Wretched car...

[mikesezgreen]

Well it's happened...

The head gasket has gone on my ZS...looking at £500 - £600 to repair, but on top of that, the garage seems to think i may have blown a piston??!!

Anyone have any recommendations / advice as to the best decision to make?? i'm even considering scrapping it for spares...:shutup:

[p_b82]

on some of the other forums there are a few K-series experts (.org and xpf) that post on HG repairs a few times. I would have a read up on what is involved and maybe go see them to get the work done.

I dont know much about the K series, but i would not have thought that piston should have been damaged with a HGF, unless it was run when overheated for a while.

I do know that if the problem is not solved and it is done on the cheap (or by a garage that does not do it quite right) then HGF can re-occur so it is worth getting it done properly.

Dont scrap it tho - if it is that costly to repair look to fitting a new engine :)

[Jay-ZS+]

yer theres a good guide on .org, but if I were you be tempted to go down another route with the zs ;)

[Tony10]

Its not hard to work on k series. However I would suggest that once you do the work make sure you get the head skimmed as if its blwon once it will blow again. Take carfull note to where it has blown you will be able to tell by looking at the gasket and mark with a pen on the head at that point. Make sure you replace the head bolts do not re use them and always tighten in the same order. he haynes manual is a good guide to removing the head.

[stamford]

Make sure whoever does the work knows their K-series as skimming is not advised by a n00b as there is very little material to be removed from those heads, nothing like the good old A-series.

[mikesezgreen]

Just spoke to 2 garages local to me and neither will touch it...

They reckon i should get shot of it and not even look at repairing the car at all. I would attemt it myself but i can't afford the time without a car as i need it for work.

It's not looking at the mo'

I will check the other sites for info later, may even be worth keeping as a project car???

[tb steve]

speak to rally matt you cant go wrong

http://forums.xpowerforums.com/showthread.php?t=47307

[Supercharged_Z]

is this a v6?

[Maxfly]

Sounds like a useless couple o garages you have there unfortunately!! An you should ONLY SKIM the head if it is required!!! So get it checked then if it is required get the head skimmed, never get it skimmed just for the sake of it!!! If you get the likes of Rally matt to do it, then you will have a very reliable engine imo!! :)

[Southside_ZS]

I'd avoid skimming like the plague. If the heads warped find another one. I've had two ZR's in now that have recently had headgasket done with a skim and both have ended up with blown pistons a couple of months later. Im convinced its something to do with the head being skimmed.

[stamford]

There is only a few thou available for skimming, so no room for error and only to be done if deemed necessary. However it must be measured to ensure it has not been done already. Go to someone that can be trusted and comes recommended.

[ZS]

If I can replace four pistons and liners and rebuild the engine in the ZS120 on my drive then I'm sure anyone can!! :D:D

Have you confirmed if the pistons are damaged at all?

BTW... HG replacement (if head is ok and doesn't need skimming) is a relitively quick repair...

[Tony10]

I only suggested skimming once you knwo ehre it has blown through. I have had 5 k series engines on my metro and a few of them i did skim and they never blew again however i had them check on an engineers bench and used my laser level!. However I always found that it was between piston 2 and 3 water chamber nearest the piston. You can just replace it and I would recoment the Landrover Gasket kit as its uprated slightly.

[mikesezgreen]

I have a guy coming to look at it tonight.

I think she may be going, piston has gone and the head is warped...plus gasket.

He's a mechanic so should get a bargain if he buy's, going to be a sad day though...:wavecry: