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Old 22nd September 2009, 13:09   #28
Telferstr
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Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 3. 1.5 Petrol 6 Speed Manual Gearbox. Great fan of the Mk1 75 which I had 3

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Hi,
I had 3 1.8 75's and had no engine problems whatsoever with a total mileage of 142500 for the 3 cars. However, some engines do suffer Cylinder Head Gasket failures and if this should happen it is not just a case of fitting the modified Cylinder Head Gasket on it's own. The cause of the failure should also be establised before repairs begin. If water loss, where from etc. Also with the engine stripped ensure the Cylinder Liner height is correct and the surfaces of the Cylinder Block and Head are completely flat and spotlessly clean before reassembly
The highest failure rate for 1.8 K Series engines experiencing Head Gasket failures, was when it was installed in the Land Rover Freelander. This was a totally different environment for the engine, coupled with questions re the quality of the installation, plus the other mechanical stresses this application subjected the engine to. It did show up certain possible weaknesses in the design when used in the Land Rover.
A great deal of engineering work was done to establish the cause of these failures, and it was found that in certain conditions there was a risk of the original Oil Feed Ladder Rail being subject to movement/distortion, which in turn compromised the quality of the clamping effect on the Cylinder Head Gasket and indeed the whole sandwich design of the engine.
Hence the introduction of the Cylinder Head Modification Kit, Part Number ZUA000080. Fitting this Kit along with the Steel Dowels if the plastic type are found to be fitted, greatly improved the situation and therefore this Kit should always be used if and when a Cylinder Head Gasket failure should occur.
The Kit consisits of three items, 1:- New type Multi Layer Steel Head Gasket, 2:- Cylinder Head Shim. The shim should be fitted with the BLACK COATED side to the Cylinder Head Face. 3:- Oil Feed Ladder Rail.(Requires the removal of the engines Oil Sump to fit this item). This new Rail is of a different construction to the original one, and is also made of a much stronger and more solid material, which in turn improves the actual clamping effect on the Cylinder Head Gasket and the overall strength of the engines sandwich design.
This last item i.e. Oil Feed Ladder Rail, must always be fitted, along with the rest of the kit, otherwise Xpart will not cover the MLS Gasket under their terms of warranty.
It is also recommended that the Cylinder Head/Engine Sandwich Bolts, be replaced, as the originals may have been stretched beyond their original tolerance/specification.
So, please note, it is not just a question of a new Head Gasket. To ensure a long term and successful repair, fit the whole Kit.
Regards,
Telfer.
PS The Oil Feed Ladder Rail Fitment is a one off fitment and would not be required to be replaced should, say due to a future water loss situation, a Gasket failure occur again. T.

Last edited by Telferstr; 22nd September 2009 at 19:01..
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