2.0 Head Gasket delete? Options

[torakki]

I've read where it's a good idea to remove the head gaskets and re-assemble without them. Something about, they crush and cause an issue. Is there anything else you need to do or change, in their place? Like a different head design?
Thanks

[Jake Raby]

This isn't about choosing sides.
I can't believe that in 2024 we are still having this debate.
You know why we are?
Two reasons:
-Because the factory screwed up and installed the head gaskets in the first place
-Because the gasket sets bought today still come with them, when they should not.

Porsche didn't care about these engines, to them it was VW's job to design and support the 914-4 engine. Since VW used these engines up to 1983 in the Vanagon they had to make changes to keep more engines from failing, so they released the factory bulletin calling for omission of the gaskets. This did not occur until 1990, 14 years after the last 914 was built. Porsche should have followed suit, but they didn't care since the engine was from VW with just a few small changes to make it more suited for something other than a VW Bus.

These gaskets fail today. matter of fact someone had a failure of a head gasket on a 914 in the past week and posted to the 914 Facebook group. He thought that he had an exhaust leak, but once he explained when and how the failure occurred, I went straight to the head gasket. A couple of other did as well- we were all correct. He confirmed this is a combustion leak.

There's no circumstance where the stock gaskets should be utilized. Matter of fact I ended up with my 912E because of a failed head gasket back in 1999 and I still have it today. That engine went 160K miles in 8 years without those gaskets, and it is still alive today after being freshened up in 2010, but not touched since.

I can share hundreds of stories about how head gaskets have caused issues, but not a single one about how omitting them has caused a problem.

That said, the new casting heads come with this note from the manufacturer, yet people buy the gasket set, and use the gaskets anyway. Then they have a problem, and question why.
None of this is new information, it shouldn't be debated anymore. Since VW themselves stated they should be omitted 34 years ago, it should not even be discussed in 2024 and onward.
This is discussed in our "4th Dimension Type 4 Performance Group" on Facebook as well. It pops up every few weeks, and in the heat of summer these head gaskets give up more than any other time.