Head Gasket Gone After Just 1K

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

i have really struggled this week with the decision if to set fire to the 205 or not

 

the bloody thing has been running lovely, i have a shell lined up to make it look nice as well as go nice and then the engine decides to boil itself over

 

i have isses with oil getting in the water some time ago but thought it was the heat exchanger so i removed it and though no more of it. obviously it was not that which was the problem.

 

i found the oil below minimum and as soon as the engine gets up to temp it just keeps going until it pi**es out of the filler overflow.

 

finger crossed its just the gasket gone and that the slow leak of oil caused it to boil over and destroy the gasket completly, or my complete incompetence in fitting the gasket and head when i put the engine in less than 1k ago.

 

luckily i am reshelling it soon anyway so the engine has got to come out so i'll take it apart and see what amiss.

[ljenkins22 0]

if it was me id be pressure testing the head to be honest!

[j_turnell 134 3 Cars]

Were you careful not to disturb the liner seals?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

The blocks can go too, so worth checking

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

Do they have liner seals? Iron block?

 

I was going to get hes head pressure tested and maybe source a bottom end if it turns out not to be the gasket.

 

How can I check the bottom end miles ?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Just get a straight edge just abit longer than the block and see if there any dips in it, Simple fix of a light skim normally does the trick

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

Just get a straight edge just abit longer than the block and see if there any dips in it, Simple fix of a light skim normally does the trick

 

ah right i thought you meant they can crack in the block somewhere.

 

basically i need to weigh up the cost of buying a complete new engine or having this head pressure tested (bearing in mind its a little tappy anyway) and skimmed (i have been quoted £66+vat for the test and £34+vat for the skim).

 

if it is cracked then i need to have it fixed.

 

i am also a little concerned that when i bought the engine originally it was from crash damaged vts and the sump had a corner missing from the impact. so it could be the block??

 

i suppose i'll have to crack it open and have a look

[james_pug 26 1 Cars]

Were did you get those prices Pete? I'm sure lcp skimmed a head for me awhile ago for £20 I may no somewere else to

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

i didnt know lcp did engines. do they do pressure testing too? i'll pop in there tomorrow

[j_turnell 134 3 Cars]

Thought you were talking 8v, should have checked your signature!

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

Ha ha ha I didnt think to say. You had me worried for a minute though

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

i drained the coolant today and this was what came out:

 

 

oil came out clean though? so its only going one way.

[Stolton 0]

this is strange, even when i see you the other week your engine was running fine wernt it? surely its got to be headgasket!

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

this is strange, even when i see you the other week your engine was running fine wernt it? surely its got to be headgasket!

 

lets hope so mate, it must have been leaking oil for some time as the whole system is full of mayo. half the rad must have been full too.

[Mikey S 29 1 Cars]

Get the head pressure tested and inspect the gasket very carefully. This is what rovers usually do when headgaskets go, especially the 8v K series.

I presume this will be the multi-laminate gti-6 gasket? as there hard to spot faults on. If it comes back ok from Crack testing, get it skimmed.

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

Get the head pressure tested and inspect the gasket very carefully. This is what rovers usually do when headgaskets go, especially the 8v K series.

I presume this will be the multi-laminate gti-6 gasket? as there hard to spot faults on. If it comes back ok from Crack testing, get it skimmed.

 

thanks for the advice is there anything more i can check on the block? other that trueness of the face like miles suggested

[welshpug 1,629]

have you still got the heat exchanger fitted?

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

have you still got the heat exchanger fitted?

 

no mate, im sure it was you that told me to remove this some time ago as i had mayo in the tank and thought it might be the problem.

 

i did remove it and then promptly forgot about it until it overheated

[Mikey S 29 1 Cars]

thanks for the advice is there anything more i can check on the block? other that trueness of the face like miles suggested

 

only what miles has said really. i doubt very much its the block at fault as there cast so they can withstand more than the head ever could. in my 15 years of mechanics ive only ever had to get one block skimmed.

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

only what miles has said really. i doubt very much its the block at fault as there cast so they can withstand more than the head ever could. in my 15 years of mechanics ive only ever had to get one block skimmed.

 

even though the engine was from a crash damaged car, which had a corner of the sump missing from the impact?

 

anyway i had it apart today and the gasket was fine, in fact looked nearly new apart from the laminate had started to seperate.

 

im really not sure what to do? do i spend £100 on pressure test and skim only to find out its cracked and buggered or even the head is fine and the bottom end is gone? or did i not fit the head properly when i put the engine in the car 1k ago. (the head bolts on one end did feel looser than the other but that could have been where i had started loosening them all?)

 

i am considering re fitting (properly ) the head and running it again to see what happens, or do i source another know good engine....aaaargh

 

 

[james_pug 26 1 Cars]

Are you sure you've not been putting oil in the header tank ???

 

That looks very messy

 

I've a feeling a mate of mine is having an engine built by the person that lcp send head to to be skimmed I'll see him tonight so will ask him.

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

Are you sure you've not been putting oil in the header tank ???

 

That looks very messy

 

I've a feeling a mate of mine is having an engine built by the person that lcp send head to to be skimmed I'll see him tonight so will ask him.

 

very funny

 

i went to lcp today and they dont do pressure testing. they can skim it for 35+vat i think.

 

they said kap in folkestone can do a test and skim for £100 but then i still dont know if its the block or what. or if its cracked its buggered anyway?

 

i may speak to damien and see what he wants for his old engine, i'll just rebuild the top end with my cams etc. least it has some history

[Mikey S 29 1 Cars]

very funny

 

i went to lcp today and they dont do pressure testing. they can skim it for 35+vat i think.

 

they said kap in folkestone can do a test and skim for £100 but then i still dont know if its the block or what. or if its cracked its buggered anyway?

 

i may speak to damien and see what he wants for his old engine, i'll just rebuild the top end with my cams etc. least it has some history

 

i'd stump up for at least a pressure test then at least you will know whether the head is scrap or not.

Edited May 19, 2011 by pugger

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

i'd stump up for at least a pressure test then at least you will know whether the head is scrap or not.

 

yeah maybe.