2016 already off to a bad start

[LukeZS96]

Just landed in Dublin airport tonight and as I was driving home the temperature gauge just shot up into the red and with the heat of the engine at that stage I'm pretty sure I've cooked the headgasket so now I need a cheap runabout but I don't know what to do with the ZS in the meantime. I can't sell it because I would be lucky to get 100 quid for it, scrap value is way too low and I don't have the space nor the time to break it.

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[john180]

That's not good :( hope you work something out.

[peterzs]

Shame, worth looking at the gasket???

Maybe worth looking at a good mechanical one in the same colour, but bad body that you swap panels over.

[Dan1971]

That is bad luck .... :console:

Dont get the "cheap runabout" thing though.

If you're talking about £300-£400 on a cheap runabout, what does that get you ? Garbage with issues I have no doubt.

Spend the same on the Zs and you have a sorted reliable proper car ....

[pheelay]

Did you find the source of the problem? A coolant leak or blockage etc? Definitely try fill coolant and bleed first, ya never know, if you didn't drive too far, you might be lucky :)

[LukeZS96]

Yeah I think I will just repair it, atleast I know then that it will have been done and done properly so I know the car will be reliable. It will be the weekend before I get to look at the car so I will re attach the hose, fill it with coolant and bleed it and see if all the pipes are heating up the way they should and that the heater is blowing hot so I can rule out any blockages. The thermostat was done 3 weeks ago and it was bled properly and this was the first time it overheated so I can rule out both the thermostat and an airlock as reasons for it over heating and the rad is only 18 months old so I doubt that is a reason for it but then again you never know. I will have a look the weekend and see where to go from there. Cheers lads

[Dan1971]

Yeah I think I will just repair it, atleast I know then that it will have been done and done properly so I know the car will be reliable. It will be the weekend before I get to look at the car so I will re attach the hose, fill it with coolant and bleed it and see if all the pipes are heating up the way they should and that the heater is blowing hot so I can rule out any blockages. The thermostat was done 3 weeks ago and it was bled properly and this was the first time it overheated so I can rule out both the thermostat and an airlock as reasons for it over heating and the rad is only 18 months old so I doubt that is a reason for it but then again you never know. I will have a look the weekend and see where to go from there. Cheers lads

Good man - good luck with it .... :group:

[LukeZS96]

Good man - good luck with it .... :group:

Cheers Dan, will keep everyone posted on how it goes

[talkingcars]

You never know, if you caught it as the coolant went you may be lucky.

My guess is that one of the hoses you disturbed when doing the thermostat has let go.

Fingers crossed for you.

[LukeZS96]

the hose that let go was the bottom hose at the coolant rail. I disconnected it at the rad so it is a possibility. I think I will just replace the hose incase the pressure build up is what caused the hose to let go and it has fatigued the rubber.

[LukeZS96]

Okay so quick update on this. Had a look at the car today and after filling the car with water and bleeding the system she's still building pressure so the most likely causes are the coolant bottle cap (replaced) thermostat (replaced) or the headgasket gone at the fire rings pushing exhaust gasses into the coolant. I will be getting a sniff test done tomorrow to confirm this, I just hope the head hasn't warped so I don't have to get it skimmed or would it be advisable to skim the head anyway?

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[talkingcars]

I would only get the head skimmed if it is warped or damaged.

[peterzs]

think its the liner heights that is one of the most important things and can give trouble if not sorted.

[stamford]

I don't think there is alot of scope for skimming the head as the limits are so small. Hopefully someone can confirm if this is true or not......

[mattyprice4004]

First of all, read this if you're doing it yourself:
Head Gasket Guide - K Series (http://www.dmgrs.co.uk/pages/choosing-the-correct-k-series-head-gasket-kit)

Second, was it a genuine cap that was fitted? We've seen a lot of bother with yellow aftermarket caps.

Finally, if your liner heights are spot on (and assuming it's a 4 pot K Series), give the N Series Head Gasket Kit consideration:
N Series Head Gasket Kit (http://www.dmgrs.co.uk/collections/head-gasket-kits/products/ultimate-k-series-head-gasket-fix-n-series-gasket-high-tension-head-bolts-and-revised-oil-rail-equiv-to-zua000530)

It contains 3 of the parts NAC MG developed to 'fix' the K Series.

[LukeZS96]

Yeah I got the cap off yourself Matty when I was ordering the thermostat. I won't be doing it myself as I haven't got the time nor the equipment to do it and I need it done asap. I will be giving it to a former MG-Rover dealer in Dublin who still do parts and servicing

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[LukeZS96]

Finally got some good news on this. The mechanic I initially brought the car to diagnosed HGF through a sniff test however as he was making excuses to not do the HG I took the car to an old MG-R dealer and they done a sniff test and compression test and it confirmed the HG was grand. The thermostat I put in before Christmas was a dud so they replaced it with a genuine one that I got off DMGRS. The car will be back tomorrow. The only problem is now that the fan at the back of the rad isn't kicking in, the one at the front of the rad is grand and the car is okay to drive out on the road I just need to watch out in heavy traffic. Pretty happy with it so now I just need to know what's involved in changing the fan on a 4pot K-series. How hard of a job is it?/

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[talkingcars]

Good news.

Do you mean the fan in the engine bay? I'Ve not seen one there before but the one between the bumper requires the bumper off.

[peterzs]

glad it was sorted and not as bad as it could have been.

[LukeZS96]

Yeah I was delighted it wasn't the dreaded and it just goes to show how valuable real experts in a certain field can be. It is the fan in the engine bay. The one between the bumper is working fine but the one in the engine bay won't start unless you give it a nudge to get it going

[Rockey5uk2001]

Yeah I was delighted it wasn't the dreaded and it just goes to show how valuable real experts in a certain field can be. It is the fan in the engine bay. The one between the bumper is working fine but the one in the engine bay won't start unless you give it a nudge to get it going

That's not an AC fan or something?

[talkingcars]

The A/C fan normally sits next to the main fan.