O/T MG TF

[Mid life crisis]

bank on £1500 thats what it usually costs in the elise ,depending on how bad

Thanks Steve  

[SteveD]

when it goes they use the landrover gasket but recently they have started using another type i can find out if you like  

[RedditchJay]

"The big problem with the 1.8 K series engines is the head gaskets going this is very very common"

as commented earlier, head gaskets, head bolts, warped heads...AVOID

[Mid life crisis]

when it goes they use the landrover gasket but recently they have started using another type i can find out if you like  

Thanks Steve, but lets hope if we go ahead it doesn't happen.

[h4muf]

bank on £1500 thats what it usually costs in the elise ,depending on how bad

Thanks Steve  

Head gasket on an mgf is around £300 at my local garage.

He does 2 every week on average.

[Mid life crisis]

"The big problem with the 1.8 K series engines is the head gaskets going this is very very common"

as commented earlier, head gaskets, head bolts, warped heads...AVOID

Take on board what you say Jason    but isn't this the stock engine used in the Catering vans for the past few years    

Or is the 1600 a different engine design    

[SteveD]

bank on £1500 thats what it usually costs in the elise ,depending on how bad

Thanks Steve  <!--emo&

Head gasket on an mgf is around £300 at my local garage.

He does mine twice a  week on average.

fixed that for you

2 a week on average is a lot of k series head gaskets through the year   are you sure and £300 is cheap when you need a gasket plus other gaskets , bolts ,skimming , the liners move  the heads need pressure testing as some were porous plus labour etc etc  

[greenandmean]

Steve just give him the Westfield it's just sat in the garage doing bu**er all anyway  

[Mid life crisis]

Steve just give him the Westfield it's just sat in the garage doing bu**er all anyway  

Hiya  Paul

I would but do want to see him make 18        

How's the prep going    might be seeing you in 1840 guise in a few weeks  

Are we doing Silverstone mate ?

[greenandmean]

I would but do want to see him make 18  and afraid he might be quicker than me      

How's the prep going    might be seeing you in 1840 guise in a few weeks   slowly due to weather and one or too age related problems !!! you going ahead with the ax then?

Are we doing Silverstone mate ?

Is this what you REALLY meant      

[Mid life crisis]

I would but do want to see him make 18  and afraid he might be quicker than me      

How's the prep going    might be seeing you in 1840 guise in a few weeks   slowly due to weather and one or too age related problems !!! you going ahead with the ax then?

Are we doing Silverstone mate ?

Is this what you REALLY meant      

Yep bl**dy hell, my 17 year old is not only quicker    but knows he is  

Going to keep him out of the westy until at least he has passed his test    Then compete with him on an event I know I can beat him on, prior to retirement  

AX possibly, block is ready for machining. Will be able to turn it around within 21 days. Just need to know if target times will be issued up front for the series. If not and will be issued prior to each event, won't bother and just enter the odd event I enjoy.

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

The head gasket problems on the K series are down to incorrect postionong of the thermostat which is too far from the head and doesnt open quick enough due to not receiving warm water quick enough. The head therefore gets overheated before the thermostat knows about it. The later MGF's (an 04 will be one of them) will have a modified version and uses the later Freelander setup which solves the issue

[h4muf]

Never had a k-series steve and never want one either.

The garage is *mr k-series*

f*****n`loves em,does a proper job too.

My advice for the OP is buy him a mx5  

[jeff oakley]

The head gasket problem on the K series is a catalouge of errors which had they solved it first time around it is a fantastic engine. As some one has said the main issue in the MGF and TF is the position of the thermostat coupled with low water level it will do the head gasket.

My wife had one from new and it was a fantastic car, but once the HG went she lost faith in it so got an MR2.

Now the latest head gasket kits do solve the problems, ask for one from Payen and it will have all the new uprated dowels gaskets etc included along with headbolts. The head bolts go through the head and block and screw into the sump and getting these right being a strecth bolt is not easy, and again this has added to the problem. Mechanics do the HG but then screw up the tightening which allows the head and block to shuffle which causes the gasket to fail again. Look on the web and there is loads on info on them.

As for the insurance it sounds cheap but maybe they think that with only two seats he will not be egged on by passengers to be stupid. That was what I fear most with my daughter was passengers messing around in the car.

[wacomuk]

yep head gasket trouble starts about 25k -30k.this is because of plastic dowels in head .

insurance high

Chippo thanks for your input  

Any ideas what cost would need to be factored in if the worst happens and the head gasket goes, string piece I know!  but ball park          

When my dads rover 75 head gasket went he fixed it his self inc new water pump and inlet mani gasket, it cost £150

he did another 50k miles in it without problems before he sold it