Reinforced cylinder head gasket Toyota Celica Corolla 1.6 2T-G

The Toyota engines covered

The Toyota 2T-G of 1.6 litres powers the Celica Coupé (A2 and A4) and the Corolla (E7) listed below.

Toyota publishes neither the part number of this engine's original gasket, nor its bore, thickness or construction. That gasket is designed for standard combustion pressure: as that pressure rises, the clamping load eases, the head lifts and coolant seeps into a cylinder.

Reinforced cylinder head gaskets

The gasket does not seal alone: the clamping of the head fasteners contributes as much as it does. The CFM-20 is made of a galvanized steel core coated on each face with an asbestos-free compound.

This page describes the part numbers from the American maker Cometic, a specialist in racing gaskets, in a single construction: CFM-20. The bore is 87 mm and the thicknesses 1.09 and 1.5 mm. Each part number is sold individually.

Technical specifications

The volume of a gasket is the void it leaves over each cylinder. It comes on top of the combustion chamber, and the larger it is, the lower the compression ratio. Compare these values only between gaskets of the same bore.

Preparation and fitting

Before assembly, rest a straight edge on the head and block faces to check their flatness, then have them resurfaced if needed. Cometic gaskets arrive already coated: add no sealant.

Technical guide

The construction offered

Choosing bore and thickness

Gasket bore. The Cometic CFM-20 comes in 87 mm, in that bore only.

Thickness. Toyota quotes no thickness for the original gasket. A thicker gasket enlarges the combustion chamber and lowers the compression ratio; a thinner one reduces it and raises the ratio.

Before choosing a thickness below the original, use a dial gauge to find out how far the pistons protrude from the block deck: it tells you how much clearance is left between piston and head.

The brand

Cometic Gasket, Inc., an American company born in 1989 and based in Concord, Ohio, makes engine gaskets and sealing solutions. It is known for its custom gaskets, cut to the bore and thickness asked for. All its production stays in the United States, with American raw materials.

Advantages over the original gasket

When a reinforced gasket becomes necessary

• Adding forced induction, or raising boost on an already turbocharged engine
• Cylinder rebored beyond what the 87 mm bore of the gasket offered covers
• Looking for a compression ratio different from standard, higher or lower
• Engine that has already lost its gasket, or is consuming coolant
• Competition use, where the gasket goes through repeated temperature rises

Vehicle compatibility

OEM part number: reference not published by the manufacturer.

Important: the gaskets on this page are listed for the Toyota 2T-G engine of 1.6 litres in the table (1974 to 1983). For any other vehicle, note the engine code before ordering.

Why switch to a reinforced gasket?

When the original gasket is no longer enough, the CFM-20 takes over: the galvanized steel core holds its shape and the asbestos-free compound seals the head to the block.

As soon as the engine is boosted or its compression ratio raised, the loads on the cylinder head climb and the gasket becomes its weak point. A reinforced gasket prevents the leak, and with it a head removal that costs far more than the part.