Think the Zed might have to go

[Zedhead]

drove home about 2 miles from the gym lastnight, nice and steady 30mph, got outside my house and the temp gauge started to rise above its normal resting place, normally sits just under half way and it went up another quarter,
checked the heating STONE COLD!! got out and looked under the bonnet and you guessed it, NO COOLANT!!!

luckily I always have some in, the car did suffer HGF Feb 07 and I have always done my best to prevent it happening again, so I topped it up and went for a ride 4 or 5 miles, at that time it was becoming dark so I couldnt check the coolant properly again, took the missus to work and came back this morning another 2 miles checked again half the coolant gone,

oil is nice and clean no mixing going on, can't find a leak at all? :hmmm:

one thing I have noticed the last few weeks is my exhaust (standard) has started getting a fair bit more grunt to it, its popping and farting like a rally car, which I thought was pretty cool, checked today after taking the missus to work and noticed a LOT of water at the very end of the pipe, could the coolant be exiting at the pipe? :hmmm:

either way my missus will be giving birth to our second child in a few weeks and I cannot afford any 'serious' repairs right now :no:

[shroonie29]

Check the inlet manifold gasket,a common failure.prices below not up to date lol

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h128/shroonie29/ScreenHunter_01Jan141056.jpg

Shroon

[ZS]

Agree with Shroon, my 216 had exactly the same symptoms, replace inlet manifold gasket and hey presto no probs :D

No Idea where you're based, but if your down south I don't mind fitting it for you, 30 min job on the 216 :p

[Zedhead]

im in Hull,

when the car had HGF (it defo had it because there was a serious amount of mayo in the oil) it was repaired and the coolant was still getting lower, so the thermostat was replaced because it WAS leaking, still coolant got low, inlet gasket was replaced problem stopped, so it was only replaced like a year ago, could the inlet gasket fail within a year?

by the way, tis only a 1.8 not a 2.5,

[ZS]

im in Hull,

when the car had HGF (it defo had it because there was a serious amount of mayo in the oil) it was repaired and the coolant was still getting lower, so the thermostat was replaced because it WAS leaking, still coolant got low, inlet gasket was replaced problem stopped, so it was only replaced like a year ago, could the inlet gasket fail within a year?

by the way, tis only a 1.8 not a 2.5,

I gathered it was the 1.8 :) the V6's don't get HGF ;P

It is possible, but unlikely... Its worth starting the engine and doing a visual inspection of all the pipes etc, pay close attention to where the head meets the block and also to the inlet manifold, for me the water was leaking out in an obscure place that I couldn't see, but when I located it it was VERY obvious that was the problem :)

Oh and I had no water on the floor at all because the coolant was going direct into the exhaust pipes...

[RalphG]

We've found that the quality of the inlet manifold gasket supplied with the head gasket kits is not as good as the ones sold separately. We've had to replace a couple of them under our parts warranty.

BTW the price is now £5.55 plus VAT, part number LKJ101110SLP.

[Zedhead]

is there anywhere specific I can get that seperate gasket from? :look:

[RalphG]

We keep them in stock ;) Alternatively, any XPart AutoService Centre will be able to supply it.

[Zedhead]

whats your name and phone number mate, will more then likely be giving you a ring very soon if the cause is that gasket :cool2:

[shroonie29]

whats your name and phone number mate, will more then likely be giving you a ring very soon if the cause is that gasket :cool2:


http://www.mgr-service.com/images/EMS_signature.jpg (http://www.mgr-service.com/)

[Zedhead]

I did see his sig but was going to speak to the man direct :tease:

[shroonie29]

http://www.mgr-service.com/images/EMS_signature.jpg (http://www.mgr-service.com/)

Click it & your on his site ;)

Shroon

[Zedhead]

Update..

The car was taken in to an Xpart auto service center, the guys were great gave it a good looking over, pressure tested, results:

HGF!!! :thumbsdown::cry:

sadly this is the second time its gone since I bought it in Jan 2007, its never been driven hard and I have only put 8000 on it since I bought it,
in the time I have had it, its needed full head gasket repair, 2 thermostats (leaking fault twice) and a manifold gasket, also got to take in to account the amount of times its had to be drained and filled properly with coolant,

and out of my own care for the car it has also had 4 new tyres and full new breaks all round

new baby due in 4 weeks, sadly I can't shell out £500 - 700 for the repair and the car has to go :wavecry:

gonna miss it, but I can't carry on with the costs of repairs..!!!

[Boot Hill Bandit]

Update..

The car was taken in to an Xpart auto service center, the guys were great gave it a good looking over, pressure tested, results:

HGF!!! :thumbsdown::cry:

sadly this is the second time its gone since I bought it in Jan 2007, its never been driven hard and I have only put 8000 on it since I bought it,
in the time I have had it, its needed full head gasket repair, 2 thermostats (leaking fault twice) and a manifold gasket, also got to take in to account the amount of times its had to be drained and filled properly with coolant,

and out of my own care for the car it has also had 4 new tyres and full new breaks all round

new baby due in 4 weeks, sadly I can't shell out £500 - 700 for the repair and the car has to go :wavecry:

gonna miss it, but I can't carry on with the costs of repairs..!!!

If it comes to it.......how much do you want to sell it for as a non runner dude?? I am sure it can be recycled on this forum or repaired.

Jim

[Zedhead]

well, the rest of the car is faultless,

and a garage have offered me £2600 to part ex it, sadly the only 'half decent' thing they have is a 51 plate megane coupe with leather interior ect,

I paid 4.5k for it in Jan 2007, so what would you think is reasonable?
at this moment in time im so gutted, that I really dunno what to do :(

got a little evil figure on my shoulder keeps saying 'V6' to me but I really dont know if thats possible for me at the mo..lol

[Boot Hill Bandit]

well, the rest of the car is faultless,

and a garage have offered me £2600 to part ex it, sadly the only 'half decent' thing they have is a 51 plate megane coupe with leather interior ect,

I paid 4.5k for it in Jan 2007, so what would you think is reasonable?
at this moment in time im so gutted, that I really dunno what to do :(

got a little evil figure on my shoulder keeps saying 'V6' to me but I really dont know if thats possible for me at the mo..lol

Unfortunately what with it probable needing a brand new cylinder head becuase of the limit to the amount of times you can skim the heads and replacing belts and tensioners etc.....its not worth a lot.

I reckon judging by what I have seen on ebay for running cars and I know V6s can be picked up for as little as £2000 with FSH and running perfectly in very good condition.......take of that what you will.

I daren't say an exact figure because I think you know yourself how much it will cost to repair (especially if a brand new head is needed as there is a risk buying a secondhand one that this is also past its service limits)

Jim

EDIT*

Just to add.......I paid £3200 for my ZS back in March 2007 and come March 2008 I had spent £££££ putting things right, replacing broken parts/worn out parts, changing engine and a rake of other things like personal touches to the car.

If you value your ZS and love it that much......don't sell out and spend ££££'s more on a car you do not particularly want. Spend £1000 instead on putting your ZS right by a professional garage like EMS Ltd who never have comebacks and think of the other £1000 you have saved from having to buy another car to replace it and the costs of phone calls and god knows what else doign paperwork, car hunting etc......

One thing I will add.......we are a strong community on here and if peeps are really stuck and we can help......I am sure we will all try our best to help you out.

I know how heartbroken I was about my car......and The Red Devil is still making noise over a year on..........where I would be without it I do not know. She makes me smile all the time and a car I love to bits.

[Zedhead]

indeedly, I didn't really have any plans to sell it private to be honest,
the megane will cost me £900 plus my car, its only a 1.6 but has aircon / leather seats ect all the bells and whistles, although I think there ugly as sin..lol

my missus really likes it, so i'll probably give her my car to part-ex for the megane and then start saving my pennies towards another car for myself!!

[Boot Hill Bandit]

indeedly, I didn't really have any plans to sell it private to be honest,
the megane will cost me £900 plus my car, its only a 1.6 but has aircon / leather seats ect all the bells and whistles, although I think there ugly as sin..lol

my missus really likes it, so i'll probably give her my car to part-ex for the megane and then start saving my pennies towards another car for myself!!

Please read my edit dude.

I looked at my signature and realised I should probably speak up more in case you make a mistake in your decision.

I'm honest.......if you want to keep it.......say so and I will see if I can help you out with some prices/solutions right now.

Jim

[dave87]

my last car was a megane coupe. Don't get me wrong i liked it at the time but its not the same. Handling is at best rubbish and at worst unreliable and easily smashed on speed bumps. Also, the engines aren't much more reliable than the K series at least in my experience.

[stamford]

If the Megane is going to cost you £900 plus your zed, why not just spend less and get the zed right. You could be buying a lemon by return and compounding the issue. Better the devil you know in some cases.

[XPCobra]

deffo get the ZS fixed, but shell out and get it done properly

[Zedhead]

Hi guys, thanks for the support,

I was a little wrong earlier, the guy will take my car and £700 for the megane, but thats old news now anyway, I have managed to talk the missus out of that one thank god, we went out earlier and have found a couple of very nice astra sri's and a vectra sri, I know there a step down from the look and handling of the zed, and I have to admit I don't want to get rid of the zed!!

Sadly I'm all out of faith with the car (and the bad bit, so is the missus!!!)
together were not prepared to take the risk, I was told the first time that it would not happen again, but it has...
(I'm not implying that EMS would not sort it for good)
I have always looked after the car and due to the first HGF within only a couple of weeks of owning the car I have driven the car with care very rarely taking it over 3000rpm!!!
from the amount of info I have gained since owning the car it would seem theres a very thin line with the 1.8's you either get one that runs perfect or you get one that just wants to give you a nervous breakdown...
which is a real shame because there such fun cars to drive,

you never know, I might regret it and get a 2.5 v6 for the weekend when the tax hits hard and the prices get even lower...????

[Boot Hill Bandit]

Hi guys, thanks for the support,

I was a little wrong earlier, the guy will take my car and £700 for the megane, but thats old news now anyway, I have managed to talk the missus out of that one thank god, we went out earlier and have found a couple of very nice astra sri's and a vectra sri, I know there a step down from the look and handling of the zed, and I have to admit I don't want to get rid of the zed!!

Sadly I'm all out of faith with the car (and the bad bit, so is the missus!!!)
together were not prepared to take the risk, I was told the first time that it would not happen again, but it has...
(I'm not implying that EMS would not sort it for good)
I have always looked after the car and due to the first HGF within only a couple of weeks of owning the car I have driven the car with care very rarely taking it over 3000rpm!!!
from the amount of info I have gained since owning the car it would seem theres a very thin line with the 1.8's you either get one that runs perfect or you get one that just wants to give you a nervous breakdown...
which is a real shame because there such fun cars to drive,

you never know, I might regret it and get a 2.5 v6 for the weekend when the tax hits hard and the prices get even lower...????

Understood.........let us know how you get on. If you sell the car it doesn't mean you are no longer welcome on here..........keep in touch dude ;)

Jim

[stamford]

I can see where you are coming from with regards owning a fragile motor. If you have a car that is known for hgf, you are always looking for it to go again. However, if done correctly and using the latest pattern replacements they seldom go again as all parts have been redesigned and uprated. After all Lotus have the very same lump in some Elises.

[Zedhead]

if somebody could post me a list to all the EXACT bits I need to fix this head gasket I would be very greatful, think its gonna have to be a repair job for now and then make a decision after :shifty:

i'm a very honest person and I'm just not prepared to sell this car to an unsuspecting buyer, afterall thats what happened to me when I bought the car and I know how it feels...

I know somebody who is competent enough to do a good job much cheaper then the £700 I have been quoted already, and I can be there while the work is done,
he's a good friend so I know he wont try to cut corners, even then from my experience if i'm honest I dont trust anybody in Hull to work on this car, its amazing how many garages have told me that this 'better landrover gasket' is just a rumour and the metal gasket with red beading is still the best one to use, thats why I have decided to buy all the needed parts myself and ask my competent mechanic friend to do the work,

head gasket repair bits only (part numbers and were to buy it all at a good price would be great), I very much doubt the head will need skimming, it didn't get chance to overheat properly, luckily the temp started to go up right outside my house and it barely got to another quarter above halfway before I turned the engine off...

thanks in advance :yes:

[stamford]

This (http://www.mg-rover.org/articles/showart.php?ArtID=598) and this (http://www.sterlingautomotive.co.uk/articles/1/137/make_the_best_of_service_tourism__our_5_year_head_ gasket_guarantee!/page_1.htm) may put your mind at ease.

[Boot Hill Bandit]

if somebody could post me a list to all the EXACT bits I need to fix this head gasket I would be very greatful, think its gonna have to be a repair job for now and then make a decision after :shifty:

i'm a very honest person and I'm just not prepared to sell this car to an unsuspecting buyer, afterall thats what happened to me when I bought the car and I know how it feels...

I know somebody who is competent enough to do a good job much cheaper then the £700 I have been quoted already, and I can be there while the work is done,
he's a good friend so I know he wont try to cut corners, even then from my experience if i'm honest I dont trust anybody in Hull to work on this car, its amazing how many garages have told me that this 'better landrover gasket' is just a rumour and the metal gasket with red beading is still the best one to use, thats why I have decided to buy all the needed parts myself and ask my competent mechanic friend to do the work,

head gasket repair bits only (part numbers and were to buy it all at a good price would be great), I very much doubt the head will need skimming, it didn't get chance to overheat properly, luckily the temp started to go up right outside my house and it barely got to another quarter above halfway before I turned the engine off...

thanks in advance :yes:

Please please please phone Ralph for advice and parts...............you don't have to have the work done at EMS but they have done sooooooo many HGF's and not had comebacks it will be worth your phone call to get advice on what parts to buy.

Don't forget to tell him you are a forum member and would like the forum discount.

Jim

[Zedhead]

looks good, sadly to far away for me, and the needing to service with them makes it 'more expense' with my current budget :sad:

once the car is repaired sadly theres a very high chance that it will be up for sale,

the repair is going to cost me parts (I supply) + £60 labour due to the guy been a friend,
he has said the head could be an issue, and it 'may' need to be skimmed but obviously he can't say without looking and if it does that will cost extra,

im guessing its worth taking the risk, because the car has not properly overheated, the temp went no further then the mark after half way, before the engine was turned off, so am I right in thinking it probably won't need to be skimmed?

again just so I know I have the correct bits can somebody tell me what I need exactly?

[Zedhead]

cheers boot hill, I will give him a call A.S.A.P :yes:

[ZS]

Make sure you use the Landrover MLS Gasket and the new OIL Rail (Which I have a spare one currently)

Also ensure you clean the sump out and especially the Oil strainer as this is the cause of sooo many re-occurrences!

[Zedhead]

right, thought I would update here,

just wanted to say a big thanks for the bit of info Ralph gave me over the phone a few weeks back, he actually said the job can be done fine with the standard metal gasket (red beading) ect,
it would seem the way the repair is done plays the biggest part in if the problem will ever happen again!

the car has been repaired and it would seem I have in the past been ripped off!!! :evilmad:

the first time the gasket went it was taken in to a place in Hull, I wont name any names, but basically this guys garage is just off 'Hedon Road' and claims to be a Mini/Rover/MG specialist,
when he repaired the car there was an issue with the thermostat after picking the car up, the temp was reading cold all the time, took it back and he explained he had 'opened the thermostat' to keep the water flowing around the system to prevent overheating again, I wasnt happy so took it to a local honda garage who took on the MG Staff and tools from a real MG dealer/Service center that used to be nextdoor when MG went bust,
these mechanics new the k-series so much better and 'guessed' the problem correct within second (before I even got chance to tell the whole story)
the thermostat had been cut in half and was useless....!!
they repaired it, and refilled the coolant and all was working well for a few weeks, untill the manifold gasket went (bare in mind when the idiot did the head gasket repair he was meant to have changed all the gaskets)

so to cut a very long story a bit shorter, I was there to witness the whole repair this time, once stripped my mechanic friend couldnt find a real 'problem' with the gasket!!
due to the reading up although im no expert actually been able to see the head gasket I could see how simple it was to understand the way things work, and there was no signs of wear or failure at all..!!!

on inspection of the head itself it was pretty 'original' looking and didn't show any signs of ever been skimmed!! (no shiny new looking metal anywhere)
before we started the repair due to various mixed opinions I decided to get the head skimmed to make sure it was flat,
once taken in to my local skimming center (who specialise in K-series head problems) the guy said he couldn't be 100% sure but he would say he's 99% sure its NEVER been skimmed before,

so it would seem the first time it was done it was not done properly, and the idiot obviously cut some corners to save some cash, possibly leaving me with a slightly warped head,
looks like all he changed was the head gasket itself as it was still looking new,

just shows don't trust anyone you dont know!!

since its been repaired properly and had everything changed the coolant loss has now stopped, and it drives superb, seems to have actually gained a little more response, sadly its still going up for sale soon, I need a van for my business as its growing faster then I ever imagined, and my piggy bank is now been filled for a V6 ZS!! :D