Freelander uprated hg set

Was thinking of changing the head gasket on my 1.8 as I heard they are a very common fail and there is a uprated kit, My engine has done 100k. I have no idea if it have ever been done in its lifetime! There is no symptoms of hg failure now however.
Is it just a case of stripping it down and replacing all the seals along the way or will I have to get the head skimmed to?
Any advice will be welcome.

Check if it has a plastic thermostat in the coolant hoses ic so may have already been done

jocarl011 said:

Was thinking of changing the head gasket on my 1.8 as I heard they are a very common fail and there is a uprated kit, My engine has done 100k. I have no idea if it have ever been done in its lifetime! There is no symptoms of hg failure now however.
Is it just a case of stripping it down and replacing all the seals along the way or will I have to get the head skimmed to?
Any advice will be welcome.

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If you are worried, change it before it fails. Use the latest kit with the MLS, stronger bolts, steel dowels and improved oil rail.
If the head face is undamaged, there's no need to skim it.

also new cambelt as you are disturbing it, and wise to fit a new water pump as well, and prt thermostat system unless already fitted.

Nodge68 said:

If the head face is undamaged, there's no need to skim it.

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it would help if it was flat though!

check with a steel rule and feeler guage

Parts aren't that expensive.

its just the time it takes. i re lapped/ground the valves into the head after i replaced the valve stem oil seals and it took me hours to lap all 16 and at that point would have killed for it being 8v

All in all though if it goes again i now know what to do and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Although i would make sure i had a better method of lapping valves and the proper cam locking tool.