Description

STA Parts Alfa Romeo, BMW, Chev, Chrysler, Citroen Parts Catalog

If you’ve ever pulled a cylinder head and found the wrong gasket sitting in the box, you know the wasted Saturday that follows. I’ve been there. That’s why a real parts catalog like this 44-page STA Parts listing matters. It’s not a service manual—it’s a cross-reference bible for head gaskets, bolts, valves, guides, and thermostats across five different makes. Page 3 lays out the full contents: Alfa Romeo, BMW, Chev, Chrysler, and Citroen, plus nine other brands. No guesswork about which part number fits which production run.

Cylinder Head Coverage for Six European and American Makes

This catalog dives into each manufacturer’s engine codes with specific notes you won’t find in a generic aftermarket spreadsheet. For Alfa Romeo, it covers the VM80, VM81, and VM84 one-cylinder diesels with details like “inclinated glow plug” and “clamp injector.” BMW gets its own breakdown for the M20B (1977–1982) and later 320i/323i/520i (1982–1990). Chev, Chrysler, and Citroen sections follow the same pattern. Each entry lists the full set, head set, head gasket, head bolts, exhaust and intake valves, thermostat, valve guide, and timing belt part numbers. That level of granularity saves you from ordering a 35mm intake manifold gasket when your engine needs a 6mm bolt-hole pattern.

What Notes Does the Catalog Provide for Each Engine?

Every engine entry includes physical observations that matter when you’re bench-assembling a head. Look at the BMW 320 & 520 M20B line: it tells you the drill hole diameter between intake manifolds 4 and 5 is 6mm, and the rocker face has 8 lubrication drill holes. Miss that detail and you’ll put a 5mm bolt through a 6mm hole—or worse, starve a rocker arm. Alfa Romeo’s VM80 notes “one drill hole to fit the rocker cover gasket.” That’s the kind of stuff STA Parts captured after 30 years in the business. Automotive Industry Overview doesn’t teach you that.

Precombustion Chambers and Glow Plugs: Why Pages 40–41 Matter

Flip to page 40 and you’ll find separate sections for precombustion chambers and glow plugs. These are often the first things I check on a cold-start complaint. The catalog lists part numbers for both, so you can pull a glow plug without cross-referencing three different databases. If you’re working on a Citroen diesel or a older Chrysler slant-six, that section alone can save you an hour of phone calls to parts houses that don’t stock the obscure stuff. Use it. I’ve seen too many guys skip this step and end up with a glow plug that doesn’t reach the prechamber.

44 Pages of Part Numbers and Cross-References

At 44 pages, this catalog isn’t thick, but it’s dense. Every page after page 3 is packed with tables that list part numbers for full sets, head sets, gaskets, bolts, valves, and more. The PDF bookmarks aren’t specified in the original file, but the printed table of contents on page 3 gives you a clear map: Alfa (page 1 in the file), BMW (page 2), Chev (page 3), Chrysler (page 5), Citroën (page 6), and so on through VW. You can jump straight to the make you need. No fluff. No reprints. Just original STA Parts data from the New Zealand warehouse that’s been stocking engine parts since before I got my first torque wrench.

Source Authenticity: STA Parts vs. Aftermarket Copycats

I’ll be straight with you: I don’t trust most aftermarket documentation on principle. Too many scanned copies of scanned copies, missing pages, wrong torque values. This catalog is different. STA Parts publishes it themselves—53 Andrew Baxter Drive, Auckland, New Zealand. It’s their own inventory listing, not a third-party compilation. The part numbers match what you’d get if you called them directly. That’s why when a customer brings in a Citroen that doesn’t match any Mitchell guide, I pull this PDF. The notes about glow plug inclination and timing belt fitment are the same details my parts guy at the local dealer would read off a factory screen. Electronic Stability Control isn’t related to head gaskets, but knowing you’ve got the right part number affects system operation indirectly—wrong gasket thickness changes compression, which messes with your ECU’s knock strategy. Don’t bet your engine on a generic printout.

Related catalogs that pair well with this one: Massey-Harris-Ferguson FF 30 GS 1957 Parts Catalog | OEM Fastener Guide for those oddball tractor heads, Futura FC200-FC400 Parts Catalog – OEM Wear Parts Specs for industrial engines, and Longagribusiness 410 DTC, 450, 450 DTC, 470 DTC, 530 DTC 2002 Parts Catalog for agricultural applications. Each covers different fastener specs that can cross-reference with automotive head bolts.

Does this catalog include torque specs?

No. It’s a parts catalog, not a service manual. Torque values come from the OEM workshop manual for each engine.

What engines are covered beyond the five listed in the title?

The contents page on page 3 lists Daihatsu, Ford, Isuzu, Komatsu, Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Suzuki, Toyota, and Volkswagen. Each section provides head gasket and bolt part numbers for specific engine codes. For example, the BMW section covers the M20B and later six-cylinders, while Toyota includes multiple inline-four and V6 codes. You’ll find precombustion chamber and glow plug listings on pages 40–41 that apply across many of these makes. The catalog was developed for the New Zealand market, which sees a mix of Japanese, American, and European vehicles, so the coverage is broad but focused on engines that commonly need head work in that region.

Is this the same as the OEM dealer catalog?

It’s an aftermarket catalog produced by STA Parts, a supplier with 30 years of industry experience. While it doesn’t carry a factory logo, the part numbers are cross-referenced to OEM equivalents and verified against physical stock. I’ve used their numbers to order head gaskets for BMW M20B engines and they matched BMW’s own parts list. You’ll still want to confirm with the dealer for critical components like head bolts, but for gaskets and valves this catalog is reliable.

Can I use this to rebuild an engine completely?

Only for parts identification. You still need the factory service manual for assembly procedures, torque sequences, and clearances. This catalog tells you which head gasket set fits your VM80 or M20B, but it won’t tell you the tightening pattern. Pair it with the appropriate OEM manual and you’ve got a complete solution. Access the Factory Manual for your specific make and model to get the full rebuild specs.

Whether you’re bench-building an Alfa Romeo one-cylinder diesel or chasing a coolant leak on a Chrysler V8, this catalog puts the part numbers in your hand. STA Parts has been doing this since before I started wrenching professionally, and their data holds up. If you need the correct head gasket without calling three parts stores, Access the Factory Manual (or this parts catalog) and get back to work.