Hulie Biasion Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 Started the 7 today after 6 month's hibernation, thought it was a bit smokey but put it down to the new exhaust. When it didn't clear I noticed coolant dripping from the exhaust collector. And a lack of coolant in the header tank. Not what I was expecting, just supposed to be preflight checks before taxing next week. I have asked Redline for a list of parts required and will get on with changing it next weekend. Any hints and tips required for changing a K Series head gasket would be appreciated. ThanksJulian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 Did you take the water rail off? I'd check that for leaks first. They can be tricky to seal as the forward support fixing can sometimes be away from the block when the flange is bolted up. When the forward fixing is tightened it can break the seal. A washer underneath the forward fixing solves it.Flange bolts can also bottom out so the seal isnt clamped fully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulie Biasion Posted March 26, 2023 Author Share Posted March 26, 2023 Thanks, I'll take look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenF Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 If it is a HG failure, you need to sort out the root cause, rather than just replacing the gasket. Many people have changed a K-series head gasket, only to find the problem reoccurs. IIRC, there can be various causes, from the dowels used between block and head, head porosity, the head being warped and needing remachining etc.Dave Andrews (oilyhands on here) is a mine of information and I thought he had a web page specifically about this problem, but cannot find it now. Maybe someone else has a link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 http://kengine.dvapower.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenF Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 But wasn't there also a specific page for head gasket failures for the K? I remember reading a long web article years ago about the various failure causes, I'm pretty sure it was on the DVA Power website but I might be mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted March 26, 2023 Member Share Posted March 26, 2023 This article?https://www.aronline.co.uk/engines/k-series-engine/Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulie Biasion Posted March 26, 2023 Author Share Posted March 26, 2023 I definitely have water getting into no.4 bore. In the article provided by Jonathan it mentions the seal going on the inlet manifold and letting coolant into the cylinders. In the past couple of weeks before I started the car I noticed coolant droplets on the bottom of the sump and on the off side engine mounting bracket. I could not find the source but possibly from the inlet manifold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 Well, checking and replacing the inlet manifold gasket is a much easier and cheaper first step to take ! Drain the coolant before you remove the manifold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 When I removed the inlet manifold on mine, when fitting the new gasket (like a big mesh of o rings) I put a bit of loctite silicon gasket around the waterway openings. I think DVA recommended this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulie Biasion Posted March 26, 2023 Author Share Posted March 26, 2023 I have just removed the inlet manifold and the o ring gasket is discoloured and flat on cyl 4. Also on the inlet of the head on no. 4 the port is very clean where the other ports have a slight green tinge. There was also some signs of coolant inside the manifold on no.4. I am going to change this gasket first and run the car up again before attacking the head gasket. I will let you know the outcome, thanks for your advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 #7: Thanks for the link, Jonathan. What a fascinating article! Shows the K to be the brilliant engine it is (subject to correct assembly etc). But I was surprised that the author was so critical about the Duratec 2L.JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative paul richards Posted March 26, 2023 Area Representative Share Posted March 26, 2023 I was going to suggest that your problem isn't the head gasket but rather your inlet manifold gasket but you seem to have already discovered that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21jigsaw Posted March 27, 2023 Share Posted March 27, 2023 Pressurize the cooling system to 1 bar and determine if and where leakage occurs. Repeat the exercise on a hot engine. Also check pressure cap release pressure, should be 1bar / 14,5 psi. not good even when new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulie Biasion Posted April 3, 2023 Author Share Posted April 3, 2023 Update - The inlet manifold gasket was the culprit. Once changed for new and run up the smoke cleared from the exhaust after 5 min, just had to burn off the coolant in the bottom of the silencer. Run up to temperature and all good. Now ready for the season. Thanks to everybody for the advice. It was the K Series article that led me to the cause and stopped me from taking the head off. Thanks Julian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted April 3, 2023 Member Share Posted April 3, 2023 Thanks for adding the answer.Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Daw Posted May 14, 2023 Share Posted May 14, 2023 It is a sad fact that head gasket failure is misunderstood by a number of Caterham specialists. I should know, three head gaskets later I found an old school specialist who identified the issue. His diagnosis, subsequently confirmed by the former k-series production manager at Rover. Simply, no.1 cylinder runs hot, if engine overheats, no.1 cylinder liner drops into support shelf within block . No new head gasket will resolve this as it now sits below the other liners. My advice, before replacing a head gasket, check height of liners is within Rover tolerance.New Rover block and repositioned header tank solved my problem.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Daw Posted May 14, 2023 Share Posted May 14, 2023 It is a sad fact that head gasket failure is misunderstood by a number of Caterham specialists. I should know, three head gaskets later I found an old school specialist who identified the issue. His diagnosis, subsequently confirmed by the former k-series production manager at Rover. Simply, no.1 cylinder runs hot, if engine overheats, no.1 cylinder liner drops into support shelf within block . No new head gasket will resolve this as it now sits below the other liners. My advice, before replacing a head gasket, check height of liners is within Rover tolerance.New Rover block and repositioned header tank solved my problem.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Daw Posted May 14, 2023 Share Posted May 14, 2023 It is a sad fact that head gasket failure is misunderstood by a number of Caterham specialists. I should know, three head gaskets later I found an old school specialist who identified the issue. His diagnosis, subsequently confirmed by the former k-series production manager at Rover. Simply, no.1 cylinder runs hot, if engine overheats, no.1 cylinder liner drops into support shelf within block . No new head gasket will resolve this as it now sits below the other liners. My advice, before replacing a head gasket, check height of liners is within Rover tolerance.New Rover block and repositioned header tank solved my problem.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Daw Posted May 14, 2023 Share Posted May 14, 2023 It is a sad fact that head gasket failure is misunderstood by a number of Caterham specialists. I should know, three head gaskets later I found an old school specialist who identified the issue. His diagnosis, subsequently confirmed by the former k-series production manager at Rover. Simply, no.1 cylinder runs hot, if engine overheats, no.1 cylinder liner drops into support shelf within block . No new head gasket will resolve this as it now sits below the other liners. My advice, before replacing a head gasket, check height of liners is within Rover tolerance.New Rover block and repositioned header tank solved my problem.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted May 15, 2023 Share Posted May 15, 2023 Chris,Can you expand on the comment about repositioned header tank? Just want to understand what you've done and why.Did you use a 2nd hand block or one of the new ribbed Chinese MG blocks?Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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