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MG MGF Technical - Replacement headgasket?

I have a HGF on my Trophy (30k), fairly inevitable considering my wife uses the car as her daily transport journey of 2 miles - I note the advice on thermal shock etc and think the best solution will be to drill the thermostat.
The real question is the best replacement head gasket to use Moss list a good spec one but is £70??? Alternative is Satur's competition kit at £38 including dowels, the money not really the point (will also replace the bolts, do the cam belts, saturs engine saver etc), I’d just like to do the job once well. Anybody had any similar experience.
I Wills

I.W. Might be a good idea to consider the new uprated Land Rover gasket and oil rail. There's been quite a few threads about this in the last few weeks with part no's etc, have a look in the archives.
roy bridge

Thanks for your reply Roy, I'd noticed the LR info, but they seem to be in early days, and a good competition gasket locked down nice and tight seemed a good option.
Q, can the oil rail be changed with the enging in the car or does it mean an engine out job?
I Wills

I.W. my local Tecchie said " about two hours to change it " which does'nt sound like engine out, I did'nt actually ask that, doh!. think the sump has to come off.There also seems some conflicting comments as to whether you actually need to fit the new oil rail, even though LR recommend it. Think it needs chapter and verse from someone who has all the correct details.
roy bridge

Probably see comments on LR head gasket and lower rail by Dave Andrews in thread entitled "2nd Head Gasket Failure" last updated 24 Feb 2006.
David Billington

Ok, Who said this was an easy job?, what a bl**dy nightmare, how the heck do you get the bottom pully bolt undun? Thought I might get away with leaving it in place, but the rear of the upper cambelt cover extends down under the bottom cover and guess what - you have to take off the pully to get it off! I know there is a locking tool to go on the starter ring but I dont have one - any alternative suggestions?
I Wills

If You know what you are doing and have a black hardend socket and suitable lever the bolt can be released with the starter motor. This if all is intact on the engine and only plugs are out and low voltage to coils disconnected . If the belt and oher things are allready off the best way is the same socket but this time with an air-tool.This also works for assembly.
No-one does that change properly in 2 hours !! Take our time, 2 days and several breaks for beer are needed ;O)
And the born optimist says: It is also wise to make a break in the plastic below the head for easier work next time....
/ Carl.
Carl

Thanks Carl, very usfull advice, I think I will see if I can hire a compressor and air gun ( need to put the head bolts back in just to be safe)in for the long haul!
I Wills

>And the born optimist says: It is also wise to make a
>break in the plastic below the head for easier work next
>time....

You can make the break in the plasric without it being out of the car - go on ask me how I know!

Of course when playing with the head you are ment to remove the campullys, and replace the belt, but both of these can be missed if you have a reasonabley fresh belt to start, and the head is flat.
Will Munns

Hum - cars only done 30k so the belt should still be ok, plan b, might have a look and see if I can get a Dremmel in there to cut the plastic rather than break it.
I Wills

belt should be changed after five years, is it comming up for that yet?
Will Munns

Ah, yes, back to plan a. I have a belt set on the way from Satur's so not a big issue apart from geting the enginge mount off.
I Wills

Ok, away we go, made up a clamp to go on the Aircon pulley of the bottom pulley which then clamped to the subframe, used an extention pipe on the socket and off it came! Bottom cover came off, top cover came off with the head - in 2 bits. Inspection shows that the "fire ring at the top of the No1 liner was just beaking through hence slight pressure in the water system and the oily deposits in the water.
Managed to drop the engine enough with the 2 engine mount bolts removed to slide the old cambelt out and the new one in, fitted the rear belt and the Satur engine saver bolts in the cam pulleys.
So tomorrow need to clean up the head faces, check the head flatness, get the new gasket in and find all those electrical conectors again!

I Wills

Bit late now Ian but to undo my crank pulley bolt I locked the crank by stuffin a flat spanner in starter ring - after removing starter motor.

A socket and extension then did the job.

jt
John Thomas

Thanks for the tip anyway John, I seem to have avoided taking out the starter motor (got to be a bonus, I was begining to think I would end up having the whole engine it component form)at the moment by clamping around the unused aircon pulley, I should be able to do the same in reverse, I hope.
I Wills

This thread was discussed between 12/03/2006 and 16/03/2006

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