ok... rebuilt with metal hg and it leaks water upon rebuild

and finally got the hippo rebuilt , filled with fluids and


its poured its coolant from the top of the block near the alternator....

as well as the water pump area , not to bothered about that as thats easier to fix but its drained the header

anyone else had this and mores the point

any ideas ?

Either head not seated or polymer gasket missing from head gasket along leading edge

Was the head skimmed?

freelance said:

Either head not seated or polymer gasket missing from head gasket along leading edge

Click to expand...

I work for an engine parts supply company and we just last week had a faulty head gasket returned to us the sealant one one corner around the water jacket hole had become detatatched . It wasn't a Freelander gasket but it does happen every now and then it may be worth checking

**** load of work to check gasket tho!!

What do you mean by "metal gasket" ?
I've seen MLS gaskets leak at the head face lots of times. So often, I no longer use them. I only use the Payen elastopolimer gasket. It's pretty guaranteed to seal without an issue.

took off, rebuilt again with a camtec FK513 and filled with fluids before belts etc fired (just in case) and all working ..

contacted the company i got metal layer and now on the we never sold a faulty please give invoices to substantiate claim high horse....

will time up and batten down the engine tomorrow all being well .... fingers crossed...

Nodge68 said:

What do you mean by "metal gasket" ?
I've seen MLS gaskets leak at the head face lots of times. So often, I no longer use them. I only use the Payen elastopolimer gasket. It's pretty guaranteed to seal without an issue.

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Would it have to be a Payen gasket?, or would an Genuine MG/Rover elastopolimer gasket be just as good?

smnbyt said:

Would it have to be a Payen gasket?, or would an Genuine MG/Rover elastopolimer gasket be just as good?

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If the genuine gasket has blue a elastopolymer bead then yes it will be fine.

Nodge68 said:

If the genuine gasket has blue a elastopolymer bead then yes it will be fine.

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Damn, I've just bought one with an Orange bead on it. So it wont be suitable??

This one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ROVER-K-SERIES-GENUINE-HEAD-GASKET-/161570059967?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item259e5376bf

smnbyt said:

Damn, I've just bought one with an Orange bead on it. So it wont be suitable??

This one

MG ROVER K-SERIES GENUINE HEAD GASKET | eBay

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Orange elastopolymer should last as long as the original gasket. So 60 to 70,000 miles. Fit a PRT thermostat and the steel dowels and it should outlast the car.

Nodge68 said:

Orange elastopolymer should last as long as the original gasket. So 60 to 70,000 miles. Fit a PRT thermostat and the steel dowels and it should outlast the car.

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Phew... I've got the remote thermostat and the steel dowels on it already, it's got a mls gasket And the modified rail at the moment which has just started to weep a bit on the front. Proberly about 1/4 pint a month.

Just to pick your brains a little more, which brand of head bolts would you recommend?

Thank you for your advice

thats similar to one 2nd one that i have used that actually works ( well doesn't pour coolant out )

with mls everything has to be within a really tight tolerance. as said, the elasto type are a lot more forgiving.

so it mightn't have been faulty, but your engine might be a bit out of spec after all these years of use.

Nodge68 said:

Orange elastopolymer should last as long as the original gasket. So 60 to 70,000 miles. Fit a PRT thermostat and the steel dowels and it should outlast the car.

Click to expand...

i dropped on 3 of these for £1 + £8 delivery after asking whats what and being informed the ML HG 'may' be an issue itself,so i bought these and glad i did as it poured out never mine 1/4 pint a week....

re set the water pump and thats stopped weeping, will check in the morning now and re set the timing belt up, but its better than the metal one as I've not lost 4l of red coolant

FREELANDER 1.8 K SERIES UPRATED HEAD GASKET SET + BOLTS | eBay

was too hard a gasket , it was replacing one already fitted, and now i just hope it works as the only engine i had planned was a 2003 and as i found its coil packed and difference ECU to my Mk1 .... so hopefully a better day tomorrow and a happy hippo

gt4thug said:

i dropped on 3 of these for £1 + £8 delivery after asking whats what and being informed the ML HG 'may' be an issue itself,so i bought these and glad i did as it poured out never mine 1/4 pint a week....

re set the water pump and thats stopped weeping, will check in the morning now and re set the timing belt up, but its better than the metal one as I've not lost 4l of red coolant

Click to expand...

"...dropped 3 of these...What are the "these" you refer to?


'Re set the water pump' - was that removed and refitted it again? I use a thin bead of engine sealant to bed the water pump's O ring seal into - reduces the risk of it slipping as you offer it to its position.