Head Gasket - HELP!

[R829FWS]

I knew it was going to happen sooner or later but that day has now arrived!

Been told the liner may have dropped on number 2 cylinder, would this be right?

Engine (VVC) has done about 60k, I've found a firm in Basildon, who will supply and fit and recon for £1395 + vat, comes with a 2 year guarantee. The company is called Engear, any body heard anything (good or bad) about them?

Chris

[Dell]

Hi

Not sure where you are but if you are talking Basildon in Essex which I am sure you are having googled the company you mention you would be better off contacting Steve Tyler on the link below he comes highly recommended & is also one of the moderators on this board.

http://www.britishlegends.co.uk/

[Tim.]

I would have thought £1395 is a keen price for supply and fit. Compares favourably with a HG job at maybe £500+.
How do you know the liner has dropped, measurement or supposition. I'd be making sure it has dropped before going down the engine replacement route.

[R829FWS]

My local guy says that he has taken a measurement, where from I'm not too sure, is only a very small movement.

£1395 has risen to £1604 inc vat.

I'm begining to think that car isn't worth it, anyone any ideas ot thoughts?

Don't get me wrong, I love the car, been a member of the MGCC for 25+ years and always driven midgets and B's and would get another but thebody needs a good tidy up as well as the rear window needing replacement and the shocker bushes as well!

[Reckless Rat]

I would imagine that the only way to verify whether a liner has dropped is to have taken the head off - has this been done? If not, he's spinning you a line.

[adrianclifford]

Chris, you have been given good advice by Dell. If you are contacting a company in Basildon, the link he has given you is only five miles further along the A127 towards Southend. The garage in mention, British Legends, is owned and run by Steve Tyler who is also a member of the Club and he looks after all of our cars in the essex roadsters group very well, there is no loss in a telephone call 01702 511123.

Adrian

[R829FWS]

He did the measurement by using a drop bar thru the plug hole.

He says that it has dropped by 10 thou, I'm not sure if this is acceptable or not?

[Tim.]

The liners should stand proud of the block by 2 to 4 thou. If its dropped 10 thou its way out and U/S. However, I don't believe you can measure it through the plug hole. There's a small matter of the gasket and fire ring in the way.

Its just possible to do it with a feeler gauge but this is the proper way of doing it with a DTI and bridge




edited re David's post

[David Clelland]

The liners should stand proud of the head by 2 to 4 thou.

Should that not be "...proud of the Block.....".

[Tim.]

The liners should stand proud of the head by 2 to 4 thou.

Should that not be "...proud of the Block.....".

Yup

[R829FWS]

Seems I'm getting confused!

The measurement he has taken is on the piston at TDC and it's 10 thou lower than the other 3 cylinders at TDC. He is suggesting that the conrod is slightly bent, what has caused I've no idea.

Any suggestions?

Chris

[Reckless Rat]

Whatever he's telling you it's bollacks. The only way to tell whether a liner has 'dropped' is to take the head off and measure it. There's no way you can do it through the plug hole. My impression is that the garage doesn't want the job of doing the head gasket and just want's an easy option of doing an engine change and charging you a lot of money.

Are you losing water?
Is there any 'mayonnaise' in the oil?
Is the engine running normally?

Take it somewhere else for a second opinion.

[Tim.]

Indeed, there could be maybe 10 thou of carbon randomly on the piston crowns.
I echo Reckless Rat's questions. What makes you think any thing's wrong.

[kevinr]

There is no way he could do an accurate measurement that way, anyhow that has nothing to do with cyl height! get another mechanic who knows what he is talking about to look at it.

[R829FWS]

Thanks for the advice guys, am begining to come to the conclusion that he's out of his depth!

For the last few months it had been using more and more water then over Christmas it suddenly was using a whole expansion tank and more just to do 5 miles. The dipstick is covered in the dreaded emulsion.

I'm in the Bristol area, I've claimed the tax back so getting it anywhere is a real pain!

Any ideas?

Chris

[adrianclifford]

Chris, pop over to our S. Wales group www.swmgf.org.uk. On their forum they have had success with a mobile mechanic who specialises in on-site head gasket repairs. A few people who have used him say good things, so I'm sure he will travel to you.

I can't remember his name but the details are there for you to see.

Adrian

[Debs]

Firstly, there is absolutely NO WAY you can assess the height of a liner (and whether it has dropped) without first removing the cylinder head.

Secondly, for a liner to have dropped, it means that the alloy step that its base sits on has gone soft (annealed), this will only occur if the engine has been overheated.

[colintf]

Thanks for the advice guys, am begining to come to the conclusion that he's out of his depth!

For the last few months it had been using more and more water then over Christmas it suddenly was using a whole expansion tank and more just to do 5 miles. The dipstick is covered in the dreaded emulsion.

I'm in the Bristol area, I've claimed the tax back so getting it anywhere is a real pain!

Any ideas?

Chris

In the Bristol area, I would only entrust AE Wilcox at Wickwar, but it's getting your car there!