Freelander 1 1.8 Head Gasket - replacement

Hi,
Is there a 'pictorial' of "how to" and "what to" do to remove the head from a 2005 1.8 Landy anywhere on this site?
Thanks

Probably, you could try Youtube too. It's actually not that difficult. Do you have good quality parts to put it back together? [inlet & exhaust gasket, coolant pump, thermostat, cam belt & tensioner, head bolts, oil & filter, OAT coolant, spark plugs & air and oil filters] Which H'gasket you use depends on if the liners are level or proud of the block. All proud and close in equal height = MLS, some proud and some level [flush] = newer design elastopolimer [payen BW750]

Hope that helps.

Just an after thought, tools. That cam locking tool is pretty handy. Other than that you'll need a socket set, torque wrench and a torx socket for the head bolts 14mm iirc.

Read everything you can find for at least a week before starting, watch videos on youtube. Loads of threads on here, just use the search button. Check out the MG Rover forums too as apart from the VVC engine they are pretty much the same.

Thanks Alibro / HTR, useful advice. Have a Cam locking tool, but was considering a Crank locking tool so I can undo the crank main pulley, as I assume I'll need to remove to change to cam belt, is that a correct assumption (does the pulley need a puller to remove it as well?). Reading the Haynes manual, suggests lining up the timing marks at the top of the crank cover, and ignoring the TDC markings on the left side of the crank cover (so as to ensure all the pistols are in the midway position) and won't damaged the valves if rotating the cams to get access to the head bolts.....views appreciated

I use a buzz gun so getting the pulley nut of is easy. To release without a gun, just put the box in 5th and get a helper to stand on the brakes, but set engine so the top marks line up first. When the pulley is loose, turn the pulley the top timing marks line up again (out of gear while turning) and completely remove the bolt. The pulley will then just fall off. It's only held by the bolt and locate with a pip.
Once the pulley is off, you'll see the cam timing marks (2 dots) which should be between the cast in pointer. That's where the crank stays until the head goes back on. Don't turn the crank with the head removed, or a liner will lift.

As I won't have access to a buzz gun, wouldn't it be better to loosen the main crank pulley bolt, as the very first job, before dismantling anything else then?

AFS1 said:

As I won't have access to a buzz gun, wouldn't it be better to loosen the main crank pulley bolt, as the very first job, before dismantling anything else then?

Click to expand...

You can loosen the crank pulley bolt before anything else for sure. It can be a bugger to shift sometimes, and others not.

Highly reccomend breaking the pulley bolt as the first thing you do

It's probably the toughest bit of the whole job, get it out of the way and you know that you shouldn't have any more high torque issues.

If your liners are proud, personally I'd use the N series kit which contains all the parts from the next gen K series back in production.

If you pull the head off and find there's an MLS already in there, I highly reccomend spending the time to drop the sump and the oil rail - on mine someone had used higher tensile bolts and the oil rail was cracked to all hell. I was taking it off anyway as part of the N series kit, but I had no idea how bad it was till I saw the cracks.

Overall though, the K series is a very simple engine, straightforwards job - just remember to use an anerobic sealant when you put the cam ladder back on - do /not/ use silicone sealant

Oh, also if you intend to take the water pump off, flatly smack the bolt heads with a small hammer first, otherwise they may shear.

Have a read of this
https://awj99.wordpress.com/rover-k-series-the-ultimate-head-gasket-replacement/

B34R said:

Highly reccomend breaking the pulley bolt as the first thing you do

It's probably the toughest bit of the whole job, get it out of the way and you know that you shouldn't have any more high torque issues.

If your liners are proud, personally I'd use the N series kit which contains all the parts from the next gen K series back in production.

If you pull the head off and find there's an MLS already in there, I highly reccomend spending the time to drop the sump and the oil rail - on mine someone had used higher tensile bolts and the oil rail was cracked to all hell. I was taking it off anyway as part of the N series kit, but I had no idea how bad it was till I saw the cracks.

Overall though, the K series is a very simple engine, straightforwards job - just remember to use an anerobic sealant when you put the cam ladder back on - do /not/ use silicone sealant

Click to expand...

Thanks for all this helpful info. I assume the sealant on the cam ladder is to stop oil seeping out or down into the spark plug holes?

You don't have to take the cam ladder off for a HG change unless it is leaking before you start. A Clarke 240V rattle gun is only around £65.

I agree with Alibro, you don't need to take the ladder off when doing the gasket unless it's leaking

Orrrrr.... if you don't trust the last set of monkeys that worked on your car (or paranoid like me) some digging is always good!

I had a top end rattle, pulled the ladder off to find this:


Previous chimp had used silicone sealant to stop a leak, and it was now blocking the main cam bearings.

A lot of this is about how much you want to prod and poke at it, if you're in "oh ffs, just need the car back" mode it can be done real quickly, but it might be worth pulling a few bits and pieces together while you're doing it and putting it back together in as clean state as you can be bothered with

The above is the ladder, the bit the oil runs through to the various moving bits of the head, also acts as the other half of the bearing shells for the cams, it bolts to the head that looks flat when it's off!


If you do whip the ladder off there's a correct way to put it back on


When I went to pull the old oil rail off the bottom of the engine, it was full of cracks running through it:



And of course, the reason for all of my leaks

Some eejit hadn't used coolant or anything like that and the MLS gasket had rotted.

B34R, really, really useful. Thanks. Being somewhat OCD (according to the other half), I'll likely take it completely apart and check/clean all I can. Also (assuming piston liners in tolerance) will go for the new N series HG kit, so will replace the oil rail to benefit from the greater torque on the new head bolts.. Thanks again

Well, finally got around to taking the head off the 2005 Freelander 1, with 70k on the clock (genuine). The head gasket dowels are steel and the head gasket itself is single layer with a rubberised edge - see attached pic. Is this likely to be the original fitted by Landrover, or a replacement by a previous owner?

That is indeed a fairly standard looking gasket, they weren't very substantial!

Thanks for that. Have measured the liners they are all in-line with each other, and are ALL flush with the block deck. Have been told an MLS HG is not suitable and that for MLS the liners need to be 3k or more above the block deck. If this is the case, then I am back to fitting a HG with a form of plastiser such as the Payen BW750 (blue). Anyone got any views, suggestions or other ideas?
One advantage of fitting a Payen would mean I do not then have to drop the sump to change to oil rail..... for the uprated torque settings on the 'N' series replacement HG! Plus it will no doubt be a cheaper option - just a case of its longevity......

I've heard many good things about the Payen on here.

I'd fit the Payne but in the end I don't think it will make all that much difference to how long it lasts. If you do a good job it should last another 50 to 60k, a poor job will only last 10 to 20k regardless of what you fit. Clean all the surfaces carefully with a scotch pad and something like diesel or Plusgas, the alloy is pretty soft so is easily scratched with a blade. If your happy the car didn't overheat I would use a good straight edge to check the head for flatness and if all good bolt it back on, don't skim a head that doesn't need it.

Peoples, I need your expert help again. I'm carefully cleaning the cylinder head and noticed that the two dowel holes had retained oil in them, but when I cleaned/drained this out, one end (timing belt end) has a small oil hole (about 1/2 the size of the dowel hole) in the bottom, obviously for pumping the oil through the steel dowel from the block. The other (gearbox end) appears to just be a dowel hole, with no hole for oil to pass through. Is this right? Can't find anything about the dowel holes etc. in the w/shop manual (not helpful at all!). Appreciate any advice before putting the head back on...... Thanks