Head Gasket Failure

Oh dear. Had the car five months and I've a horrible feeling the head gasket just blew, on the way back from dropping the kids off for their bus to school.

It started overheating about five miles into the return journey. Managed to get it home without going into the red but when I get the bonnet it's dumped all of its coolant.

This is after fitting the new remote stat and hoses.

Typically this is on a day when the wife's car is in the garage for a service and cambelt change. Haven't worked out how I'm going to collect them from the bus tonight yet. Probably borrow a friend's car.

Only good thing about it is that I have all the parts and the experience to replace the head gasket myself. Just don't really have the time. Guess I'll have to find that now though.

sorry to hear it. new MLS gasket should stop it happening again. best o luck

IT WONT! - MLS failures are now occurring - even with a new rail- so fix and get shot.

The Mad Hat Man said:

IT WONT! - MLS failures are now occurring - even with a new rail- so fix and get shot.

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Who, when, where, what, why?

Sounds like the head warpage and liner height might not have been checked.

Even the porosity of the head is few and far between

When i had my last hgf i put that new MLS gasket and also new head and bolts and the most important thing: resealed the liners in the block using a specific sealant. Liners were all in the same height as the book says but when the engine was hot 2 of them was dancing! It was very hard to identify the problem when engine was cold.
Im 30K klms since then and still running fine.

here
and
here
and
here
and
here

i aint saying it as common - but it DOES happen - get shot.

Thanks everyone. When I bought it the guy told he it had had a new head gasket. Maybe they'd fitted the old single layer variety, or hadn't resealed it properly?

I've already got a full head gasket replacement kit in the shed (including the MLS gasket and sealant), but was hoping not to have had to use it quite so soon.

The Mad Hat Man said:

here
and
here
and
here
and
here

i aint saying it as common - but it DOES happen - get shot.

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Ok cheers for the links, I'd recognise that MG-Rover.org background anytime

The cbr Freelander member mentions the LR garage doing the work. I remember someone on here from Scotland saying they had the same problem, is it the same person? different forum? He only has 7 posts

After hearing what HC (wont mention full member name) went through with a wrongly diagnosed rad and misplaced PRT hoses, I wouldnt be surprised if some spotty 16yr old fitted the MLS and didnt bother his ass to check all tolerances.

My LR dealer couldnt diagnose faulty inlet gasket, despite me telling them it was pinking.

Keith8000_0 says he did the work himself, I wouldnt want to dispute the work of an individual (probably more competent than the LR dealers) although it just takes one of the bolts to be torqued incorrectly and expansion of the gases from the fire ring is possible. Did he clean the mating faces properly with acetone? If not then the gasket wouldnt bond properly

He doesnt mention if PRT or a new standard stat were fitted during the first fix. Did he even check the stat opening temp I wonder?

Bottom line..........It may well have been possible, too early to tell.

Ambriel said:

Thanks everyone. When I bought it the guy told he it had had a new head gasket. Maybe they'd fitted the old single layer variety, or hadn't resealed it properly?

I've already got a full head gasket replacement kit in the shed (including the MLS gasket and sealant), but was hoping not to have had to use it quite so soon.

Click to expand...

You can check for the MLS tab, its directly above the serial numbers, dont have my key drive on me today to attach the pic, heres the link.......

Tab for MLS gasket - MG-Rover.org Community Gallery

george_k said:

When i had my last hgf i put that new MLS gasket and also new head and bolts and the most important thing: resealed the liners in the block using a specific sealant.

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Ew! I didn't really want to have to lift the liners out, if possible.

My only point was that it has happened - it aint a cure-all. Good luck Ambriel - i hope it aint HGF - but with a petrol Hippoo yu get paranoic anyways - get rid and get a td4 - or at least a doozil.

Ambriel said:

Ew! I didn't really want to have to lift the liners out, if possible.

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It was really easy to lift the liners out.. The hardest thing was to clean well enough the bottom of the engine block for resealing the liners and let them bond for a day before engine reassembly. We use a Hylomar engine block sealant.

Ambriel said:

Ew! I didn't really want to have to lift the liners out, if possible.

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You shouldnt have to, liners neednt be touched unless they have become unseated. This is only the case if the crank is rotated when the head bolts are loosened.

Once you set the timing marks, its straight forward., the crank is left well alone until you refit the timing belt and allign all the marks

Plus liners have to be tapped out which is a complete engine out job, its not necessary

The Mad Hat Man said:

My only point was that it has happened - it aint a cure-all. Good luck Ambriel - i hope it aint HGF - but with a petrol Hippoo yu get paranoic anyways - get rid and get a td4 - or at least a doozil.

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Yeah, almost bought a td4 auto before this one but it was about £3k more and I didn't have it to spend at the time. Wish I'd extended the o/d now.

Ah well, you live and learn.

Oh, and deffo the HG. Mayo all round the bottom of the dipstick.

Cheers
Gary

Northern Irelander said:

You shouldnt have to, liners neednt be touched unless they have become unseated. This is only the case if the crank is rotated when the head bolts are loosened.

Once you set the timing marks, its straight forward., the crank is left well alone until you refit the timing belt and allign all the marks

Plus liners have to be tapped out which is a complete engine out job, its not necessary

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Thanks, that's a relief. I've read how the engine can't be turned once the through bolts are out so was intending to line it all up first anyway. I'll lob a new timing belt on at the same time.

Cheers
Gary

Northern Irelander said:

You can check for the MLS tab, its directly above the serial numbers, dont have my key drive on me today to attach the pic, heres the link.......

Tab for MLS gasket - MG-Rover.org Community Gallery

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Thanks for the link. I can't see down there too well with the engine in situ, but going from feel there's no protruding tab so I guess that suggests only an SLS gasket was fitted last time.

I wonder how on earth LR is still not able to give an effective solution for thousands of tortured owners of bloody K series freelander around the world.
I live thousand miles away from UK and every single car owner i know cross his fingers when listens the words: LR-Free..... plus the resale value is so ridiculous which gettin us keep it an pay. They should provide at least another replacement petrol engine.
What you guys in UK see about the case?

Just trawling the 'net this morning and I came across this very informative piece on the K series engine and its various failings. It's from an MGF site but the engine (and its problems) are the same.

MGF (K Series) Head Gasket Developments - The MG Owners' Club

OK the new head bolts have now arrived so I pulled the Hippo through under the lean-to and started stripping her down.

There's a bit of mayo under the camshaft cover but none at all in the oil around the camshafts themselves. I'm taking that as a good sign.

I haven't aligned the cams and crank yet but I'll do that before loosening the head bolts. I want to make sure it's good and cold first, to reduce the chance of warping.

Speaking of head bolts, can anyone confirm the size of the star drive socket I'll need to remove and re-fit them? I don't have any of these so can't offer one up to check, and want to be sure before I go and order one.

{Later...}

It's ok, I've done a bit of Googling and it looks like it's a size E12 star socket. Just about to order one from Ebay.

Ambriel said:

It's ok, I've done a bit of Googling and it looks like it's a size E12 star socket. Just about to order one from Ebay.

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Yes E12 from memory, you need the female torx sockets for the propshaft, if you ever remove it, might as well get the set