K-Series Head gasket Survey

[Wingnonut]

1. No

2.N/A

3. Came with 11k now got 26k (in 2.5years) including plenty of TDs

4. 1.6SS (138bhp)

 

If writing this isn't tempting fate I don't know what is

 

P.S. Seems to be lots of No's and not alot of Yes's to your question James

 

W.Nut .

 

Rosso Superlight no.087

[alan7]

1. Have you had head gasket failure?

No

 

2. If so at what mileage did it happen

N/A

 

3. If not what mileage have you covered?

24,000

 

4. What size engine? What bhp?

1.6SS

135 BHP

 

How do you get the dead flies off your teeth....... 😬 R5AAH

[martinwhitcher]

1. No

2.N/A

3.20K

4.1.8K 207 bhp

 

Martin

 

MW 51 CAT

Superlight No.171

now known as:Superlight DVA 207

[grumpy the 7th]

Hi James & welcome

 

You should also ask "DO YOU KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT"

 

Mine went during / after a Brands track day in February when it snowed - I think (know 😳) I thrashed it 😬 before it got fully warm 🙆🏻.

 

Which is why they go.

 

So

 

1 = Yes

2 = 18k

3 = 8k miles since

4 = 1.6ss 135bhp

 

rog

C7 TNT - it's Dynamite!(Honda Irish Green and Peugeot Graphite grey)

 

[Normans_Ghost]

Welcome James, has upgraditis got you before you've even started?

 

I can't help as I don't have a K.

 

Some of the failures, such as boiling all coolant and over revving may well apply to other engines.

 

I have a K in an Elise and have done 27k with no problems. The Elise has a rev limiter at about 4k until the temp gets to 77 degrees.

 

Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here

You and your seven to The French Blatting Company Limited

[jerrypike]

welcome james

 

1. yes: 2

2. @ 10,000 miles and most recent a further 4k on-but only the external rim over exhaust side- noted early so no 2ndary problems

4. 1,800 SLR 177bhp

 

jerry

[Sheds Moderator]

1. Have you had head gasket failure?

Yes

2. If so at what mileage did it happen

14k, car came to me with dead HG having been fitted with a replacement sealed 1.4 engine when the HG went for the first time.

3. If not what mileage have you covered?

Now on 20k and all OK. Steel dowels are a wonderful thing. So is a big ally rad.

4. What size engine? What bhp?

1.4SS

128 BHP

 

My car has no heater (easier bleeding) and no 'stat. I need to get round to fitting the one in the garage, when I next see the car. ☹️

[david nelson]

1. Have you had head gasket failure?

yes

hose not tightened up after a service, coolent loss overheated

2. If so at what mileage did it happen

20k

 

3. If not what mileage have you covered?

 

4. What size engine? What bhp?

1.6 k ss 135bhp

 

 

also 1.8k 140bhp no HG Failure and 7K

 

 

David

 

Edited by - David Nelson on 4 Nov 2005 20:38:26

[Johnty Lyons]

I've owned a K for 9yrs

It started as a 1.6ss

Became a 1.6 DVA

then a 1.8 200BHP

and is now a 1.9 241BHP

I thrash the nuts of it on track and road

And NO i've never had a HG Failure

Cooling is critical as is coolant

Build them well, and treat them well

Use DVA or similar gaskets and if going for high power EVO2 it

jj

 

jj

N.I. L7C AO.

Membership No.3927.

Se7en Services.N.I.

Caterham Service Agents. www.onthelimiter.com

[Mark Adderley]

1.Have you had head gasket failure?

Not so far!

2. If so at what mileage did it happen

 

3. If not what mileage have you covered?

41,000

4. What size engine? What bhp?

1400SS, 130bhp.

 

Rgds

Mark

 

1400 SS - 41k and counting......

[sjmmarsh]

1. Have you had head gasket failure?

No

 

3. If not what mileage have you covered?

27k

 

4. What size engine? What bhp?

1800cc VVC 150bhp

 

Steve

 

[Slipper man]

Not in a Caterham - I have done c. 20000 miles in K series sevens.

 

In a Freelander:

 

1. Yes

2. 55,000

3. no probs in next 20,000

4. 1.8 litre 115 bhp

[Mark w]

1) NO

2) N/A

3)5000 miles

4) R400 200 BHP

[Bertfatal]

1. No

 

2. N/A

 

3. 4500

 

4 1.8 XPR 140 BHP

 

Bertfatal

[MarchHare2008]

I had HGF in an Elise very shortly after having a modified head fitted. The cause was predominantly inadequate liner heights and though the Elise suffers from somewhat compromised cooling with the long pipe runs from front to rear. However the design of the engine doesn't help. In particular Rover put the thermostat on the inlet side of the engine to allow rapid warm up of the engine for general use in small family cars. For a serious performance engine the thermostat would be much better located on the outlet side of the engine and, indeed, many Elise owners move it to the other side of the engine. This reduces thermal shock as you don't get the same cycle of a hot engine suddenly getting a big shot of very cold water as the thermostat opens. Constant repetition of this heating and cooling softens the alloy of the head and allows the head gasket fire ring to sink into the head causing HGF.

 

The liner height issue is just pot luck I think. Ideally you want 5 mm of stand proud from the liners above the block. If you have too little then the only solution is to get the block skimmed. This means a complete strip down of the engine. However it seems to be comparatively rare for the liners to be under height so I think I was just unlucky.

[Englishmaninwales]

5mm.......

[Grubbster]

1. No

 

2. N/A

 

3. 11000

 

4 1.8 XPR 140 BHP

 

 

Roadsport build photo's here

Le Mans 2004 photo's here

 

[Jimchap]

1. No

2. N/A

3. 3000

4. 1800 (140 bhp)

[Simon_hill]

1. Have you had head gasket failure?

Yes

 

2. What Mileage

I bought it at 24k with HGF, but the previous but one owner contacted me to say he'd had problems with it, so maybe originally failed at 20k? Judging by the override switch fitted, I'd say it was the rad fan switch, which failed and caused it to overheat.

 

3. If not what mileage have you covered?

No problems in 17k miles since (apart from leaking heater I think.)

 

4. What size engine? What bhp?

1.4 128BHP

 

 

Cheers,

 

Simon

[Colin Heseltine]

1. Yes

2. 14,000 miles approx

3. 6000 miles since head mods and EVO2 upgrade, no problems (touch wood)

4. Standard 1600 Super sport at time of failure, used for sprints and road use.

 

Colin

[Jenson Button]

Am I tempting fate by posting here 😬

 

1. Have you had head gasket failure?

No.

 

2. If so at what mileage did it happen

N/A

 

3. If not what mileage have you covered?

16,000

 

4. What size engine? What bhp?

1,600cc 133bhp

 

[mav]

1. not yet

2.n/a

3. 28000

4. 1.6 135bhp

[John Vine]

1: No

2: N/a

3: 40,500 (spread over 6.5 years from new)

4: 1.8, 160bhp (Supersport-R upgrade at 30,000, so new HG fitted then anyway)

 

JV

[Mad7ner]

 

1. Have you had head gasket failure?

No.

 

2. If so at what mileage did it happen

N/A

 

3. If not what mileage have you covered?

round about 13,000 but is likely to be much more with the speedo switch 😳

 

4. What size engine? What bhp?

1,800cc and 200 bhp

 

 

 

 

 

Superlight R No. 97

 

[rossybee]

No,

N/A,

5900miles (March 04)

1800 - 200bhp (R400)

 

Sssssscottish SsssuperSsssnot!

Sneakypeek!   whoooaaa!