Ok so i'm completely confused and irate at this point.
I tried to replace my valve cover gasket yesterday since it's leaking and i'm sure it's the original one.
I ordered a FelPro because i've used them on pretty much every other car, ever, and never had a problem with them other than the valve cover gasket on my MX6. (Which seems to be a problem no matter what i use, so i'll throw that data point out.)
I ordered it from Advance.
Took the old one off yesterday, put the new one in the valve cover, and it doesn't fit. Not even close.
Put the new one back in the box and went to Advance, taking the old one with me. Walked in the door, was greeted and asked what could be done for me. I let them know what was going on, and was promptly told that "We don't exchange gaskets, once they're installed we can't take them back."
So i pointed out the fallacy in this equation considering i needed to return this and hopefully exchange for one that isn't defective. After much hassle, we verified that the part number was indeed correct (as far as their system showed) and that they didn't have any others in stock, as this was a special order part. (You know... because there's only a million Miatas running around) I couldn't have a new one for 3-5 days. I received my money back.
Went next door to Autozone. They also didn't have one in stock, not even at their hub. 3-5 days.
Went down the street to Napa. Same deal.
What the actual berkeley?
To make this even more strange, all three places were showing the same part (in pictures) as the incorrect one that i had returned to Advance.
My original gasket looked like this:
What the stores kept showing me was this: (Which looks the same other than the slight revision in the top left corner, which i figured was just a normal redesign.)
Every store (and even when i made the original order on the website) were aware that the car in question was a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata. (Turbo.)
The problem was that the side with the two half-circles for cam thingies, the one on the side that didn't have the complete circle formed for the valve cover bolt on the corner, was WAY too large.
So, Miata gurus.... WTF do i need to order? Is there an alternative to paying $40 for a berkeleying valve cover gasket? Because i find that highly offensive and ludicrously expensive for something i can walk into damn near any store and get for $10-$15 MAXIMUM for any of my less common and more obscure motors, and actually have it FIT.
