Reinforced head gasket Ford Capri Cortina Escort Taunus 1.1 1.3 1.6

The Ford engines covered

The Ford petrol engines of 1.1, 1.3 and 1.6 litres covered here (J1E, J1F, J2, J3, J3D, JA, JAC, JCE, KL13H, KL13L, G1, G2, KL11, LC, KL16G and TV16H) power the Ford Capri, Cortina, Escort and Taunus listed in the compatibility table below.

These engines take three original gaskets depending on their code: part number 5 028 795 for J1E, J1F, J2, J3, J3D, KL13H, KL13L, G1, G2, KL11, LC and KL16G, part number D8RZ6051A for JA, JCE and TV16H, and part number 1438208 for JAC. Ford publishes neither their bore, nor their thickness, nor their construction. Sized for standard combustion pressure, they reach their limit as soon as it rises: clamping load drops, the head lifts and coolant finds its way into a cylinder.

Reinforced cylinder head gaskets

The seal does not rest on the gasket alone: the fasteners that clamp the head to the block count just as much. A composite gasket gives way permanently beyond 100 N/mm²; the 301 stainless steel of an MLS gasket takes 517 N/mm², 5 times more, and recovers its shape after each combustion. Change any head bolt that is stretched or marked.

This page presents part number 338508S from Athena, the Italian maker of racing gaskets, in a single construction: the multi-layer steel MLS. Its bore is 84 mm and its thickness 1.0 mm. As a rule, the gasket bore chosen is at least 0.5 mm larger than the actual cylinder bore. It is sold individually: one gasket per engine.

Technical specifications

A gasket's volume corresponds to the free space it leaves above each cylinder. It is added to the combustion chamber and lowers the compression ratio; with a single thickness offered, the only comparison here is with the removed gasket. Single bore: 84 mm.

Preparation and fitting

Before assembly, lay a straight edge across head and block to check their flatness, and have the faces machined if needed. The Athena gasket arrives pre-coated: do not apply any sealant.

Technical guide

The construction offered

Athena MLS A stack of AISI 301 stainless steel sheets, laser cut, stamped and then riveted. One sheet folded back on itself surrounds each cylinder and forms a Gas Stopper that concentrates clamping load on the combustion chamber, while beads separate the water and oil circuits. Both outer faces carry a high-temperature coating and a silicone film that prevents sticking at removal. It is Athena's all-steel solution, from the tuned naturally aspirated engine to moderate boost.

Choosing bore and thickness

Gasket bore. The Athena MLS 338508S comes in 84 mm, in that bore only.

Thickness. No thickness is published for the original gaskets 5 028 795, D8RZ6051A and 1438208. 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, read with a dial gauge the height by which the pistons stand above the block's gasket face, particularly if the removed gasket is thicker than 1.0 mm: this figure sets the clearance that remains between piston and head.

The brand

Athena S.p.A. is an Italian maker of gaskets and engine parts whose headquarters and main plant are in Alonte, in the Veneto. The group is also present in Spain, the United States, Brazil and India. Some car makers fit its multi-layer gaskets as original equipment, and its racing range is entirely 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 bore of the original gaskets, which Ford 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: 5 028 795, D8RZ6051A and 1438208.

Important: the part number on this page only suits the engines listed above: check the engine code of your Ford before ordering.

Why switch to a reinforced gasket?

When the standard gasket has run out of capacity, the reinforced one takes over: facing higher combustion pressure, it keeps its shape instead of settling.

A larger turbo, higher boost pressure or a raised compression ratio test the head gasket first, the weak point of the top end. A reinforced gasket rules out the leak and the head removal that follows it, a job much more costly than the part.