Reinforced cylinder head gasket Toyota 1.6 1.8 2T-C 3T-C

The Toyota engines covered

The Toyota 2T-C and 3T-C petrol engines of 1.6 and 1.8 litres are fitted to the Toyota Carina, Celica and Corolla detailed below.

The original gasket carries the part numbers 11115-26010, 11115-26011, 11115-26012, 11115-26013, 11115-26020, 11115-26021, 11115-26022, 11115-26030, 11115-26031 and 11115-26032 on the 2T-C, and 11115-26023, 11115-26023NL and 11115-26024 on the 3T-C. Toyota publishes neither its bore, nor its thickness, nor its construction. It is sized for the standard pressure: when pressure rises, the clamping load drops, the head lifts and coolant reaches a cylinder.

Reinforced cylinder head gaskets

The head gasket does not seal on its own: the fasteners that clamp the head onto the block contribute just as much. A composite gasket is permanently crushed above 100 N/mm²; the 301 stainless steel of MLS gaskets withstands 517 N/mm², 5 times more, and regains its shape after every combustion.

This page gathers the part numbers of Cometic, an American maker of competition gaskets, in a single construction: MLS, multilayer steel. The gaskets come in bores of 87 mm and 89 mm, and in thicknesses from 0.69 to 3.56 mm, enough to adjust the compression ratio without touching the pistons or the cylinder head. As a rule, the gasket bore chosen is at least 0.5 mm larger than the actual cylinder bore. Each part number is sold individually, one gasket per engine.

Technical specifications

Gasket volume is the empty space the gasket leaves above each cylinder. It adds to the combustion chamber and lowers the compression ratio, the more so the larger it is. Compare these values only between gaskets of the same bore.

Preparation and fitting

Before fitting, check with a straight edge that the head and block faces are flat, and have them machined if necessary. Do not apply sealant: Cometic gaskets are supplied already coated.

Technical guide

The construction offered

Cometic MLS Several stamped stainless steel layers joined by rivets. The outer layers carry active beads around each cylinder and each fluid passage. A moderate clamping load is enough to seal and the bore barely deforms. A versatile construction, from the tuned naturally aspirated engine to moderate boost.

Choosing bore and thickness

Gasket bore. The Cometic MLS is offered in 87 mm (C4258) and in 89 mm (C4176).

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

If you choose a thickness below the original, first measure with a dial gauge how far the pistons stand above the block face: this figure sets the clearance left between piston and head.

The brand

Cometic Gasket, Inc. is an American company based in Concord, Ohio, since 1989. It designs gaskets and sealing solutions for engines and made its name with the made-to-order gasket, cut to the bore and thickness requested. All of its production remains in the United States, from American 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 bore of the original gasket, which Toyota does not publish 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: 11115-26010, 11115-26011, 11115-26012, 11115-26013, 11115-26020, 11115-26021, 11115-26022, 11115-26030, 11115-26031, 11115-26032, 11115-26023, 11115-26023NL, 11115-26024.

Important: the part numbers on this page match the Toyota 2T-C and 3T-C engines listed above: note your vehicle's engine code, then check the bore before ordering.

Why switch to a reinforced gasket?

When the original gasket reaches its limit, the reinforced one takes over: under higher combustion pressure it keeps its shape instead of being crushed.

With a turbo, a supercharger or a raised compression ratio, the head is loaded harder and the gasket becomes the most stressed part of the top end. A reinforced gasket prevents the gas or coolant leak and the head removal that follows, with the vehicle off the road.