K-Series head gasket advice

Help please. I had a mechanic replace a head gasket on my 1.8 Freelander (K-series) and it lasted 500 miles. The head was skimmed and pressure tested. I think that he MAY have fitted it incorrectly and MAY not have followed the correct refitting procedures. The first head gasket went at 40000, I had 20000 miles out if it and then it went at 60000, this mechanic replace the gasket and other parts eg thermostat. and it lasted only 500 miles. After taking nearly £500 he refuses to accept any responsibility and blames the liners (which he hasn't physically checked). If I get the head pressure tested again and it is OK, how easy is it to determine whether the liners are at fault? Can this be checked by visual inspection or by some other means. Thanks J

burn it out and shoot the mechanic...

piccies please...we like piccies..

Are you sure it has gone again? Or could it be something else.
Was this done at a garage or just someone you know.
If it was a garage then go to your local citezens advice and see what they sugest.

For a start £500 for a head gasket on a K series is a lot of money, did he use a standard type gasket or a multi layer steel gasket? the standard one are worse than useless and have had them fail in less than 500 miles. Ive never had a problem with the liners on these engines and ive done loads of them. I don't charge anything like £500 either, and i give one year 10,000 mile guarantee

oldskool said:

For a start £500 for a head gasket on a K series is a lot of money, did he use a standard type gasket or a multi layer steel gasket? the standard one are worse than useless and have had them fail in less than 500 miles. Ive never had a problem with the liners on these engines and ive done loads of them. I don't charge anything like £500 either, and i give one year 10,000 mile guarantee

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only enough time for them to sell it on then.

Pleeeeeez :search:. Its been covered ad nausiam on here and just about every other lr forum. Liner height is critical - if he didnt even check them then he is a scamming cowboy that needs to be named, shamed and taken to the cleaners!

howardo said:

only enough time for them to sell it on then.

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How long a guaretee would you give/or expect??

The Mad Hat Man said:

Pleeeeeez :search:. Its been covered ad nausiam on here and just about every other lr forum. Liner height is critical - if he didnt even check them then he is a scamming cowboy that needs to be named, shamed and taken to the cleaners!

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Can we have a sticky on overheating 1.8 k series please.

Reason I ask is it's same **** different day, yes the uprated kit is supposed to be better (it's not) yes they suffer liner problems as well and are generally a pile of ****e.

We hsve a sticky - several actually - look in the Q and A section. There is a ginormous treatise on it - if only peeps can be bothered.

the uprated kit is supposed to be better (it's not)

Yes it is.