This is one off the best vids ever and shows how it should be done...not only that he takes the time to add links to tools. parts, car manusl.....A very comprehensive tool box. Just what the doctor ordered....Take note all you people out there.if you upload a tutorial Vid...No Fekkin silly misic playing. Talk throught the vidoe in chronological steps...Practice step sequences. Explain what you are doing, what tool, things to look for tips. No stupid vid effects. This is almost a MasterClass... I was an R&D Engine Test Cell Tech. Engine build specialist. BS 5750. ISO 900/1, NAMAS Accredited.. This fella is on par with me, produces better video than me....I have buiilt hundreds of engines. Dyno tested to specifics. Flat out test 80-100 hrs continuos. Top notch vid Watch listen and learn !
Thanks for posting that. Amateur spannerman me has changed the CHGs on around 20 K-Series over the last decade or so. Friends, colleagues, my own "project" and family relatives cars mainly. These include 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, VVC and K-Series Turbocharged engines. Two K-series cars bought new in 1993 and 2003 ( MG ZS120 Trophy Blue like the one in your video ) still in the family running reliably every day and on original Head Gaskets. Based on these experiences and after taking time to investigate why the CHGs were damaged on these cars, I'm of the opinion that they very rarely fail. The Cylinder Head Gaskets are usually first damaged by some other problem, invariably over heating following coolant loss. That can and does happen on any car. Several project cars previous owners pro-advised to get rid for that reason did NOT have damaged Cylinder Head Gaskets. The coolant loss was due to worn out Water Pumps ( always change when fitting CHGs as wisely advised in your vid ) small holes in Coolant hoses and two instances were pure uncaring poor professional workmanship. One such being failure to fit the dowel nearest the Timing End of the engine... that dowel the conduit for oil at high pressure to the Valve gear. Cue oil at high pressure all around the cooling system within a few miles of leaving the pro-repair shop! The other pro-failure. Exhaust Manifold Gasket being fitted 180 degrees the wrong way round. There is a small difference in either end of the Gasket if you look closely to allow it to fit correctly. So that the coolant elbow would never be fully home even with a new Elbow gasket. That allowed coolant to escape a little at a time every trip. Cue overheating. . No end to this sort of thing and as always the poor Gasket gets the blame. They all do that mate, well known fact. Been on TV and everything. I service my own cars and check things as recommended by all manufacturers. Also enjoy working on these much unfairly maligned K-Series engines and all of mine have yet to "do that". Even the ones I repair... always a first time though.
An Interesting read. Thanks for posting that. Like yourself I don‘t like trusting garages to do work. I much prefer to know how it’s been done by doing it myself. Good to hear that your ZS120 is still going good. Great fun cars.
I'm now 3 weekends into my freelander project as my first time ever working with an engine. I saw this video, bought the car, ordered the parts and went to work. Installing the oil rail as I'm writing this. Thank you so much, couldn't have ever figured it all out with just the workshop manual alone. I managed to change the front crankshaft seal as well
@@comeinhandynowhad to wait for a couple of bolts in the mail order. Today I finished up the entire reassembly of the engine, filled it up, ran the oil through, hooked up the new spark plugs, gave it a go, but it cranks but won't start. I checked the plugs and they do spark, but the tips are dry, so I am assumin that I'm not getting any fuel in the cylinders. Any tips/ideas on how to start the engine back up after this particular repair & revision?
@@acevfx2923 I would check and be sure that you have the correct cam timing with respect to the crankshaft as that is the main thing disturbed by this job (cambelt). If that is correct, make sure the camshaft sensor is properly in place. You could also check that sensor works with a multimeter (see my other video on that (ruclips.net/video/yiZWVxzGjdk/видео.htmlsi=UIAou6X8mIewk9vs). Then check you have fuel pressure at the injector rail, there is a valve like a tyre valve on the end of it that you can press in and see if fuel spurts out. Also listen and check that the fuel pump runs for a few seconds on ignition on. If you have an OBD2 scan device, also check for any error codes.
I have recently taken apart a 1.4L K series engine from a ZR which had low compression on cylinder 3. It had been sat for around 6-7 years prior. Upon removing the head, there was no obvious leak around the cylinder. However the rubber coating on the MLS head gasket had deteriorated quite significantly, seemingly causing the compression loss.
The reason for the head gasket going was because of the structure of the k-series block. the problem is that the structure is way to weak (especially for a block made of aluminium alloy) This means that the engine flexes too much which stretches the bolts, allows slight movement in the cylinder liners and distorts the head gasket. The reason why the SAIC Kavachi (N-Series) is more reliable, is because they ribbed the engine block which added more structure to it, this reduced the flex and then they put a thicker gasket to compensate for any remaining movement between the block and the cylinder head.
I was under the impression it was the stupid use of plastic locator pins that position the cylinder head, that broke causing head to move thus causing head gasket failure.
Whilst what you say is largely correct, most K-Series Cylinder Head Gaskets are damaged. They rarely fail on their own. main causes for damage is over heating following coolant loss. Coolant loss happens in many ways. From a worn out Water Pump to a tired old leaky coolant hose. The Chinese version of the K-Series IS proven to be more reliable. MG6 Taxis completing in excess of 200,000 miles on same gasket is on record. An employee of the former MG UK ( the Chinese operation up at Longbridge ) who became redundant told me the Chinese use a different process for the casting process of the major Engine Components. Chinese castings are PRESSURE fed apparently which ensures a denser Alloy thus stronger. That in addition to additional ribbing. I have fitted a low mileage MG6 engine to my dalily driver MG ZT-T 1.8T ( daily pre-lockdown ) and it has proved a very successful transplant so far. Before completion, I had the Longbridge and Chinese "Ks" alongside each other. There are many improvements mostly minor but the major ones are unseen. Yes, improvements but nothing the guys up at Longbridge could not have done had they been allowed to do so. Yes, I blame the Bavarian asset strippers for much of that and the way they handled things to obtain a small car to align their model range to avoid EH "Gas Guzzler" constraints. They got the small car ( BINI ) and set its huge R&D costs to show the Rover Group finances as...here I use their words .. "English Patient". Yes got the small car they required buying the massively asset rich former Rover Group for peanuts. Then sold the JLR assets from the Rover Group to FOMOCO for more than they paid for the whole Rover Group!. Should never have been allowed to happen. Muppets!
Back in the late 90's i owned several K-series engined cars. Standard Gti-16v Metro, GTi-16v Metro with a 1.8 conversion, couple of 214's and a 200 iS. 2 of these were rallycross/hillclimb cars, and all of them were used hard. Never had a head gasket replaced on any of them. On the Metro's all I did was install a diesel radiator (twice capacity since they were the rallycross cars). The cars were serviced regularly with quality oil and coolant. Could never understand why so many had HGF's on these engines
I recently had a HGF on my lotus elise s1, which also has a 1.8L Rover K series engine. One thing I had to learn the hard way is that the MLS gasket is not always the answer. If the cyclinder liners are not at factory spec height the MLS will not seal properly. I first replaced with MLS gasket and still had leaks. After popping up the head one more time and checking liner heights I noticed minimal deviations between the liner heights + liners already slighlty dropped from factory spec height. The recommended approach in this scenario according to seloc (lotus forum) was to use a Payen Blue gasket instead or reseat liners & use MLS gasket. Due to limited funds & experience I restored to using a Payen Blue gasket and this worked very well in my case.
The elastomer sealed gaskets are good for initial sealing, but the longer term worry is elastomer becoming unglued and moving creating a water/oil leak. I have seen this on failed gaskets. Those gaskets also have folded over metal on the gasket for the fire ring around the combustion chamber which dents the softer head, meaning more skimming needed if ever dismantled. Not good. The other mistake people make on MLS gaskets is using too much sealant (like wellseal, yuck) on the gasket or head/block and using it around the fire ring combustion edge, which burns off and leaks. I have also seen that. I only use N series MLS gaskets now but use cylinder liner shims if liners are flat or low and locktite 574 very thinly just around water or oil seal edges on the head/block. See my video on this done on a 1.8 turbo freelander engine build if interested on details. Also details here ruclips.net/video/8BEYJX-GOIc/видео.html
We've changed the head gasket 3 times at the first 247.000 km Now engine has 312.000km and I'm gonna take this video into consideration before changing the gasket again, in order to obtain most benefit. Apart from that, engine runs and sounds perfectly ( 1.4 lt 103 ps )
My pleasure. I also currently have a Freelander 1.8 at the moment. Done a few projects on it. Lots of my freelander videos here in this playlist: ruclips.net/p/PLQVqjk4n1wANtCZaRcYzojUz5YHJD7Z3y
Been there and had to have that done on my 75.Head gasket went this year .Only had 38k on the clock at the time.52 plate 1.8.Once i got it fixed the car as been beautiful to drive.Only cost 110 quid for gasket and bits and 250 to fit so not bad.
A very good price, if it is a quality HG, oil rail and external PRT kit. I also hope they gave the coolant and oil side a good flush to remove all the gunk.
@@comeinhandynow Strangely enough he is a k series expert.He had done so many of them .My local garage in Carlisle is excellent.And yes he did flush it through.But now you mention it that maybe worth doing again just to make sure.The Gasket was the proper uprated one.
Thanks, I agree that is a shame, it was done a year ago using a GoPro which is not great in low light and there's no screen so I didn't realise. I now use an iPhone 6s for filming which is much better. It took me a year to get around to finishing the video editing video editing as there was a lot of it.
As someone that had the mgzr 1.4 anyone that has a k series engine needs to watch this and if they’re actually going to a garage to get this done get it done at a specialised garage. I had two new engines and 3 head gaskets go because I chose the wrong mechanics and used cheap gaskets and no head skims. It’s worth spending that little extra. Mine eventually completely seized. Scrapped.
Problem with the N series gasket is that it requires all liner heights to be at least 3 thou proud and all even. The Payern BW750 elastomer gasket is a lot more forgiving with uneven liner heights.
Is there some good evidence that that is definitely the case and that it definitely fails with flat liners? Just be interesting to know what tests or examples are out there.
1:23 The word your looking for is "thermal shock" I used to work for Rover at Longbridge. Rover actually designed the multi layer gasket, not Land Rover like everyone thinks and was secretly been tested on production cars before they went bump. Land Rover picked it up from there. Like wise, the PRT was already been fitted to Rover 75 for a few years before Rover went.
Thanks for clarifying. It makes sense that it’s a rover design as I noticed it’s a similar design construct to the one on the v6 rover engine as well. That was a good engine. Loved it in the MG ZS180.
It is a thermal shock as cold water rushes in on the thermostat opening. Being an electronic engineer I’m used to using the phrase ‘temperature cycling’ which refers to repeating cycles of heating and cooling that as well as damage to engines also causes damage to integrated circuits.
@@comeinhandynow I loved driving the ZS 180. Out handled the ZR's when we took them out of track days easily. The one thing that did piss me off was that the drivers seat didn't go back far enough and the clutch pedal was to high. I wished i knew more about circuit boards though.
The MLS Gaskets were fitted to other Rovers like their 1990s Petrol Turbo Rover 620ti and other T16 powered Turbocharged cars long before Land Rover used MLS ones on their K-Series Cars. Fitted by PowerTrain on the production line from new. Usually known as the "Klinger" which name actually appears embossed on the protruding edge of the 620ti MLS Gasket. I have an image of one I fitted to a 620ti T-Series . I believe they were made by a German company ELRING based in their factory in the North East of England. I have successfully repaired numerous K-Series engines with damaged Cylinder Head Gaskets ~ they rarely fail ~ and ten-twelve plus years later still going strong in daily family drivers. The MLS Gaskets always used but they are not the panacea of a job well done. The careful checking, thorough cleaning and preparation of the various components and their interfaces involved should ensure a job well done. Without that level of checking and preparation, the best Gaskets in the World will not last long .. cue so called "repeat failures". The MLS Gaskets and the all important Head Saver shim are available for only about £20 off ebay delivered to your door I've always used. The cheapest gaskets in the world will not last long if the all important preparation and checking is not done properly.
Very interesting video. I have owned a zr with a 1.4 k series engine for two yrs and a half yrs. the head gasket was gone when I got it but only between the water and exhaust. It’s been a fantastic engine I just top it up with water every now and then. It’s never overheated and Iv completed many long journeys up and down England with the family in. Other cars in the household have come and gone but the little zr is going nowhere. They are fantastic cars, apart from the arches. I was expecting the k series to give up as I have a t-series to replace it. But it doesn’t seem to want to give up.
Every car has its weaknesses, if you know what they are you can pay more attention to them and attempt to ensure the issues don't occur. In any car the best way to reduce risk of HGF is to carry out weekly fluid level checks and keep engine revs low until engine is fully warmed up, sadly the average motorist has no idea of mechanical sympathy, which was mainly the K series engine's problem. I cover a lot of motorway miles and always see Audis and VWs on the shoulder but never a Seat or Skoda despite sharing the same mechanicals, proof failure is due to drivers driving style as the more popular sportier machine is usually driven harder. The other problem with the K series was Rover went against the original engineers advice to cut cost on production which lead to the weakness in the first place. When SAIC bought MG the consulted an engineering firm that still employs many ex Rover engineers to address the HGF issue which resulted in the the N Series adaption not far from what the original design was.
Enjoyed watching that comeinhandynow. Very thorough and methodical work, cleaning and preparation. Rocket Science it aint. One very important point worth stressing again when repairing any car engine needing a new Cylinder Head Gasket. Checking, cleaning and assembling the engine components are within manufacturers recommended guidelines is essential. It's not simply the case of fitting a "better" gasket. The very best gaskets in the world will not last long if these important checks and preparations are not done properly. Yes, even in well run pro-outfits they can and do get it wrong. Then it's cue "Repeat failure mate.. they all do that. Well known fact in the trade"... ;-)
Thanks. Yes indeed. I have read that people mostly want to see liners 3 thou up from the block... Not sure what the error margin is on that, I’ve read 5 thou and at least above zero. It would be nice to have some real science backing it up.
The PRT thermostat was developed by Powertrain and initially put on the MGF. They also developed a later type elastomer head gasket which was far superior to the original and virtually eliminated head gasket problems. They then went onto development of the N series engine with the further improvements mentioned, which taken up by the Chinese when the last Longbridge MGTF’s were built. Land Rover got involved with development of a MLS gasket for their Freelander, which were are good on only new built engines, they’re fraught with problems on used K Series engines where failures are common as the old type elastomer gasket. I use the revised elastomer head gasket on the old K series engines with great success. Proper N series gaskets different to the MLS gaskets, the MLS gaskets should be avoid like the plague due to there unreliability. N Series engines are known to be running with over 200,000 on the clock!
Yes I always use the N series gasket, actually a similar design to the KV6 LR gasket and others makers high performance gaskets. I use it on older engines but I do use very thin sealant around the edges of the water and oil channels (not combustion area) and I ensure the liners are at least a little raised, with shims if necessary.
Just out of interest I had a look when the PRT was first used. In mid 2003 for MGTF seems to be the date for that one but this bulletin was issued in 2001 for the freelander www.mgfcar.de/hgf/freelander_0026.pdf
Brilliant work. Only thing is, if my memory serves me correctly, the auto tensioner should be turned ANTI-clockwise. Might be worth revisiting that as I believe it the auto tensioning won’t happen if it’s turned the wrong way
Thanks, which bit of the video are you referring to? From memory I believe you turn the tensioner until the slot lines up with the sprung end and then lock in place, if it’s done wrong and turned the wrong way I should think there would be way too little tension on the belt which would hopefully be obvious.
comeinhandynow You mentioned turning the tensioner clockwise. It needs to be turned anti clockwise (with the Allen key) when aligning the wire pointer with the backing plate of the tensioner. The ‘lobe’ part of the tensioner should point down.
I have an MGF Trophy which had inevitable problems with HGF but the problem is not with the head gasket design but rather how thin the liners are on the block, way too much heat for liners that thin, they should of never bored the K Series out from a 1.4 to the 1.6 and 1.8 engines.
Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your knowledge on these engines and doing these videos. I'm a classic car engineer and own a Freelander 1 which has decided to do the K-series party trick and your video has been great when I've been stuck on the stripdown and in selecting the right way forward. I am going to have a little fettle with the ports on mine whilst it's apart, just cleaning and matching more than anything and whilst I was going through my parts it struck me that the N Series gasket and shim *appear* a lot thicker than the standard gasket. Do they compress or are they going to give me headaches with compression ratios and cylinder volumes? I've looked up the standard CR and it's 10.5:1 and as long as I'm not dropping below 10:1 I can work with what's there. I'm wondering what the chances are of finding someone who has the information re the thickness of a used N gasket, as these are the "fix" for K-series engines I'm imagining not many are going to be taken apart again.
Thanks and good to hear from another DIYer. The N gasket (no separate shim), which has several layers to it, may appear thicker due to raised impressed areas of the metal. These compress flat when tightened down, so overall I don’t think it is any different thickness to the elastomer type one, at least not significantly.
Excellent video. Congratulations. The manufacturer recommends tightening the cylinder head bolts in three phases. The first 20 Nm, and the other two at 180º. In your case you have not followed those recommendations, right?
Thanks. That’s not right because that recommendation is for the original elastomer based head gasket. The ‘N-series’ headgasket shown in the video has a different recommended tightening sequence as it doesn't use elastomer.
@@comeinhandynow Oh no. I am doing the repair of the head gasket and yesterday I tightened it with that torque (it is the N series). I still haven't started the engine. Do you recommend that you remove it again and tighten it with the new pairs? Or leave it as is?
Leave as is, it should be fine. I have in the past tightened the bolts up a bit more later on. Hopefully you used the new stronger head bolts (and oil rail) that are meant to be used with the new N series gasket? That is more important, even though in the past I have also used the new gasket with standard bolts (and old oil rail) and even that was mostly fine with only a little seepage after a few years.
@@comeinhandynow Perfect. Well, I leave it that way. I have effectively used the new reinforced bolts and also the new oil rail and the gasket (N series). Very thanks.
I now target getting 3 or 4 thou. Just based on what I have read. Often the liners are level with the block or thereabout, so those 3 thou shims are useful and easier to fit than you might think.
Good job! Is there any particular reason you didn't pre load the hydraulic lifters with sone oil prior to fitting? Do you also suggest changing water pump whilst in that deep?
No reason apart from the thought that if they were preloaded too much then the valves would open more than normal and possibly be a lot closer to the pistons. I didnt like the idea of that, although low risk. Normally water pumps would be changed at the same time and cam belts/ pulleys. Depends on your budget though. Funnily enough a new water pump didnt last very long on a recent car and I put in the old water pump which was still fine, although old. That was done to a tight budget.
@@comeinhandynow Precisely... Pre-loading if not done precisely can result on "Jacking Up Hydraulically " so that some Valves will never seat properly. Cue Low or No compression. Best to assemble without pre-load and allow the Oil Pump to do its job and pressurise the Hydraulic Valve Lifters ( Tappets ) to the correct level that way. Yes, it will sound like a clacketty-clacketty-clack Diesel for a few minutes before they settle down to a pleasing rustle. Well, mine do .. ;-)
Thanks. This was spread over quite a few days. I have done a head gasket change on this type of engine in a day, but if you are going to skim the head and strip / clean the tappets as well it will take a few more days.
I believe that should be fine although I haven't tried it on a 1.4. The engine temperature and water pump should be the same, although less heat is generated by the engine. I can't guarantee it will be fine as I haven't tried it so it's your responsibility to try and see.
Nice; i made m5 2005 Rover 25 1.4 reliable just by changing the thermostat to a 70ºC one (it is used in boats...),easily done from underneath, no intake removal,nothing, and installing a R. Megane small electric circulation pump in series on the line to the thermostat housing(mine is petrol and LPG,and at idle it would setiously overheat,because the water pump(new...) could not pump through the heater core and the LPG evaporator;at over 1500 RPM all was well,but now, for 15 euros at the wreckers(here in Portugal...) all seems well, the by-pass coolant does get to the thermostat on time... A/C and ABS still work like new(those 2 are about the ONLY things i need and want in a car, and tey are a MUST, but nothing more,please; well, apart from a nice central GPS only, screen, but since that i can't have,i use the phone lol
Interesting. I don’t like the original position of the thermostat. Much prefer this mod of an external PRT one which I use now in my k-series Freelander. No idle overheating, more stable engine temperature and much more effective cabin heater, which we need over here at this time of year.
That's kind of the point I was suggesting, I've had a 180 since 2012 and no gasket failure on that. Just fitted one to my son in laws 120 and fingers well and truly crossed on that one.
Yep it’s a good point, which I also mention in the description of my other video ruclips.net/video/tSgq2l0AxR8/видео.html I’ve only just sold my ZS180 (kv6), which I had for 2.5 years, what a great fun car. 103,000 miles and still on original head gasket. Very under appreciated. The car in this video (which got me hooked on the MGZS) is now with my son and still going. It got him hooked as well. Hope you’re enjoying the 180. I guess you’ve seen my other videos on various jobs on that car. The VIS valve tester/monitor one is a useful one. Nice to know that it’s all working well and you’ve got the most power. Regards.
Thanks. You can probably find some MGRover workshop manual downloads if you search online hard enough, failing that the Haynes manuals are always a handy guide to have as well. Link put in the description now. Also here: Haynes workshop manual: Amazon uk: amzn.to/2DOXERi
Okay thanks. Unfortunately my english is bad. That's why I did not understand everything. I just change a cylinder head gasket on the K engine 1.4l and need the starting torques for the cylinder head 20 Nm + 90 ° + 90 ° + 45 °? Is that correct? Do I need new cylinder head screws or can I reuse the used ones?
If using the n-series multi layer metal gasket with new 10.9 head bolts it is 20Nm + 180 +135 Alternatively 20Nm + 90 +90 +90 +45 I would use new bolts, the higher strength 10.9 ones if using n-series gasket. Also stronger oil rail. Also get yourself a Haynes workshop manual, see link in video description
@@rpstuningimprovement-theca8849 I have used 20nm + 90 + 90 + 90 + 90 degrees and that for both Elastomer and Multi Layer Steel Head gaskets. Never used N Series Gasket. No problems. Your written English is Good!.
Hi and thanks for the video. I am currently rebuilding a 1.8 k series which suffered coolant system pressurization and have a question. As usual the crank was locked using a tool in the starter ring gear , the bottom has not been turned. Head has been removed and given a slight skim, it is still within tolerance. My question relates to the bottom end. When I removed the sump and old oil rail , to allow for the upgrade I noticed 1 tiny droplet of coolant in 3 of the four lower cylinder galleries. It looks to have come from the bottom of the liners The engine has been standing for a week or so with no head bolted to it. Is this small leakage a problem which will go away when the liners are once again compressed, or should I remove and reseal the liners? Cheers, Simon
If the only place the water could have come from is the liner seal, if it was me, I would remove and reseal the liners. You can remove them complete with pistons, just unbolt the big end bolts. Then drift out the liner by taping it from underneath on both sides. Easier than you might think.
Heya, thx for the nice vid. I have a question - when you screw the head bolts into the new oil rail do you lubricate them in advance? i.e. for instance put a bit of oil on the threads? or threadlocker? or you just screw them in dry as they come? thx
@@stamenmarinkov3325 it’s in the Haynes workshop manual (definitely worth having for all the torque settings etc) basically it is a spiral pattern from the centre, tightening each bolt slightly so as to not distort the carrier.
*bad mechanics proof* : my friend,in ALL head bolts and studs,of ALL cars, you should lubricate the threads AND the under head/washer of the bolt/nut with high pressure lubricant(motor oil is to avoid,it is NOT high pressure lube,but better than nothing...), says on all service manuals,or at least it should; BUT in this case or ROVER K engine (and many others) it is not very important because we're tightning to an angle here,not to a torque,so friction does not matter; So now we can all see WHY most MFGs went from a torque bolting down to an angle bolting down way of doing it, exactly because of the threads lubricating issue, and the enormous variability tht the torque system had from mechanic to mechanic; the angle system is *bad mechanics proof*
I was starting to believe the main reason for gasket failure was because coolant was left for too long and often topped with just water . Speaking of which my coiling fan comes on suggesting its hot but heater blows tepid. Any ideas !?
Could be an air lock or blocked heater matrix, but you can also make the heater a LOT better by this thermostat plumbing mod: ruclips.net/video/Fyq7yDlUKDg/видео.html
Any chance you could put a new link up for the parts please as you are the only person with a reliable mg and my zr is dying slowly. I need to save it asap
Hi, Great video. From yesterday i am victim of HGF k series 1.8 (non turbo). I m going to order Saic mls gasket , Victor Reinz head bolts and upgrade oil rail. I will send head cylinder to light shave and i torque the head bolts 20nm,90+90+90+90. What's your opinion?
Sounds good, I would do the PRT (external thermostat) mod as well while you are at it. Check those head bolts are the higher tension ones to match the gasket.
@@comeinhandynow I forgot, all new radiator hoses will be fit with PRT 82c ,new water pump kit with new timing belt. Head bolts on head have "kx1" stamp.
Hi, I have only shimmed on the last build I did which was a turbo conversion engine where the liner height wasn’t good. Details in this video, which has buying links for them in the video description: ruclips.net/video/wLqLMiUuct0/видео.html I have done many before with heights ranging from either flat or a few thou height, a few thou is better, but they have all been ok.
I just restart my freelander 1.8, for the first time after, rebuild all engine. I double check all the electrical conection and fluidd, but hase same metalic sound like yours, and have some idle variation. Is normal? The idle variation can be from the small batery that i took from my 1.6 Toyota Corolla. I apreciate any advice. Thank you so much!!
A metallic ticking is fairly common as the hydraulic tappets takes a while to pump back up to normal height with oil flow and pressure. If they take a long time or never go away then an oil way has got blocked on the cam carrier block due to too much sealant being used, usually. It may go away after a good drive, or it may need that cam carrier seal to be redone. If the idle is varying then it may help if you briefly very quickly press the throttle all the way to the floor while the engine is running, this resets the idle control valve. If that doesn’t help it may mean the mixture strength is off due to an air leak into the inlet manifold or an injector problem. Battery size won’t make any difference.
I believe that is possible, probably engine mount holes are the same. There are quite are a few mg6 engines on eBay. I was nearly tempted to buy one for my current Freelander project, but in the end decided to rebuild the existing k-series instead. rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575193927&toolid=10001&campid=5337910930&customid=eng&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2334524.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3Dmg6%2Btse%2B1.8%2Bturbo%2Bcomplete%2Bengine%26_sacat%3D6030%26LH_TitleDesc%3D0%26_osacat%3D6030%26_odkw%3Dmg6%2Bengine
just had the head gasket fail on my mg zr 160 just bought the car looks like the previous owner put k seal in it. I have heard k seal can cause damage and clog up your heater matrix is that right. I didnt know know what k seal looked like before i do now will be keeping an eye out in the future if i buy another mg
You should give your rad and heater matrix a good flush both ways with a hose pipe. Another good method is to mix an emulsion of petrol, detergent and water and use that to wash through the cores. The petrol content helps shift any emulsion from oil and water mixing. Easier if you remove the radiator. You might be able to see how clogged the matrix is.
This Engine has been totally re-engineered By Shanghai Auto (SAIC) now called a Kavachi unit The Head and Case were redesigned for the MG 6 thats why the HG"s havent blown since...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAIC_Kavachi_Engine
Thanks for that input. Quite a lot of chat out there about the two follow on engines from NAC (N series) and SAIC (TCI-tech Kavachi). The SAIC one had extra block webbing. There is a lot of confusing overlap between these when people talk about the N series engine, often meaning Kavachi. I fell into that trap as well. Here is a quite nice summary I found: Whilst NAC funded the changes, it was really the input of the original team that knew what was needed to rectify but for which the money was never forthcoming under the Phoenix 4. Whilst the TCi-Tech was SAIC and reverse engineered so to speak, there were a good number of the original Longbridge team working on this and thus the TCi-Tech benefitted from a stiffer block and other subtle changes that were also known to be solutions to the problems making it an even better engine than the N Series. According to Ian Pogson.... To date, Ian states that neither the N Series nor the TCi-Tech have had a head gasket issue. More information, from XPart: forums.mg-rover.org/3505065-post1.html Other info here: www.mgfregister.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19047 If anyone has a better summary, more information or pictures feel free to add. There is a lot of chat on this out there.
Thanks for the Reply and Info....Loved Rover cars and indeed worked for a dealership Back in the 90s The HG failure Problem on the 1.6 & 1.8 L K"s was abso appalling some new arrived on the Forecourt wth Blown H.Gaskets (Crazy) It didnt really affect the 1.1 or 1.4 K series But seriously did the everyday Motorist need this hassle/ Money / Time to repair this fairly major Mechanical defect?
It might have slightly more reliability due to lower power and temperature variability but it probably has the original elastomer sealed head gasket, which is the main weak point. Dont worry about it though if you dont have a problem. Just keep an eye on the water level and water quality.
hojnikb Yes the 1.4 original K- Series Unit and smaller 1.1L were Pretty Ok Reliability wise it was when they started to enlarge the K-Series 1.6 L etc The Head Gasket Problem was dreadful (Distorted Cylinder head Problems)
comeinhandynow You’ve got a point but at least the engine wouldn’t overheat. Odd as it may seem saying this but the engines foibles aside I think it’s a great performing engine, light, revvy, powerful, and fuel economy is pretty good. Had a Freelander1.8 and an MGF 1.8 and both were reliable motors, the MGF did overheat once on a really hot spring day but it survived that without any head gasket issues afterwards. The Crank Bearings failed instead haha! Lol🙄😁
Little question i have a Rover brm with a 18k4k, doing the head gasket, oil ladder, high tensile bolts and the prt thermostat. Not thinking my engine has on the upper cooling hose to the radiator a extra small hose to the coolant reservoir. What to do with that?
If you need to make another connection to one of the pipes, for your extra hose, you could probably make up a T-junction piece from copper plumbing fittings. They come in a lot of different sizes and size adaptations.
Hi mate, i have just buyed and 2005 MG ZS 1.4cc and i want to change the engine to the 1.8cc ( From MG too ) what i need to do? And if so, do the same that you show in the video?
Ok. I see. I haven’t done it myself but I think people on forums have, often putting the 1.8 turbo engine in or the 2.0 T series turbo engine in, from the rover 620ti. There is a fair bit of work involved to do with ECU, engine mounts, maybe gearbox/diff differences. Search on MGRover forums for details from someone who has done it.
I wish you could work on my rover 214 sei 90000 on the clock I think my hg has just gone, I am the second owner of the car and as far as I’m aware the previous owner (84 years old) never had the head gasket change he purchased the 214 from New in 1995 lol
Be careful where you get your N series gaskets from, folks - there’s some dubious quality ones around where the black coating (etch bonded PTFE?) just looks like paint :-/ One of the Lotus guys over on SELOC has posted about one of these failing in 650 miles!
A very late reply - the gasket will fit all 16 valve K series, but I think your 1996 engine will have the pressed steel sump which does not allow the uprated oil rail to fit.
@@comeinhandynow I have to change head gasket on my 25 but have not decided what to do with the liners o the 75. Would it be best to remove the engine block out of the 75 or leave it in? I'm in two minds with the 75
Can someone point me to the original guide about the thermostat swap that he mentions? I could only find this video doing it and the installation is not shown so i'm afraid of screwing up when buying things if i decide to get to it because i'm currently running my car with the thermostat completely deleted for now (better to run cold than it blowing up)
I remember reading that as long as they haven’t stretched over their length specification then they can be reused. You might need to search for the spec online or in the workshop manual. Or just play safe and replace them.
The Original "Through" Bolts on the K-Series are made to a very fine engineering high standard using high grade metal material. It is extremely rare that they need changing unless abused or damaged. I have reused those Through Bolts on over ten K-Series Head Gasket Renewals and never had problems. Several K-Series cars still in the family's daily driver use and friends' cars now no problems after ten plus years. All now showing 100,000 miles plus. Some rather more miles. I have known someone renewing those bolts when doing a Head Gasket on his Rover and they were of inferior quality to the old ones he removed from his car. A very fine engine the K-Series in all its forms. Reliable if regular checks and TLC is followed as recommended by ALL car manufacturers. Easy to work on for even the average DIYer. Another plus point.
Hi there mate my mgzr 1.4 was running ok parked it up whent to start it after a week it had hydrolocked so I took out the the spark plugs and turned it over do you rekon I could get away with a new head gasket or new engine what do you think thanks lee
In video description: “ The n series head gasket is currently on eBay UK, the link is below. If it gets out of date, drop me a comment and I'll update it. ebay.to/2xYtoBa “ It is part LVB90025A
@@NunoBXM That's odd as it still works for me. It must be dependant on the country you are in. Try google searching on that part number instead, hopefully you will find a supplier.
It does apply, although the smaller engines are a bit less prone to problems due to less heat and power. The elastomer based head gaskets are the main problem.
@@comeinhandynow heck i jinxed myself headgasket started failing :( about 100 bucks to get it replaced but idk if I can instead find these newer parts in my country. Shipping would be like 3 times the price from uk or something.
@@comeinhandynow i have a set of cams i removed from a mg f engine for my mg zr as the recon head i fittedwas from a pre 2000 car and didnt have the trigger lobe for the cam sensor
@@SteveSmith-hh5zfI had the same issue. The cams I’ve got are the old sort without the cam lobe as well. From a new head (but old style) I had to swop out the cams to my old ones for the same reason. BTW there are a few subtle differences in the head on pre 2000 ones. Be careful about plugging unused holes and sealing up new ones around the tensioner mount positions. I mention a few tips in my k-series do’s and don’t video uploaded a few months ago.
Hey,i have rover 200 1.6 16v 82kw 1997 130.000km Question Head gasket gone wrong when you kicking car all times in red line?or is that factory failure? Thank sorry for my english im from croatia
There are certainly better gaskets now compared to when some of these were made, so some is a design issue. Revving to high revs from cold could lead to rapid temperature changes across the block and and maybe some distortion which may possibly contribute to early failure. Revving high once warmed up shouldn’t be a problem for the gasket.
@@comeinhandynow thanks man i buy car yesterday and owner say he never repair head gasket but i dont se leak or something like that car have 130.000km and it goes like rocket
You would be surprised how many other cars have head gasket failures, just look on ebay for cars for sale spares or repair. Lots of other brands, Japanese, German etc having head gaskets going. Besides that k-series has many other advantages over other engines such as power, economy, weight, quick warm up, high revs that make it worth the effort of improving.
@@morsetsk I have. Company cars supplied had numerous issues before 50,000 miles of Company car hard use. Needed half-engines or steering racks etc ... you name it. When given a choice, my Company Rovers I chose were far more reliable subjected to the same level of hard company car use. I recently helped and advised my nephew to find a nice MGTF as his weekend fun driver. He casually let slip his German car needed £1000 plus to renew his clutch and flywheel when that broke up. A friend and neighbour used to jokingly castigate me for my choice of British cars with frequent reminders that "You cannot beat German engineering and reliability"... He NEVER does that now, NEVER. Not since his son came over and told me his uber-Expensive Porsche engine caught fire and self-destructed on the nearby Motorway leaving him stranded on the hard shoulder.. Porsche Dad later told me how much impact that had on his wallet. The repair total was more than I paid in total for my new MG ZS 120 ( like the one in the video ) on the road NEW price! Still in daily use after seventeen years and never needed to renew it Cylinder Head gasket. Mind you, I lift the bonnet and check things as all car manufacturers recommend car users should do. Trouble is, few do that. AA/RAC rescue call out stats confirm this time and again.
This is one off the best vids ever and shows how it should be done...not only that he takes the time to add links to tools. parts, car manusl.....A very comprehensive tool box. Just what the doctor ordered....Take note all you people out there.if you upload a tutorial Vid...No Fekkin silly misic playing.
Talk throught the vidoe in chronological steps...Practice step sequences. Explain what you are doing, what tool, things to look for tips. No stupid vid effects.
This is almost a MasterClass... I was an R&D Engine Test Cell Tech. Engine build specialist. BS 5750. ISO 900/1, NAMAS Accredited.. This fella is on par with me, produces better video than me....I have buiilt hundreds of engines. Dyno tested to specifics. Flat out test 80-100 hrs continuos. Top notch vid Watch listen and learn !
Awesome !!!
Thanks very much for your feedback!
But if you can't do it yourself then what would it cost . I believe just a coolant flush and change is about £150.00
Seriously cool to see someone make the changes to a k-series to make it more reliable. Thanks bundles fella.
Cheers
Thanks for posting that. Amateur spannerman me has changed the CHGs on around 20 K-Series over the last decade or so. Friends, colleagues, my own "project" and family relatives cars mainly. These include 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, VVC and K-Series Turbocharged engines. Two K-series cars bought new in 1993 and 2003 ( MG ZS120 Trophy Blue like the one in your video ) still in the family running reliably every day and on original Head Gaskets. Based on these experiences and after taking time to investigate why the CHGs were damaged on these cars, I'm of the opinion that they very rarely fail. The Cylinder Head Gaskets are usually first damaged by some other problem, invariably over heating following coolant loss. That can and does happen on any car. Several project cars previous owners pro-advised to get rid for that reason did NOT have damaged Cylinder Head Gaskets. The coolant loss was due to worn out Water Pumps ( always change when fitting CHGs as wisely advised in your vid ) small holes in Coolant hoses and two instances were pure uncaring poor professional workmanship. One such being failure to fit the dowel nearest the Timing End of the engine... that dowel the conduit for oil at high pressure to the Valve gear. Cue oil at high pressure all around the cooling system within a few miles of leaving the pro-repair shop! The other pro-failure. Exhaust Manifold Gasket being fitted 180 degrees the wrong way round. There is a small difference in either end of the Gasket if you look closely to allow it to fit correctly. So that the coolant elbow would never be fully home even with a new Elbow gasket. That allowed coolant to escape a little at a time every trip. Cue overheating. . No end to this sort of thing and as always the poor Gasket gets the blame. They all do that mate, well known fact. Been on TV and everything. I service my own cars and check things as recommended by all manufacturers. Also enjoy working on these much unfairly maligned K-Series engines and all of mine have yet to "do that". Even the ones I repair... always a first time though.
An Interesting read. Thanks for posting that. Like yourself I don‘t like trusting garages to do work. I much prefer to know how it’s been done by doing it myself. Good to hear that your ZS120 is still going good. Great fun cars.
Great post
I'm now 3 weekends into my freelander project as my first time ever working with an engine. I saw this video, bought the car, ordered the parts and went to work. Installing the oil rail as I'm writing this. Thank you so much, couldn't have ever figured it all out with just the workshop manual alone. I managed to change the front crankshaft seal as well
Wow, well done! And thanks.
@@comeinhandynowhad to wait for a couple of bolts in the mail order. Today I finished up the entire reassembly of the engine, filled it up, ran the oil through, hooked up the new spark plugs, gave it a go, but it cranks but won't start. I checked the plugs and they do spark, but the tips are dry, so I am assumin that I'm not getting any fuel in the cylinders. Any tips/ideas on how to start the engine back up after this particular repair & revision?
@@acevfx2923 I would check and be sure that you have the correct cam timing with respect to the crankshaft as that is the main thing disturbed by this job (cambelt). If that is correct, make sure the camshaft sensor is properly in place. You could also check that sensor works with a multimeter (see my other video on that (ruclips.net/video/yiZWVxzGjdk/видео.htmlsi=UIAou6X8mIewk9vs). Then check you have fuel pressure at the injector rail, there is a valve like a tyre valve on the end of it that you can press in and see if fuel spurts out. Also listen and check that the fuel pump runs for a few seconds on ignition on. If you have an OBD2 scan device, also check for any error codes.
@@comeinhandynow if the timing were to be slightly off, wouldn't the engine at least still start but run poorly?
@@acevfx2923 possible but if the crank sensor and cam sensors see too much timing difference then not.
I have recently taken apart a 1.4L K series engine from a ZR which had low compression on cylinder 3. It had been sat for around 6-7 years prior. Upon removing the head, there was no obvious leak around the cylinder. However the rubber coating on the MLS head gasket had deteriorated quite significantly, seemingly causing the compression loss.
The reason for the head gasket going was because of the structure of the k-series block. the problem is that the structure is way to weak (especially for a block made of aluminium alloy) This means that the engine flexes too much which stretches the bolts, allows slight movement in the cylinder liners and distorts the head gasket.
The reason why the SAIC Kavachi (N-Series) is more reliable, is because they ribbed the engine block which added more structure to it, this reduced the flex and then they put a thicker gasket to compensate for any remaining movement between the block and the cylinder head.
Absolutely spot on
I was under the impression it was the stupid use of plastic locator pins that position the cylinder head, that broke causing head to move thus causing head gasket failure.
Whilst what you say is largely correct, most K-Series Cylinder Head Gaskets are damaged. They rarely fail on their own. main causes for damage is over heating following coolant loss. Coolant loss happens in many ways. From a worn out Water Pump to a tired old leaky coolant hose.
The Chinese version of the K-Series IS proven to be more reliable. MG6 Taxis completing in excess of 200,000 miles on same gasket is on record. An employee of the former MG UK ( the Chinese operation up at Longbridge ) who became redundant told me the Chinese use a different process for the casting process of the major Engine Components.
Chinese castings are PRESSURE fed apparently which ensures a denser Alloy thus stronger. That in addition to additional ribbing. I have fitted a low mileage MG6 engine to my dalily driver MG ZT-T 1.8T ( daily pre-lockdown ) and it has proved a very successful transplant so far. Before completion, I had the Longbridge and Chinese "Ks" alongside each other. There are many improvements mostly minor but the major ones are unseen.
Yes, improvements but nothing the guys up at Longbridge could not have done had they been allowed to do so. Yes, I blame the Bavarian asset strippers for much of that and the way they handled things to obtain a small car to align their model range to avoid EH "Gas Guzzler" constraints. They got the small car ( BINI ) and set its huge R&D costs to show the Rover Group finances as...here I use their words .. "English Patient". Yes got the small car they required buying the massively asset rich former Rover Group for peanuts. Then sold the JLR assets from the Rover Group to FOMOCO for more than they paid for the whole Rover Group!. Should never have been allowed to happen. Muppets!
Back in the late 90's i owned several K-series engined cars. Standard Gti-16v Metro, GTi-16v Metro with a 1.8 conversion, couple of 214's and a 200 iS. 2 of these were rallycross/hillclimb cars, and all of them were used hard. Never had a head gasket replaced on any of them. On the Metro's all I did was install a diesel radiator (twice capacity since they were the rallycross cars). The cars were serviced regularly with quality oil and coolant. Could never understand why so many had HGF's on these engines
Interesting, thanks
I recently had a HGF on my lotus elise s1, which also has a 1.8L Rover K series engine. One thing I had to learn the hard way is that the MLS gasket is not always the answer. If the cyclinder liners are not at factory spec height the MLS will not seal properly. I first replaced with MLS gasket and still had leaks. After popping up the head one more time and checking liner heights I noticed minimal deviations between the liner heights + liners already slighlty dropped from factory spec height. The recommended approach in this scenario according to seloc (lotus forum) was to use a Payen Blue gasket instead or reseat liners & use MLS gasket. Due to limited funds & experience I restored to using a Payen Blue gasket and this worked very well in my case.
The elastomer sealed gaskets are good for initial sealing, but the longer term worry is elastomer becoming unglued and moving creating a water/oil leak. I have seen this on failed gaskets. Those gaskets also have folded over metal on the gasket for the fire ring around the combustion chamber which dents the softer head, meaning more skimming needed if ever dismantled. Not good. The other mistake people make on MLS gaskets is using too much sealant (like wellseal, yuck) on the gasket or head/block and using it around the fire ring combustion edge, which burns off and leaks. I have also seen that. I only use N series MLS gaskets now but use cylinder liner shims if liners are flat or low and locktite 574 very thinly just around water or oil seal edges on the head/block. See my video on this done on a 1.8 turbo freelander engine build if interested on details. Also details here ruclips.net/video/8BEYJX-GOIc/видео.html
I done the same on my freelander 1.8k , head gasket, new thermostat etc and it has no coolant problems over last 40,000 miles
Good to hear
Great tutorial! like the "how to fix electrical problems rover mg (Pektron)"
thanks to you I have repaired my car.
Great to hear, thanks for the feedback.
We've changed the head gasket 3 times at the first 247.000 km
Now engine has 312.000km and I'm gonna take this video into consideration before changing the gasket again, in order to obtain most benefit. Apart from that, engine runs and sounds perfectly
( 1.4 lt 103 ps )
Recently had a K series freelander land in my lap, saving this as my go to guide 👌 Thanks a bunch 😊
My pleasure. I also currently have a Freelander 1.8 at the moment. Done a few projects on it. Lots of my freelander videos here in this playlist: ruclips.net/p/PLQVqjk4n1wANtCZaRcYzojUz5YHJD7Z3y
Been there and had to have that done on my 75.Head gasket went this year .Only had 38k on the clock at the time.52 plate 1.8.Once i got it fixed the car as been beautiful to drive.Only cost 110 quid for gasket and bits and 250 to fit so not bad.
A very good price, if it is a quality HG, oil rail and external PRT kit. I also hope they gave the coolant and oil side a good flush to remove all the gunk.
@@comeinhandynow Strangely enough he is a k series expert.He had done so many of them .My local garage in Carlisle is excellent.And yes he did flush it through.But now you mention it that maybe worth doing again just to make sure.The Gasket was the proper uprated one.
good job and well explained shame about the dark camera bits . (subscribed)
Thanks, I agree that is a shame, it was done a year ago using a GoPro which is not great in low light and there's no screen so I didn't realise. I now use an iPhone 6s for filming which is much better. It took me a year to get around to finishing the video editing video editing as there was a lot of it.
As someone that had the mgzr 1.4 anyone that has a k series engine needs to watch this and if they’re actually going to a garage to get this done get it done at a specialised garage. I had two new engines and 3 head gaskets go because I chose the wrong mechanics and used cheap gaskets and no head skims. It’s worth spending that little extra. Mine eventually completely seized. Scrapped.
Thanks for you input.
Problem with the N series gasket is that it requires all liner heights to be at least 3 thou proud and all even. The Payern BW750 elastomer gasket is a lot more forgiving with uneven liner heights.
Is there some good evidence that that is definitely the case and that it definitely fails with flat liners? Just be interesting to know what tests or examples are out there.
i love mg rover great vid done loads of head gasket jobs on them rovers
Thanks. Good to hear.
1:23 The word your looking for is "thermal shock" I used to work for Rover at Longbridge. Rover actually designed the multi layer gasket, not Land Rover like everyone thinks and was secretly been tested on production cars before they went bump. Land Rover picked it up from there. Like wise, the PRT was already been fitted to Rover 75 for a few years before Rover went.
Thanks for clarifying. It makes sense that it’s a rover design as I noticed it’s a similar design construct to the one on the v6 rover engine as well. That was a good engine. Loved it in the MG ZS180.
It is a thermal shock as cold water rushes in on the thermostat opening. Being an electronic engineer I’m used to using the phrase ‘temperature cycling’ which refers to repeating cycles of heating and cooling that as well as damage to engines also causes damage to integrated circuits.
@@comeinhandynow I loved driving the ZS 180. Out handled the ZR's when we took them out of track days easily. The one thing that did piss me off was that the drivers seat didn't go back far enough and the clutch pedal was to high. I wished i knew more about circuit boards though.
The MLS Gaskets were fitted to other Rovers like their 1990s Petrol Turbo Rover 620ti and other T16 powered Turbocharged cars long before Land Rover used MLS ones on their K-Series Cars. Fitted by PowerTrain on the production line from new. Usually known as the "Klinger" which name actually appears embossed on the protruding edge of the 620ti MLS Gasket. I have an image of one I fitted to a 620ti T-Series . I believe they were made by a German company ELRING based in their factory in the North East of England.
I have successfully repaired numerous K-Series engines with damaged Cylinder Head Gaskets ~ they rarely fail ~ and ten-twelve plus years later still going strong in daily family drivers. The MLS Gaskets always used but they are not the panacea of a job well done. The careful checking, thorough cleaning and preparation of the various components and their interfaces involved should ensure a job well done. Without that level of checking and preparation, the best Gaskets in the World will not last long .. cue so called "repeat failures".
The MLS Gaskets and the all important Head Saver shim are available for only about £20 off ebay delivered to your door I've always used. The cheapest gaskets in the world will not last long if the all important preparation and checking is not done properly.
Very interesting video. I have owned a zr with a 1.4 k series engine for two yrs and a half yrs. the head gasket was gone when I got it but only between the water and exhaust. It’s been a fantastic engine I just top it up with water every now and then. It’s never overheated and Iv completed many long journeys up and down England with the family in. Other cars in the household have come and gone but the little zr is going nowhere. They are fantastic cars, apart from the arches. I was expecting the k series to give up as I have a t-series to replace it. But it doesn’t seem to want to give up.
They can be reliable and are well designed in most respects.
Every car has its weaknesses, if you know what they are you can pay more attention to them and attempt to ensure the issues don't occur.
In any car the best way to reduce risk of HGF is to carry out weekly fluid level checks and keep engine revs low until engine is fully warmed up, sadly the average motorist has no idea of mechanical sympathy, which was mainly the K series engine's problem.
I cover a lot of motorway miles and always see Audis and VWs on the shoulder but never a Seat or Skoda despite sharing the same mechanicals, proof failure is due to drivers driving style as the more popular sportier machine is usually driven harder.
The other problem with the K series was Rover went against the original engineers advice to cut cost on production which lead to the weakness in the first place. When SAIC bought MG the consulted an engineering firm that still employs many ex Rover engineers to address the HGF issue which resulted in the the N Series adaption not far from what the original design was.
Enjoyed watching that comeinhandynow. Very thorough and methodical work, cleaning and preparation. Rocket Science it aint.
One very important point worth stressing again when repairing any car engine needing a new Cylinder Head Gasket. Checking, cleaning and assembling the engine components are within manufacturers recommended guidelines is essential. It's not simply the case of fitting a "better" gasket. The very best gaskets in the world will not last long if these important checks and preparations are not done properly. Yes, even in well run pro-outfits they can and do get it wrong.
Then it's cue "Repeat failure mate.. they all do that. Well known fact in the trade"... ;-)
Thanks. Yes indeed. I have read that people mostly want to see liners 3 thou up from the block... Not sure what the error margin is on that, I’ve read 5 thou and at least above zero. It would be nice to have some real science backing it up.
The PRT thermostat was developed by Powertrain and initially put on the MGF. They also developed a later type elastomer head gasket which was far superior to the original and virtually eliminated head gasket problems. They then went onto development of the N series engine with the further improvements mentioned, which taken up by the Chinese when the last Longbridge MGTF’s were built. Land Rover got involved with development of a MLS gasket for their Freelander, which were are good on only new built engines, they’re fraught with problems on used K Series engines where failures are common as the old type elastomer gasket. I use the revised elastomer head gasket on the old K series engines with great success. Proper N series gaskets different to the MLS gaskets, the MLS gaskets should be avoid like the plague due to there unreliability. N Series engines are known to be running with over 200,000 on the clock!
Yes I always use the N series gasket, actually a similar design to the KV6 LR gasket and others makers high performance gaskets. I use it on older engines but I do use very thin sealant around the edges of the water and oil channels (not combustion area) and I ensure the liners are at least a little raised, with shims if necessary.
Also for interest there is a better way of plumbing the PRT to turn it into an output type one. See my other video on this.
Just out of interest I had a look when the PRT was first used. In mid 2003 for MGTF seems to be the date for that one but this bulletin was issued in 2001 for the freelander www.mgfcar.de/hgf/freelander_0026.pdf
Brilliant work. Only thing is, if my memory serves me correctly, the auto tensioner should be turned ANTI-clockwise. Might be worth revisiting that as I believe it the auto tensioning won’t happen if it’s turned the wrong way
Thanks, which bit of the video are you referring to? From memory I believe you turn the tensioner until the slot lines up with the sprung end and then lock in place, if it’s done wrong and turned the wrong way I should think there would be way too little tension on the belt which would hopefully be obvious.
comeinhandynow You mentioned turning the tensioner clockwise. It needs to be turned anti clockwise (with the Allen key) when aligning the wire pointer with the backing plate of the tensioner. The ‘lobe’ part of the tensioner should point down.
ash7990 Yes you are right. Anti-clockwise. Just about to do that job on another engine.
I have an MGF Trophy which had inevitable problems with HGF but the problem is not with the head gasket design but rather how thin the liners are on the block, way too much heat for liners that thin, they should of never bored the K Series out from a 1.4 to the 1.6 and 1.8 engines.
The elastomer sealing beads on the original head gasket are definitely a problem as they become detached. I have had this happen even on the 1.4
Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your knowledge on these engines and doing these videos. I'm a classic car engineer and own a Freelander 1 which has decided to do the K-series party trick and your video has been great when I've been stuck on the stripdown and in selecting the right way forward.
I am going to have a little fettle with the ports on mine whilst it's apart, just cleaning and matching more than anything and whilst I was going through my parts it struck me that the N Series gasket and shim *appear* a lot thicker than the standard gasket. Do they compress or are they going to give me headaches with compression ratios and cylinder volumes?
I've looked up the standard CR and it's 10.5:1 and as long as I'm not dropping below 10:1 I can work with what's there.
I'm wondering what the chances are of finding someone who has the information re the thickness of a used N gasket, as these are the "fix" for K-series engines I'm imagining not many are going to be taken apart again.
Thanks and good to hear from another DIYer. The N gasket (no separate shim), which has several layers to it, may appear thicker due to raised impressed areas of the metal. These compress flat when tightened down, so overall I don’t think it is any different thickness to the elastomer type one, at least not significantly.
Excellent video. Congratulations. The manufacturer recommends tightening the cylinder head bolts in three phases. The first 20 Nm, and the other two at 180º. In your case you have not followed those recommendations, right?
Thanks. That’s not right because that recommendation is for the original elastomer based head gasket. The ‘N-series’ headgasket shown in the video has a different recommended tightening sequence as it doesn't use elastomer.
@@comeinhandynow
Oh no. I am doing the repair of the head gasket and yesterday I tightened it with that torque (it is the N series). I still haven't started the engine. Do you recommend that you remove it again and tighten it with the new pairs? Or leave it as is?
Leave as is, it should be fine. I have in the past tightened the bolts up a bit more later on. Hopefully you used the new stronger head bolts (and oil rail) that are meant to be used with the new N series gasket? That is more important, even though in the past I have also used the new gasket with standard bolts (and old oil rail) and even that was mostly fine with only a little seepage after a few years.
@@comeinhandynow Perfect. Well, I leave it that way. I have effectively used the new reinforced bolts and also the new oil rail and the gasket (N series). Very thanks.
I couldn't see anywhere in your excellent vid that referred to liner height. What would you say the tolerance is for the N series gasket?
I now target getting 3 or 4 thou. Just based on what I have read. Often the liners are level with the block or thereabout, so those 3 thou shims are useful and easier to fit than you might think.
This might also be useful: ruclips.net/video/8BEYJX-GOIc/видео.html
Good job! Is there any particular reason you didn't pre load the hydraulic lifters with sone oil prior to fitting? Do you also suggest changing water pump whilst in that deep?
No reason apart from the thought that if they were preloaded too much then the valves would open more than normal and possibly be a lot closer to the pistons. I didnt like the idea of that, although low risk. Normally water pumps would be changed at the same time and cam belts/ pulleys. Depends on your budget though. Funnily enough a new water pump didnt last very long on a recent car and I put in the old water pump which was still fine, although old. That was done to a tight budget.
@@comeinhandynow Precisely... Pre-loading if not done precisely can result on "Jacking Up Hydraulically " so that some Valves will never seat properly. Cue Low or No compression.
Best to assemble without pre-load and allow the Oil Pump to do its job and pressurise the Hydraulic Valve Lifters ( Tappets ) to the correct level that way. Yes, it will sound like a clacketty-clacketty-clack Diesel for a few minutes before they settle down to a pleasing rustle. Well, mine do .. ;-)
@@T16MGJ Thanks for your input.
Very good video and info thank you,how many hours total would you say it took you.thanks again
Thanks. This was spread over quite a few days. I have done a head gasket change on this type of engine in a day, but if you are going to skim the head and strip / clean the tappets as well it will take a few more days.
@@comeinhandynow thank you very much I have 1 of 20 left in UK and Ireland and love her to bits.
Can you use the PEL500150 Thermostat on the 1.4 as its made for the 1.8 Freelander.
Great vid though thank you for posting
I believe that should be fine although I haven't tried it on a 1.4. The engine temperature and water pump should be the same, although less heat is generated by the engine. I can't guarantee it will be fine as I haven't tried it so it's your responsibility to try and see.
Nice;
i made m5 2005 Rover 25 1.4 reliable just by changing the thermostat to a 70ºC one (it is used in boats...),easily done from underneath, no intake removal,nothing, and installing a R. Megane small electric circulation pump in series on the line to the thermostat housing(mine is petrol and LPG,and at idle it would setiously overheat,because the water pump(new...) could not pump through the heater core and the LPG evaporator;at over 1500 RPM all was well,but now, for 15 euros at the wreckers(here in Portugal...) all seems well, the by-pass coolant does get to the thermostat on time...
A/C and ABS still work like new(those 2 are about the ONLY things i need and want in a car, and tey are a MUST, but nothing more,please; well, apart from a nice central GPS only, screen, but since that i can't have,i use the phone lol
Interesting. I don’t like the original position of the thermostat. Much prefer this mod of an external PRT one which I use now in my k-series Freelander. No idle overheating, more stable engine temperature and much more effective cabin heater, which we need over here at this time of year.
I have an MGF I have never had a problem, I change the oil and anti freeze frequently.
That's good. Obviously not all have a problem. It's only worth doing the stuff in the video if you have a HG problem or have had one in the past.
The N series gasket is actually the same construction as the later KV6 gaskets.
Yes indeed, and they don’t have a failure problem
That's kind of the point I was suggesting, I've had a 180 since 2012 and no gasket failure on that. Just fitted one to my son in laws 120 and fingers well and truly crossed on that one.
Yep it’s a good point, which I also mention in the description of my other video ruclips.net/video/tSgq2l0AxR8/видео.html
I’ve only just sold my ZS180 (kv6), which I had for 2.5 years, what a great fun car. 103,000 miles and still on original head gasket. Very under appreciated. The car in this video (which got me hooked on the MGZS) is now with my son and still going. It got him hooked as well.
Hope you’re enjoying the 180. I guess you’ve seen my other videos on various jobs on that car. The VIS valve tester/monitor one is a useful one. Nice to know that it’s all working well and you’ve got the most power. Regards.
fab video, thank you very much Sir!
Cheers. You're very kind.
Hello, very nice movie. I have a question for you, how do you tighten the camshaft box bolts?
See video at 29:10 tighten down each bolt gradually working around in a spiral pattern from the centre. Shown in Haynes workshop manual.
HI great vid. Wonder if you could post where to get a good workshop manual online ?
Thanks. You can probably find some MGRover workshop manual downloads if you search online hard enough, failing that the Haynes manuals are always a handy guide to have as well. Link put in the description now. Also here:
Haynes workshop manual:
Amazon uk: amzn.to/2DOXERi
Okay thanks. Unfortunately my english is bad. That's why I did not understand everything. I just change a cylinder head gasket on the K engine 1.4l and need the starting torques for the cylinder head 20 Nm + 90 ° + 90 ° + 45 °? Is that correct? Do I need new cylinder head screws or can I reuse the used ones?
If using the n-series multi layer metal gasket with new 10.9 head bolts it is 20Nm + 180 +135
Alternatively 20Nm + 90 +90 +90 +45
I would use new bolts, the higher strength 10.9 ones if using n-series gasket. Also stronger oil rail.
Also get yourself a Haynes workshop manual, see link in video description
@@comeinhandynow thank you very much
@@rpstuningimprovement-theca8849 I have used 20nm + 90 + 90 + 90 + 90 degrees and that for both Elastomer and Multi Layer Steel Head gaskets. Never used N Series Gasket. No problems. Your written English is Good!.
Hello what's the part number for the n series gasket please?
LVB90025A. See buying links in video description.
@@comeinhandynow Thanks
Hi and thanks for the video. I am currently rebuilding a 1.8 k series which suffered coolant system pressurization and have a question. As usual the crank was locked using a tool in the starter ring gear , the bottom has not been turned. Head has been removed and given a slight skim, it is still within tolerance. My question relates to the bottom end. When I removed the sump and old oil rail , to allow for the upgrade I noticed 1 tiny droplet of coolant in 3 of the four lower cylinder galleries. It looks to have come from the bottom of the liners The engine has been standing for a week or so with no head bolted to it. Is this small leakage a problem which will go away when the liners are once again compressed, or should I remove and reseal the liners? Cheers, Simon
If the only place the water could have come from is the liner seal, if it was me, I would remove and reseal the liners. You can remove them complete with pistons, just unbolt the big end bolts. Then drift out the liner by taping it from underneath on both sides. Easier than you might think.
@@comeinhandynow thanks for the advice, do you recommend a specific sealer? I have heard hylomar mentioned..... thanks again.
@@rebeccarowe1321 yes that is ok. See this other video of mine
ruclips.net/video/8BEYJX-GOIc/видео.html
Heya, thx for the nice vid. I have a question - when you screw the head bolts into the new oil rail do you lubricate them in advance? i.e. for instance put a bit of oil on the threads? or threadlocker? or you just screw them in dry as they come? thx
I screw in just as they come.
@@comeinhandynow thx, can u also tell the sequence for removing and screwing back on the boltst for the camshaft carrier?
@@stamenmarinkov3325 it’s in the Haynes workshop manual (definitely worth having for all the torque settings etc) basically it is a spiral pattern from the centre, tightening each bolt slightly so as to not distort the carrier.
*bad mechanics proof* :
my friend,in ALL head bolts and studs,of ALL cars, you should lubricate the threads AND the under head/washer of the bolt/nut with high pressure lubricant(motor oil is to avoid,it is NOT high pressure lube,but better than nothing...), says on all service manuals,or at least it should;
BUT in this case or ROVER K engine (and many others) it is not very important because we're tightning to an angle here,not to a torque,so friction does not matter;
So now we can all see WHY most MFGs went from a torque bolting down to an angle bolting down way of doing it, exactly because of the threads lubricating issue, and the enormous variability tht the torque system had from mechanic to mechanic; the angle system is *bad mechanics proof*
I was starting to believe the main reason for gasket failure was because coolant was left for too long and often topped with just water . Speaking of which my coiling fan comes on suggesting its hot but heater blows tepid. Any ideas !?
Could be an air lock or blocked heater matrix, but you can also make the heater a LOT better by this thermostat plumbing mod: ruclips.net/video/Fyq7yDlUKDg/видео.html
Any chance you could put a new link up for the parts please as you are the only person with a reliable mg and my zr is dying slowly. I need to save it asap
Link in the description for the N series gasket updated. And also here: ebay.to/2xYtoBa
Hi, Great video. From yesterday i am victim of HGF k series 1.8 (non turbo). I m going to order Saic mls gasket , Victor Reinz head bolts and upgrade oil rail. I will send head cylinder to light shave and i torque the head bolts 20nm,90+90+90+90. What's your opinion?
Sounds good, I would do the PRT (external thermostat) mod as well while you are at it. Check those head bolts are the higher tension ones to match the gasket.
@@comeinhandynow I forgot, all new radiator hoses will be fit with PRT 82c ,new water pump kit with new timing belt. Head bolts on head have "kx1" stamp.
I hope liners to be 3 thou above block face.
Hi did you have to shim under the cylinder liners or are they the correct height as I’ve been told you need to shim them up thanks
Hi, I have only shimmed on the last build I did which was a turbo conversion engine where the liner height wasn’t good. Details in this video, which has buying links for them in the video description: ruclips.net/video/wLqLMiUuct0/видео.html
I have done many before with heights ranging from either flat or a few thou height, a few thou is better, but they have all been ok.
I just restart my freelander 1.8, for the first time after, rebuild all engine. I double check all the electrical conection and fluidd, but hase same metalic sound like yours, and have some idle variation. Is normal? The idle variation can be from the small batery that i took from my 1.6 Toyota Corolla. I apreciate any advice. Thank you so much!!
A metallic ticking is fairly common as the hydraulic tappets takes a while to pump back up to normal height with oil flow and pressure. If they take a long time or never go away then an oil way has got blocked on the cam carrier block due to too much sealant being used, usually. It may go away after a good drive, or it may need that cam carrier seal to be redone. If the idle is varying then it may help if you briefly very quickly press the throttle all the way to the floor while the engine is running, this resets the idle control valve. If that doesn’t help it may mean the mixture strength is off due to an air leak into the inlet manifold or an injector problem. Battery size won’t make any difference.
How about swapping the MG6 engine into the Rover 75?
Would this require different engine mounts even?
I believe that is possible, probably engine mount holes are the same. There are quite are a few mg6 engines on eBay. I was nearly tempted to buy one for my current Freelander project, but in the end decided to rebuild the existing k-series instead. rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575193927&toolid=10001&campid=5337910930&customid=eng&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2334524.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3Dmg6%2Btse%2B1.8%2Bturbo%2Bcomplete%2Bengine%26_sacat%3D6030%26LH_TitleDesc%3D0%26_osacat%3D6030%26_odkw%3Dmg6%2Bengine
just had the head gasket fail on my mg zr 160 just bought the car looks like the previous owner put k seal in it. I have heard k seal can cause damage and clog up your heater matrix is that right. I didnt know know what k seal looked like before i do now will be keeping an eye out in the future if i buy another mg
You should give your rad and heater matrix a good flush both ways with a hose pipe. Another good method is to mix an emulsion of petrol, detergent and water and use that to wash through the cores. The petrol content helps shift any emulsion from oil and water mixing. Easier if you remove the radiator. You might be able to see how clogged the matrix is.
comeinhandynow Thanks I think a flush of the rad and coolant system is good idea
great vidio thank you
Cheers
This Engine has been totally re-engineered By Shanghai Auto (SAIC) now called a Kavachi unit The Head and Case were redesigned for the MG 6 thats why the HG"s havent blown since...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAIC_Kavachi_Engine
Thanks for that input. Quite a lot of chat out there about the two follow on engines from NAC (N series) and SAIC (TCI-tech Kavachi). The SAIC one had extra block webbing. There is a lot of confusing overlap between these when people talk about the N series engine, often meaning Kavachi. I fell into that trap as well. Here is a quite nice summary I found:
Whilst NAC funded the changes, it was really the input of the original team that knew what was needed to rectify but for which the money was never forthcoming under the Phoenix 4. Whilst the TCi-Tech was SAIC and reverse engineered so to speak, there were a good number of the original Longbridge team working on this and thus the TCi-Tech benefitted from a stiffer block and other subtle changes that were also known to be solutions to the problems making it an even better engine than the N Series. According to Ian Pogson.... To date, Ian states that neither the N Series nor the TCi-Tech have had a head gasket issue.
More information, from XPart:
forums.mg-rover.org/3505065-post1.html
Other info here: www.mgfregister.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19047
If anyone has a better summary, more information or pictures feel free to add. There is a lot of chat on this out there.
Thanks for the Reply and Info....Loved Rover cars and indeed worked for a dealership Back in the 90s The HG failure Problem on the 1.6 & 1.8 L K"s was abso appalling some new arrived on the Forecourt wth Blown H.Gaskets (Crazy) It didnt really affect the 1.1 or 1.4 K series But seriously did the everyday Motorist need this hassle/ Money / Time to repair this fairly major Mechanical defect?
Is that true about 1.4 ? I'm currently running 1.4 8V on my 214i and it doesn't seem to have any issues (it does only have 65k on the clock).
It might have slightly more reliability due to lower power and temperature variability but it probably has the original elastomer sealed head gasket, which is the main weak point. Dont worry about it though if you dont have a problem. Just keep an eye on the water level and water quality.
hojnikb Yes the 1.4 original K- Series Unit and smaller 1.1L were Pretty Ok Reliability wise it was when they started to enlarge the K-Series 1.6 L etc The Head Gasket Problem was dreadful (Distorted Cylinder head Problems)
What would happen if you ran the engine without a thermostat?
Plus is K Seal any good on the K series engine?
It would run too cold with poor cabin heater performance and poor economy. Not a fan of k-seal, but may help with small leaks, not big ones.
comeinhandynow You’ve got a point but at least the engine wouldn’t overheat.
Odd as it may seem saying this but the engines foibles aside I think it’s a great performing engine, light, revvy, powerful, and fuel economy is pretty good.
Had a Freelander1.8 and an MGF 1.8 and both were reliable motors, the MGF did overheat once on a really hot spring day but it survived that without any head gasket issues afterwards.
The Crank Bearings failed instead haha! Lol🙄😁
Little question i have a Rover brm with a 18k4k, doing the head gasket, oil ladder, high tensile bolts and the prt thermostat. Not thinking my engine has on the upper cooling hose to the radiator a extra small hose to the coolant reservoir. What to do with that?
If you need to make another connection to one of the pipes, for your extra hose, you could probably make up a T-junction piece from copper plumbing fittings. They come in a lot of different sizes and size adaptations.
Hi mate, i have just buyed and 2005 MG ZS 1.4cc and i want to change the engine to the 1.8cc ( From MG too ) what i need to do? And if so, do the same that you show in the video?
Far easier to sell that and buy a 1.8 ZS instead.
In Portugal MG didn´t sell ZS with that engine... only 1.4 1.6. and 2.0 diesel
If i want 1.8 i need to buy one from a crashed ZR or something
Ok. I see. I haven’t done it myself but I think people on forums have, often putting the 1.8 turbo engine in or the 2.0 T series turbo engine in, from the rover 620ti. There is a fair bit of work involved to do with ECU, engine mounts, maybe gearbox/diff differences. Search on MGRover forums for details from someone who has done it.
Do you recomend me a 6gear or a 5gear if i put 1.8T ( k series) in it?
With the new head bolts, do you use the k series torque settings or do you use n series torque settings?
N-series torque settings with the 10.9 head bolts and n-series gasket.
@@comeinhandynow is LVB500190 the correct part number for the n series gasket? Thanks
@@amana1480 There are some buying links in the video description section. LVB90025A I believe.
I wish you could work on my rover 214 sei 90000 on the clock I think my hg has just gone, I am the second owner of the car and as far as I’m aware the previous owner (84 years old) never had the head gasket change he purchased the 214 from New in 1995 lol
depends what symptoms you have? other problems can give similar symptoms. Could be a simple as getting a new expansion tank cap.
Be careful where you get your N series gaskets from, folks - there’s some dubious quality ones around where the black coating (etch bonded PTFE?) just looks like paint :-/ One of the Lotus guys over on SELOC has posted about one of these failing in 650 miles!
Thanks
Please what is the degree torque wrench, Written on the screw 10.9 .Does this degree mean 135 deg or 180 deg On the tool (torque wrench )?Please.
Head bolt torque settings for 10.9 bolts and new n series gasket with stronger oil rail: 20Nm + 180 degrees + 135 degrees
@@comeinhandynow Isn' it: 20Nm + 180 degrees + 180 degrees ??
@@DeepRacer-zr4yp Nope, not for this gasket.
Hello, will this "N" gasket fit the K series engine year 1996, mine just went bad after 18 years of using the car...
Yep, the 16 valves ones, just not the 8v or VVC type ones I believe.
A very late reply - the gasket will fit all 16 valve K series, but I think your 1996 engine will have the pressed steel sump which does not allow the uprated oil rail to fit.
Is that a Rover 25? Did you drop the one side of engine on cam belt side. The same as you would on a Rover 75?
It’s a mg rover 45 / ZS. Yes drop the engine when the engine mount is off on that side to get to the crank bolt.
@@comeinhandynow I have to change head gasket on my 25 but have not decided what to do with the liners o the 75. Would it be best to remove the engine block out of the 75 or leave it in? I'm in two minds with the 75
@@comeinhandynow small amounts of emulsified oil in coolant expansion bottle is more than likely a head gasket failure you think?
@@spencerburrows3525 I would do it with the block in place.
@@spencerburrows3525 Definitely
Can someone point me to the original guide about the thermostat swap that he mentions? I could only find this video doing it and the installation is not shown so i'm afraid of screwing up when buying things if i decide to get to it because i'm currently running my car with the thermostat completely deleted for now (better to run cold than it blowing up)
www.mg-rover.org/threads/prt-installation-into-rover-200-400.183507/
Rover 25 1.4 when change head gasket is nessery change longe bolts?
I remember reading that as long as they haven’t stretched over their length specification then they can be reused. You might need to search for the spec online or in the workshop manual. Or just play safe and replace them.
The Original "Through" Bolts on the K-Series are made to a very fine engineering high standard using high grade metal material. It is extremely rare that they need changing unless abused or damaged. I have reused those Through Bolts on over ten K-Series Head Gasket Renewals and never had problems. Several K-Series cars still in the family's daily driver use and friends' cars now no problems after ten plus years. All now showing 100,000 miles plus. Some rather more miles. I have known someone renewing those bolts when doing a Head Gasket on his Rover and they were of inferior quality to the old ones he removed from his car. A very fine engine the K-Series in all its forms. Reliable if regular checks and TLC is followed as recommended by ALL car manufacturers. Easy to work on for even the average DIYer. Another plus point.
Ive got a head leaking oil on a 1.6 renault clio, garage are trying to make me pay £1200 to repair, surely thats way too much money ?
It does seem a lot. Maybe look for a cheaper mobile mechanic? It also depends where it is leaking from. Always cheaper to fix yourself....
Hi there mate my mgzr 1.4 was running ok parked it up whent to start it after a week it had hydrolocked so I took out the the spark plugs and turned it over do you rekon I could get away with a new head gasket or new engine what do you think thanks lee
Probably head gasket. You will know when you get it off and easier than a new engine.
comeinhandynow thank you very much
is this the same engine as the mgtf 1,8 as I want to do this, thank you, graham.
Yes. Good luck.
An interesting read for further historical details about the k series www.aronline.co.uk/engines/k-series-engine/
That link is out of date.
Thanks, it’s updated now. Also here ebay.us/8ARiMU
Does anyone know if this adds more bhp
Cleaning out the combustion chamber and ports will help a bit, but not much. This is mainly about improving reliability.
Head gasket reference please.
In video description:
“ The n series head gasket is currently on eBay UK, the link is below. If it gets out of date, drop me a comment and I'll update it.
ebay.to/2xYtoBa
“
It is part LVB90025A
The link don't work. I need one Nseries head gasket but don't know where I buy one.
@@NunoBXM That's odd as it still works for me. It must be dependant on the country you are in. Try google searching on that part number instead, hopefully you will find a supplier.
Does this apply to the rover 214? Got a 2000' with 149k km recently. Its got a bit of an oil leak but no other issues
It does apply, although the smaller engines are a bit less prone to problems due to less heat and power. The elastomer based head gaskets are the main problem.
@@comeinhandynow hopefully I don't get problems with these because mainly I use the car for short trips so and it doesnt heat up that much
@@comeinhandynow heck i jinxed myself headgasket started failing :( about 100 bucks to get it replaced but idk if I can instead find these newer parts in my country. Shipping would be like 3 times the price from uk or something.
is there a torque setting for the cam carrier bolts or just do them up in right order
You have to do them in the right order and to a specified torque. Best to check in the Haynes workshop manual, or google for a rover one.
@@comeinhandynow thanks i look it up as got to swap a cam out tomorrow
@@SteveSmith-hh5zf I have two brand new std cams I’m about to put on ebay, If your interested...
@@comeinhandynow i have a set of cams i removed from a mg f engine for my mg zr as the recon head i fittedwas from a pre 2000 car and didnt have the trigger lobe for the cam sensor
@@SteveSmith-hh5zfI had the same issue. The cams I’ve got are the old sort without the cam lobe as well. From a new head (but old style) I had to swop out the cams to my old ones for the same reason. BTW there are a few subtle differences in the head on pre 2000 ones. Be careful about plugging unused holes and sealing up new ones around the tensioner mount positions. I mention a few tips in my k-series do’s and don’t video uploaded a few months ago.
Hey,i have rover 200 1.6 16v 82kw 1997
130.000km
Question
Head gasket gone wrong when you kicking car all times in red line?or is that factory failure?
Thank sorry for my english im from croatia
There are certainly better gaskets now compared to when some of these were made, so some is a design issue. Revving to high revs from cold could lead to rapid temperature changes across the block and and maybe some distortion which may possibly contribute to early failure. Revving high once warmed up shouldn’t be a problem for the gasket.
@@comeinhandynow thanks man i buy car yesterday and owner say he never repair head gasket but i dont se leak or something like that car have 130.000km and it goes like rocket
@@baggerfahrerlaky4740 Great. Enjoy. It's a good light powerful engine.
How to make a Rover Reliable in 2 steps ...1st scrap the Rover... Step 2 get a other Car from a other Brand
You would be surprised how many other cars have head gasket failures, just look on ebay for cars for sale spares or repair. Lots of other brands, Japanese, German etc having head gaskets going. Besides that k-series has many other advantages over other engines such as power, economy, weight, quick warm up, high revs that make it worth the effort of improving.
@@comeinhandynow i got the Rj and its a mess never had so many proplems with a car from a other brand
@@morsetsk I have. Company cars supplied had numerous issues before 50,000 miles of Company car hard use. Needed half-engines or steering racks etc ... you name it. When given a choice, my Company Rovers I chose were far more reliable subjected to the same level of hard company car use. I recently helped and advised my nephew to find a nice MGTF as his weekend fun driver. He casually let slip his German car needed £1000 plus to renew his clutch and flywheel when that broke up. A friend and neighbour used to jokingly castigate me for my choice of British cars with frequent reminders that "You cannot beat German engineering and reliability"... He NEVER does that now, NEVER. Not since his son came over and told me his uber-Expensive Porsche engine caught fire and self-destructed on the nearby Motorway leaving him stranded on the hard shoulder.. Porsche Dad later told me how much impact that had on his wallet. The repair total was more than I paid in total for my new MG ZS 120 ( like the one in the video ) on the road NEW price! Still in daily use after seventeen years and never needed to renew it Cylinder Head gasket. Mind you, I lift the bonnet and check things as all car manufacturers recommend car users should do. Trouble is, few do that. AA/RAC rescue call out stats confirm this time and again.
.... And buy a stupid German car..... Boring.... And Merkel is ugly!!
@@dellavega2568 Oh yeah audi is good....merkel ..ähm i am not German :D an what have she to do with cars?!
you dont mention the oil rail at all
Watch the video! It’s at time 33:24
Scrap engine
Why?! The car was great after this. Was owned in the family for 2 years after this and still going with an enthusiast.