Reinforced cylinder head gasket Alfa Romeo 2.0 8V

The Alfa Romeo engines covered

The 2.0 litre (1,962 cc) Alfa Romeo petrol engines AR00515, AR01588, AR01590, AR01655, AR01713, AR06212, AR10520 and AR11671 are fitted to the Spider (115), Alfetta, Alfetta GT, Giulietta (116), GTV, 90, 75, 1750-2000 and Berlina models listed below.

This original gasket carries the part number 105120150800. Its bore is 85 mm; Alfa Romeo publishes neither its construction nor its thickness. It is designed for standard combustion pressure: when that pressure rises, the clamping load weakens, the cylinder head lifts and coolant seeps into a cylinder.

Reinforced cylinder head gaskets

The fasteners seal as much as the gasket does: they are what clamp the cylinder head onto the block, so the gasket alone is not enough. A composite gasket gives way for good once the stress goes beyond 100 N/mm², whereas the 301 stainless steel of MLS gaskets takes 517 N/mm², 5 times more, and returns to its shape after each combustion.

This page presents the part number from Athena, an Italian maker of racing gaskets, for a single construction: the multi-layer steel MLS. The gasket has an 85.3 mm bore, against 85 mm for the original gasket, and a thickness of 1.35 mm. 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 refers to the free space the gasket provides above each cylinder. It adds to the combustion chamber, so a larger volume lowers the compression ratio. This value can only be compared between gaskets of the same bore.

Preparation and fitting

Before fitting, run a straight edge over the cylinder head and the block to check they are flat, then have them machined if needed. Athena supplies this gasket already coated: no sealing paste is to be applied.

Technical guide

The construction offered

Athena MLS Two to five layers of AISI 301 stainless steel, laser cut, stamped and riveted. Around each cylinder, a layer folded over on itself, the Gas Stopper, concentrates the clamping load on the combustion chamber, while beads seal the water and oil passages. The outer layers receive a two-coat finish: the first withstands high temperatures and fills small irregularities on the block and cylinder head, the second, silicone based, keeps the gasket from sticking on disassembly. This is Athena's all-steel choice, from a prepared naturally aspirated engine to moderate forced induction.

Choosing bore and thickness

Gasket bore. The Athena MLS is offered in 85.3 mm (338496R), in that bore only.

Thickness. Alfa Romeo does not publish the thickness of the original gasket. A thicker gasket enlarges the combustion chamber and lowers the compression ratio; a thinner one reduces it and raises the ratio.

Since the original thickness is not published, measure with a dial gauge how far the pistons stand above the block, especially if the removed gasket is thicker than 1.35 mm: that value gives the clearance left between piston and head.

The brand

Athena S.p.A., an Italian maker of gaskets and engine components, has its head office and main plant in Alonte, in the Veneto. The group also has sites in Spain, the United States, Brazil and India. Its multi-layer gaskets are fitted by car makers as original equipment, and its entire competition range is designed and made in Italy.

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 85 mm bore of the original gasket 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: 105120150800.

Important: the part number on this page fits only the engines AR00515, AR01588, AR01590, AR01655, AR01713, AR06212, AR10520 and AR11671: check your vehicle's engine code before placing an order.

Why switch to a reinforced gasket?

When the original gasket has used up its capacity, the reinforced gasket stays in place: under higher combustion pressure it does not collapse and keeps its shape.

A turbo, a supercharger or a raised compression ratio push power up, and the head gasket then becomes the most exposed link of the top end. Opting for a reinforced gasket means choosing reliability: it avoids the leak and the removal of the cylinder head that follows.