HGF ... what is the deal ?
 

Perhaps this isn't the place to put this but as the engine is used in the 75 also, i'm betting it's a very common problem for 75 / ZT owners too!?... is there a definitive and permanent fix for the K series HGF?
I'm asking this because I have for a long time been wanting an MGF but have heard and seen quite a few horror stories and although reading and researching so many theories on the subject I now feel overwhelmed by the amount of conflicting evidence for the cure / fix.
I really don't want to be messing around with trying to fix something that ultimately can't be cured.
Is the HGF something that can be sorted permanently or will I have to live in fear of the inevitable?
Any qualified opinions and first hand experience of this problem would be a big help in deciding whether to go ahead and buy one or not, I don't mind buying one and then having to sort it at some point as long as whatever has to be done to it is a permanent fix.

Everything depends on the condition of the unit involved. If the liners are sound and level, use the steel multilayer. If there is any uneveness in the liners, use the uprated standard gasket. That's a very simplistic explanation. There are also upgrades for a stiffened oil rail etc., I would suggest a trawl of the net for the full info. It's not straightforward and you need a specialist to give you the best advice once the engine is stripped for inspection. There is no fixed answer to your questions.:shrug:

Hi and thanks for the info, i've read and researched about the uprated oil rail and better bolts, uprated gaskets, along with the steel location dowel and liner problems but after all this work is done is there likely to be a repeat of the HGF?
Ie ... the fitting of all these uprated parts should in theory negate the need to do it again in the future or will there always be room for doubt taking into account the inherent design flaws of the engine design?
What I can't find the answer to is ....those complete engine re-builds that have used all the modified parts ... how well they have faired 50-60,000 miles down the road!

It's a great question, and I hope you find a definitive answer, if you do then I may consider the 1.8. At the moment diesels are unfashionable and alternatives will have to be sought.

IMO, the underlying cause of the K18s vulnerability is in the cooling system rather than in the engine design. It's said to be the best power pack ever developed by MGR, but it certainly needs more TLC than most others. This above all refers to coolant sytem maintenance and thereby, the running temperature. In the 75/ZT, there's no way to know the running temperature. I suspect this may be so in the MGF as well. Since the temperature gauge is useless, the engine is vulnerable through the smallest coolant leakage from the plasticky bits bolted to and around it. The inlet manifold, the coolant hose connectors, dodgy cooling fan designs, etc. In 90% of HGFs there will be an unrecognised overheat preceeding it. Other causes like the use of OAT based coolant have been proposed as contributory factors, but again it's loss of coolant that underpins most head gasket issues. Obviously that can't be the only one involved, but I reckon it's by far the main one.


TC

Yes, I concur with all the above. My 1.8 had the uprated head gasket at 90k, now at 116k, no issues, no coolant loss etc. I carry out a weekly check as a matter of routine. It pays dividends to do so.

i had, until recently, a year 2000 Freelander fitted with the 1.8 non turbo K series engine. After only a few months of ownership, it had a suspected HGF and although I drove it, albeit sounding very rough, to the garage, it didnt overheat noticeably. Anyway, the garage diagnosed HGF, suggested the usual fixes as well as an uprated cooling system. They said the original cooling system was the main problem and the thermostat would open, flushing the engine block in cooled water, causing thermal shock and eventual HGF. I found a local garage that dealt with reconditioned 1.8s around London and a refurbished engine was fitted, along with all the improvements, i was amaze how light it was too. It didnt overheat seriously again but the temp needle would start to rise if stuck in traffic, so i never really trusted it anymore.
It seems there are still thousands of individuals involved in a class law suit against land Rover due to the design fault and the fact that even a fixed 1.8 would probably fail again. Many people lost thousands having to have whole engines replaced and why I got rid fairly soon after that. It was a lovely car just spoilt by that one engine, in my view!!

They introduced the PRT to resolve that specific problem. Unfortunately, relatively few K18s had one. That said, it only resolved the cold shock issue. IMO the leaky cooling system overrides everything.


TC

HGF if repaired correctly with the right gasket will last ..


Wifeys Zr HG was done at 62k and we are now pushing 120k ..


C

I was offered a minters ’05 TF with 13,000 miles on the clock for less than 3 Grand (not many buyers here in NI), so took a chance and bought it – have to say it’s brought a real smile to my face. I studied endless forums etc, and ended up with a very sore brain, with all the different and sometimes conflicting opinions expressed.


But it seems to me that coolant loss is indeed the main contributory factor, as TC suggests. There are other things, eg the rad is at the front, engine at back, 2 long thin pipes conveying coolant to and fro. These can corrode internally, and block – people often fit stainless replacements. But I’m assuming, if the correct coolant is used, car properly serviced by somebody who knows what he’s doing etc, this shouldn’t happen.


One thing worth having is a coolant level sensor – at least then you can cut the engine if the light comes on, and hopefully stop it overheating in time. I’m lucky in that my late model has one fitted as standard, but you can buy kits.


What’s the issue with OAT, TC? I read up on it and it seems to be appropriate for this motor – don’t tell me it’s not :eek::duh::mad:


These cars have lots of other irritating (though less serious) issues, just like the 75’s, but I’ve had a lot of help from:


https://www.the-t-bar.com/forum/index
https://forums.mg-rover.org/mgf-mgtf-12/