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MG MGF Technical - Head Gasket

As I will be having my 5 year service in a couple of weeks should I have the updated parts fitted at the same time. Will it be cost effective as it will be the same time as changing cam belt

What exactley are the revised parts, I have heard mention of rods and gasket.
Tim

answer is more cost effective than replaceing at a diffrent time as the engine is already out- ask the garage about extra cost and compare with the cost of a good warrenty (which will cover other stuff which may go wrong as well).
The gasket is changed and the dowels have been changed for steel rather than plastic.
Rods are somthing compleatly diffrent and have not changed.

Will
Will Munns

Tim,

I will be in the same situation this summer, will be interested to hear how you get on.

Paul
paul weatherill

Personally, if they would charge £200ish extra for changing the gasket at this time, I would do it.

It shouldn't need a skim, which would be a saving over having it go and warping or even being scrap.

Had mine made it to the 5 year service, I would have done it!

Paul
Paul Lane

If I was keeping my F I would not only have the new HG and and steel dowels, I would also get the strengthend cam bolts (Mike Satur has a kit) and a heavy duty cam belt fitted as well. The major cost of this work is because the engine has to be dropped. I would say if you are going to have it done, get it all done at the same time and save a forune in labour costs.

Better still take it up to Mike Satur and have them do the whole thing for you, I would trust Mike more than any MGR dealer. It may cost a little more but at least you know it will be done properly. OK, I know it's up north but if I was in the UK that is where I would go.
Tony Smith

Err. I believe you can change the head gasket without removing the engine or so I was told by my dealer. You can definetly change the cam belt without removing the engine. Don't let the dealer wipe your eye.
S Laithwaite

I wouldn't touch the hg if there was no problem with it. Who knows if in six months time or even sooner there is not yet another uprated head gasket out there. Would you want to change it again then? Just fix it when and if it breaks using the latest parts available. Just my opinion.

Spyros
Spyros Papageorghiou

If it aint broke, don't fix it!

Ted
Ted Newman

Until it does break, warps the head beyond skim limits, and costs you a new head + the rest.
I like many others thought it would never happen to me - it did.
Paul Lane

Paul,

No one said it will never happen. Changing it before it does however, does not make it any more unlikely to happen. Would you have a heart by-pass in case one of your arteries clogs in the future? Just be careful and at the first sign of trouble stop the car and investigate.

Spyros
Spyros Papageorghiou


Will, you are very mistaken if you think the engine has to be out to change the cam belt. All thats needed is to undo the mount bolts to slide the belt on/off, as well as the other usual stuff.

I agree with Ted, why mess with a working system. Don't get totally hung up on HGF, there's plenty of mileage on many F's without a failure. Following on, forget the cam bolts, its a marketing ploy to worry you that every car needs an update - VVC's should get done at service intervals FOC. Like the know the actual fraction of 1% that died with bolt failure with FSH.

All in all its upto you, money does by security.

Bob
Bob

Spyros,
If my family had a history of heart failure, I might consider it - if the doctors said doing it may well prevent failure!

Remember that the head gasket and dowel design has now been evolved quite a bit, and one would be fitting the latest design - which so far appears to be ok.

If you think that stopping at the first sign of trouble means you won't have to replace your head gasket, then you are mistaken.
When mine went, the temp gauge didn't move, only sign was steam shooting out of engine bay vents - and I was stationary at idle!. My head was 4 thou warped. Much more and it would have been scrap!
Put yourself at 100kph on a motorway and your head's toast.

Its an individual choice issue this "if it aint broke don't fox it" - I actually am a great believer in it. However, following a £900 bill - givent the option of it failing or replacing it at the 5 year service (due this Aug) I now say I would have replaced it.

One has to make up one's own mind.....
Paul
Paul Lane

I see your point Paul. However, maybe a better option would be to put the money you would use for the work towards an extended waranty. I have no idea how much these cost (none being available here) but it would also cover other things that could go wrong.

As you say one has to make his own money depending on his individual circumstances.

Cheers
Spyros
Spyros Papageorghiou

or even make up his own mind.....
Spyros Papageorghiou

Spyros,
Actually, that is the best suggestion I've heard so far and a brilliant piece of lateral thinking. Definatley the best idea to buy an extended warranty.
Paul
Paul Lane

Perhaps that is one of the 'faults' of modern cars, fuel etc - you dont have rip the engine apart every few months to de-coke it, in the good old days every MGF would have had the new cylinder head gasket and dowel set fitted by now!

As well as new sump gaskets, gear box seals and half a gallon of 'rad-weld' - I miss the reliabilty of the older cars and hate these modern things that go wrong every ....

Ted
Ted Newman

> Actually, that is the best suggestion I've heard so far and a brilliant piece of lateral thinking.
> Definatley the best idea to buy an extended warranty.

Oi, I said that in the first reply!

Will
Will Munns

Sorry Will!

Ted, don't, you're bringing memories flooding back of afternoons spent with heads off, grease jammed between pistons and bores, chiseling off coke from the piston faces!

Paul
Paul Lane

Paul

Great Fun! Then add to that the stripped threads, dodgy carbon thrust bearings on the clutch, drum brakes and seized brake shoes etc.etc.

But the one thing I do actually miss is the foot operated dip switch.

Ted
Ted Newman

And 2 of my previous cars had the rubber ball on the floor to squirt the window wash water!
Paul
Paul Lane

This thread was discussed between 13/05/2002 and 14/05/2002

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