FCP Groton sent me a cheaper head gasket than I ordered! I wanted an Elring head gasket part # VOL-1378645 ...the one I got was a cheap looking Vicor Reinnz gasket...there's a # on it that says 60-24490-30 It seems it would fit the same, but the holes over the water ports/passages are tiny! Well, around cyl. #4 they're the same oblong shape as the block and head, but by all the other cylendars they're tiny 1/8" round holes. I don't think this would cool my engine well enough, would cause it to overheat, and to blow the head gasket. So do I risk it in the name of saving time, or call FCP groton first thing tomorrow morning and demand what I payed for? P.S., the original one had holes exactly like those machined in the head/block. Thanks everyone!
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*Jakob Lunden* 1984 242 DL, transitioning from beater to classic, 1979 242 GT improving with age, 1968 Saab 96, impulse purchase

I have used the Victor Reinz gaskets many times on customer engines - they are great quality and work just fine. No worries at all.

If you ordered and expected and Elring, it seems like that's what they should have sent. With all that's involved with the head r&r, make sure you're content with the gasket.

I recently changed the head gasket in my car. I bought the Volvo gasket from the dealer. The tiny holes are OK. Perhaps your old gasket ate away around the tiny holes and they may look bigger. Strange indeed is that some water port in the block go nowhere in the head. Go figure, but as old as this engines are they have find out the best way to cool it evenly by now. The head need most of the cooling near each exhaust valve.