyclinder performance parts wayyy before JAPANESE made four cyclinder performance engines. Any forum member who is from the Islands know the name COSWORTH so I will not ? any product with there name on it. Head gasket looks real good and the price is a steal compared to the jdm stuff.

How good is the stock gasket? Seems like not many people have an upgraded headgasket with their DET's or TUrbo DE's. Well at sane power levels. Something into the 300 range. I can understand why such an upgrade would be necessary for very high boost levels.

I'm curious at what actual level of power the stock gasket craps out. I can't say I've ever read of anybody doing that research.

Interesting theories on the Japanese motors being copies of cosworth motors. I wonder why there was never any lawsuits.

As for Cosworth in motorsports. If anybody remembers the Escorts that used to be in the WRC they ran cosworth engines. To bad they were never sold in the states they were awesome cars.

very true, their name is good as it comes

Just little back history.

Apart from its relationship with Ford, which saw the creation of the Escort RS1600, Escort RS1800, RS200, Scorpio 2.9i 24V, Sierra Cosworth and Escort Cosworth, the company has developed engines to be used in various production cars, including the Caterham CSR 200 and 260, as well as several from General Motors: the Chevrolet Vega, the Opel Ascona 400 & Manta 400, Opel Kadett and Opel Astra GSi, Opel Vectra and Opel Calibra turbo and the 2.5 L V6 used in the Vectra, Calibra and Saab 900. Mercedes-Benz (with the 190 E 2.3-16), Rolls-Royce, ARO and Audi also benefitted from Cosworth engine technology. The 2008 Nissan GT-R is also rumoured to be carrying a Cosworth tuned variant of Nissan's VQ engine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosworth

stupid question bit off topic but where on there site is there sr20 stuff?

If the images are to be believed, this is a great product for sure. Are we 12 years old? Why are we bashing other companies/manufacturers? Why are we putting up with this as enthusiasts? Is the language necessary to get the point across? If you're doing a comparison between head gaskets, tell which gaskets you're comparing. You only loose respect by thinly veiling your competitors, and taking pot shots at them.

This Eric Hsu reminds me of Hennessey of Dodge Viper fame. Maybe this is his personal blog and it wasn't meant as advertising copy, in which case, why is it being used in this context?

i apologize if this offends you in any way. i copied his entire post so it would not look like, "and the cosworth... head gasket... compared to .... other companies would be... better... "

the reason i initially posted this thread was to show people why the cosworth head gasket is better than it's competition. Eric, along with everyone else, is entitled to their own opinions. if you do not like it, once again, i apologize.

You don't have to apologize for anything. I realize you're not the one who said it, and I'm not going to shoot the messenger. I'm also not offended; educated if anything.

I find it hard to believe this is the way one of the engineers at Cosworth carries himself in public, when he must know he is speaking for the company. I thought Cosworth would have more class than this. I guess I was wrong.