Stock oem gaskets from the dealer are better quality than some aftermarket ones. Several high powered cars using stock gaskets.
Have you got a manifold crack that's creating a hot spot?
I didn't even consider aftermarket gasket's till I seen these power gaskets and stuff on forums, I would much rather go for the standard stuff if they are up to it for the price of them compared to these fancy one's, as far as I can see the head is starting to carbon up a bit and stain black where it is blowing from, I guess it could be a crack somewhere, really hard to tell with where it is without taking it apart, I imagine the gasket on there is probably from new and a good 8/9 years old so it may have just given up on me, may be an idea to price up something like an INA mani and stick one of those on whilst its off depending on cost, christmas has crippled me
, all the exhaust seem's spot on and is only a couple of year old stainless Miltek from turbo back, so it could only be a crack in the mani or one of 3 gaskets in that area.
What I said still stands - but crack less likely there.
Yeah by the look's of it its blowing between the mani and head and staining the head a bit with the leaking carbon, I don't know if you would know this but if I was to change the mani to something like an INA item would it be likely I would need to re-map again? currently k03 with stage 2 Revo pretty maxed on the turbo with Forge FMIC etc. at about 220bhp
