The K-Series Engine head gasket failure at the MGF / TF |
| Most important prevention terms against the so called HGF: |
| - Check before you order any coolant system works whether your workshop knows what to notice immidiately. Coolant Bleed Instructions -
Take care on the coolant level in the expansion tank, special after all
works at the coolant system -
Never run the cold engine above 3000 revs until you have got 90° Oil
Temperature on the dial - Never fill the expansion tank above 1 cm over the seam lead - Never park the car just with a hot engine after a hot ride but let it cool down to 100° Oil temperature before you shut down the engine. - old MGF 120bhp with plastic manifold must get in the green coloured inlet manifold gasket to prevent the negine from coolant loss. - Take care on the regular change sequence for cam belt AND the cam belt tensioner (60k mls or 5 years, whatever happens first) - MGF until MGTF only, upgrade the under bonnet fuses for the radiator fan and A/C fan (if installed) ). (15Amp to 20Amp) - MGF /TF before VIN 4D632424, get the new design coolant header tank with sensor to your coolant system -
MGF / TF before VIN 4D620xx get in the pressure relief thermostat (PRT)
see alternative at Dave M.
or here |
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 The new is a competition gasket |
| Jons
VVC got a HGF. The repair with the competition HGlasted only 3000km. Something went wrong. Then it happened unfortionately again. When he turned the ignition off after driving home from work a cloud of steam came from the engine compartment. |
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| The gasket is visible as small brown stripe. The view of the leak is "as seen from above" (if that was possible). | ||
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| Thickness of firerings 1.6mm | Endstrips 1.45mm | I did try to remove the strips by drilling out the spot welds on an old gasket and it was fairly easy. |
| The head is off. The enclosed pictures tell the story. I measured the thickness of the fire rings. They are 1.6mm. The end strips are 1.45mm. The end plates have apparentlys not been tensioned between the head and the engine block because they have apparently been rubbing against the surfaces. | ||
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Jon thinks the reason for this failure is that there was still oil remaining in the cooling system from the last HGF. Back then the system was flushed with clean water and I was told not to carry out any further cleaning. This time he'll try to find a cooling system cleaning chemical that is able to dissolve oil and do a proper clening before re-fill the system with antifreeze mixture. |
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| Right
now I'm undecided whether I should take the chance on modification by
taking off the side strips or just put the new gasket in as is. |
The
engine is ready for assembly. If I just had any further references on
the end strip mod I's sure be willing to try it. |
A
spare engine Rover 75, I think. This engine also has a blown head gasket. I measured the head-to-block distance which was 1.3mm which is 1/10mm less than the thickness of the end strips on my old gasket. |
| I
cling to the theory that the oil in the cylinder head has done damage
to the replaced gasket seals. Or even acted as an heat insulator thus creating hot spots. Pictures courtesy Jon Fredheim/Norway |
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| Some
more pictures from other cars 
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 picture courtesy BANXX |
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picture courtesy Rüdiger Ewerth/La Palma |
| A modified
gasket from Raceline
is availiable for 150 quid. Made from thin spring steel layers without
any silicon rubber. See for their Elise Supersteel gasket |
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| Hall
of shame
MGFs Cylinder Head Gasket Failure mg enthusiasts hgf_june_- september.htm written 1999 to the MG Enthusiasts BBS Gasket
changed !! (08/2001) Raceline Steel Gasket Supersteel" head gasket at $150 Elring Article about new technology gaskets (added Jan 5, 2002) some interesting stuff about measures etc. from another User of the Rover K-Engine, dated 2004 More stuff written
to the MG Enthusiasts BBS Back to MG Enthusiasts' BBS |
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News
December 2009 News March 2008 News 2006,
January 31. |
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pictures courtesy (Dr.) Dave ......... , see the original thread at mg-rover.org Forum Land Rover have redesigned the K series 1.8 head gasket and upgraded the lower rail that the head bolts screw into. The head gasket has lost it's elastomeric beads and now has a laminated type of construction and the lower rail is beefed up - it must have an effect upon the clamping load. Head torque figures remain unchanged. Picture three shows the very thin metal coated shim that is fitted on top of the headgasket. http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&a=&p=emg/mgfheadgasket.html <<< MGOC members only :( |
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| http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&a=&p=emg/mgfheadgasp1.html | |||
| http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&a=&p=emg/mgfheadgasp2.html | |||
| http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&a=&p=emg/mgfheadgasketfailure.html | |||
| http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&a=&p=emg/mgfheadgasketpart4.html | |||
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http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&a=&p=emg/headgasketfailurep5.html |
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| the Video | |||
| Tims MG-HG-Replacement Guide (Trophy 160 SE) | |||
| Cylinder liner position Cylinder liner position is the distance that the liner protrudes above or is below the face of the cylinder block. Liners can be level with or 0.075mm (0.003in) above the face of the block. If the liners have dropped below the block face, the engine must be replaced. |
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back or to my MGF home site www.MGFcar.de
| © 1999 - 2011 Dieter Koennecke |
 
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