Fel-Pro quality?

[LeakySeals]

Emergency repair on a 2003 maxima. Transmission pan rotted through. Went to O’Reilly picked up a Dorman transmission pan and a Fel-Pro gasket. There was a time that Fel-Pro was the go to gasket. I’m not so sure anymore, check this out. First pic is the OEM gasket sitting on the old pan. The second is the new Fel-Pro gasket sitting on the new pan. Well… trying to sit on the new pan. Not only is the shape not exact it’s the size. Look how thin it gets in some places. Almost don’t want to use it. But I have to get this done today.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I only use Fel Pro gaskets on my stuff. One member here in particular won’t use them for anything that holds liquid but I’ve never had one come back or fail. I do transmission and oil pans with Fel Pro a lot cause often we don’t stock at the dealership of original ones. I replaced my valve cover gaskets with them going on three years ago and they are holding up nicely. That gasket however does look a little off so maybe it varies. But it also doesn’t look all the way lined up at least not at the top. Maybe instead of using that to get some Automatic Transmission RTV and use that till you can get a proper gasket.

 

[Timmastertech]

Some felpro gaskets are okay, others suck. Felpro would not have been my choice for that gasket, would either use ATP or black right stuff

 

[LostInTransit]

Poor quality, 3 times NAPA brought us the same (wrong) head gasket for the 95 ranger.. the exhaust ports were not as open as they should have been.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Use judgement like anything. I've found them to be one of the best aftermarket products. AUTOMECHANIC have you ever tries their air cooled VW VCG? They leak like no other. Pretty much the only time I hated Fel Pro

 

[B1974]

Just did a water pump on a 3.8 ford today and thought I'd buy a fel-pro gasket instead of using the one that came with the ASC brand water pump. Turns out the Fel-pro one didn't line up well and we ended up using the gasket that came with the pump! That fel-pro gasket is now a book mark in my Chilton manual.

 

[CleanSump]

Fel-Pro were the upscale back in the '70s - '80s when everything else was cork.
These days I avoid them and use OEM. They're just not numero uno anymore.

 

[RooflessVW]

Just did my Trooper with 100% Fel-Pro.

They were nice

 

[AutoMechanic]

Use judgement like anything. I've found them to be one of the best aftermarket products. AUTOMECHANIC have you ever tries their air cooled VW VCG? They leak like no other. Pretty much the only time I hated Fel Pro

I have not. But thanks for the heads up on that. If mine needs one I’ll get a different brand for that part then.

 

[GMBoy]

I use a lot of Fel-Pro and only had one issue over many years - it happens. I think what we are seeing is the same drop in quality as with just about every other mass produced item. The entire auto parts industry is now suspect in terms of quality and Fel Pro probably is no different.

 

[BHopkins]

Have you checked to see how the Fel-Pro gasket lines up on the old pan?

 

[meep]

I’ve not had any issues with fel-pro, but my experience is very limited to just the vehicles own, and their limited problems. Valve covers, transmission pans, diffs… very small sample size.

 

[dumkid]

i use fel pro alot, usually because they're the cheapest name brand on rockauto

 

[ctechbob]

Fel-Pro J-Series valve cover gaskets leaked on me after 6 months. And its not an issue of overtightening, you can't overtighten my valve covers. You'll snap the head off the bolt.

 

[Chris142]

I have never seen a bad fel- pro gasket. With that said about 30 years ago I worked at a shop that used Champ filters. The transmission filters came with some sort of cardboard gasket.

Those never leaked! You could put a bent pan on without straightening it and those would seal. I've never ran across another like those were.

 

[paulo57509]

I too have not had a bad Fel-Pro gasket. I use them with confidence. I've also used Victor-Reinz and who ever makes Beck-Arnley gaskets without issue.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

I've noticed that many gasket applications have gone to Permatex Black sealant, and instead of having a gasket cut, they have a robot apply the sealant.... cost savings.

 

[zzyzzx]

I also avoid FelPro after I had one of their head gaskets fail for otherwise no reason other than poor fitment. The FelPro gasket speced for this engine also fit a bunch of other engines, where as the Mahle gasket was speced to only fir this particular engine for a particular set of years. Of course the Mahle gasket fit better.

 

[KGMtech]

And your user name is LeakySeals? the FelPro you show looks like it would fit with a slight pull, not perfect but not horrible.

 

[The Critic]

I only use Fel Pro gaskets on my stuff. One member here in particular won’t use them for anything that holds liquid but I’ve never had one come back or fail.

Yeah, that was me.

The Fail-Pro's that are used for holding in air seem to be ok. Err, intake gaskets.