Best place to get head gaskets for a 95 2.2

[Bob Nieuwsma]

I did a 2.2 swap with lots of help from USMB THANK YOU EVERYONE I am not much of a computer person or mechanic! so I do not spend much time here. So I did my swap about a year and a half ago and everything was good, then the NAPA water pump I installed when it swapped failed and caused the car to overheat. Now I have a blown head gasket!! I do not really want to go to Napa again if their parts have become so inferior. Should I go to the dealer or is there a better place with better gaskets?  Thank you all in advance.

[golucky66]

If the car overheated due to a water pump failure, a "better" head gasket doesn't mean anything. The head gasket blew because of the water pump failure not the other way around. So, are you asking for a place to get a "better" water pump. Or are you asking for a place that sells "higher quality" head gaskets then NAPA.

And depending on how bad it over heated. A warped head might also be possible, which would cause another head gasket failure not long after the new one was installed. 

[Bob Nieuwsma]

I know that the head gasket failed because of the water pump failing and it overheating. After it overheated I put another water pump on and it overheated again after a couple of weeks so I believe the head gasket was weak then failed. I am going to have both heads resurfaced and would like to put quality gaskets back in it. Also I think I am going to go to Subaru and get a new water pump and forget the reman from napa. 

[xdeadeye1]

just order a felpro head gasket off of rock auto.

[Bushwick]

+2 Rock Auto. Even with shipping included, they are most often cheaper than local auto stores. HG for these engines are very inexpensive.

[idosubaru]

Get the gaskets from Subaru when you're getting the water pump?  Onlline dealers are like 20% cheaper than locally.

Or get them from any auto parts store, buy online and use a discount code.  You can pick up common parts locally.

 

+2 Rock Auto. Even with shipping included, they are most often cheaper than local auto stores. HG for these engines are very inexpensive.

 

Rock Auto isn't nearly as good as it used to be and is more expensive in this case, as it usually is.

$23.79 + shipping

$25.99 @ Advance Auto Parts

 

Advance Auto gets way cheaper if you shop smart:

$20.79 with 20% off (P20 code) online code (which advance always has available - Rockauto only ever has 5% discount codes)

$18.19 with 30% off (TRT30) - minimum 50$ order which two headgaskets meets

$15.59 with $40 off $100 (TRT41 code) (which is almost always available) and creative buying

 

Huge difference - Rock Auto is $53 and advance is only $36...or less if you buy other stuff.

And you can pick up the advance auto part stuff locally, select that option online.

 

I generally add a few things I know I'll need like antifreeze (you'll need for a headgasket job), sealant for oil pump, shop towels, head lights, wipers I'll need later to get to get the higher discounts.

$100 of stuff for $60, I do it all the time.

 

Rockauto has great prices so it's worth checking.  And some things like wipers, caps, rotors, brake clips, pins, boots can be dirt cheap - i look there for those odd ball parts or when local looks really high.  I wouldn't use their cheap "service grade" no name brand stuff for important things like pads, caps, and rotors. They're notably cheap grade.  Some cheap pads work fine, but can last like 1 year.

[xdeadeye1]

 your advance auto is very different than mine . 

 

resonator pipe @ advance =  $178.99

 

Rock auto = $95.79   

 

both walker resonator pipes. 

[idosubaru]

 your advance auto is very different than mine . 

 

How is it different?  What do you mean?

Yours has more expensive EJ22 headgaskets?  Because that's the topic of this thread. 

 

But as to your experience, I already mentioned that:

 

Rockauto has great prices so it's worth checking. 

 

Yes, exhaust products are rarely worth buying from Advance Auto Parts.  This thread wasn't about exhaust parts. 

[Bushwick]

Rock Auto is listing these for just one HG:

$18.28 (ITM 0941356);

$18.35 (DNJ HG708); and

$23.79 (FEL-PRO 9854PT and Victor Reinz 5905)

 

First 4 head gasket options for my 95' EJ22; the Victor Reinz is a fairly high quality material gasket vs. a basic FEL-PRO as I bought that variant for my Saab. Shipping for just that is probably around $5 unless you expedite it so going cheapest is $18 + 5 = $23 to your door. None of the local parts stores near me seem to stock anything useful, and almost always need to ship from a warehouse which often takes a day, so you'll have 2 trips there (one for payment, one to pick up) which means a gallon of gas usage, tax, etc. to factor into the price, PLUS they typically only stock either their house brand items or just say a FEL-PRO gasket which will always be more expensive.

 

HG "set" which includes head gaskets, valve cover gaskets & o-rings, intake to head gaskets, an some other misc. ones, etc. is $62 + $5 (roughly) for shipping.

 

Advance has definitely gotten more competitive, but for harder to source stuff or parts you don't need today, it's always going to be cheaper with Rock Auto. Stuff like oil, air filter, etc. is typically worth going to the store for it. Also, while Auto Zone doesn't "advertise" it much, they do price-match other stores and take your word for the price. O'Reilly's is the most expensive. They even put a spin on their sales by saying "low" price knowing full well they aren't saying "lowest" price.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Bushwick

[idosubaru]

So in summary - depends what the OP wants exactly - if it's just HG, what brand, and entire gasket set.

 

For Fel Pro Advanced is cheaper.  That's the most commonly recommended non-OEM gasket on this forum for Subarus and what was mentioned earlier.

If you buy smart it's only $15 and change for Fel Pro from Advanced.

 

Advanced ships as well, order online, free shipping over certain amount or with various coupons.

 

With Advance - there's the chance you can get it the day of - they can get nearly anything the next day - which would be my guess with an EJ22 headgasket.

Until recently I would be surprised when I saw a Subaru around Canton, so yeah up there good luck!

OP is in PNW so might have good supplies.
In the end, Rock Auto has zero chance of getting you the product that day or the next.

 

I rarely do entire engine gasket sets for a variety of reasons but there's multiple ways to skin that cat if the OP is interested.  ebay shop for cheap kits, buy the HG you want, or rock auto for a full kit.