1.8 K-Series Headgasket Choice - Advice Please.

[marinabrian]

Paul, the liner protrusion is too little for an MLS gasket to compress the fire rings successfully.

Use a Payen BW750 gasket, and you don't need to renew the head bolts, keep them in fitted order, screw each one in by hand until they become threadbound, and measure the gap between the block landing and the underside of the flange on the head bolt.

If this dimension is 97mm or less, the bolt is suitable for reuse...........and I've only come across three bolts ever that were unsuitable for further service............and that's out of over 5000 checked over the years

Don't use Chinese parts, Federal Mogul are the manufacturers of choice

Oh and finally, after you tighten the first stage of 20nm, tighten the head down in four stages of 90 degrees, not two of 180, this pulls the head down more progressively.

Have fun

Brian

[Sonic ZS]

Thanks Brian - funnily enough I'd already considered the 4 @ 90* rather than 2 @ 180*, seems far more sensible especially on an alloy head Wonder why Rover never suggested this ??

Payen BW750 has been ordered today, along with a new set of Reinz head bolts (history, manufacturer and quality of the existing ones is unknown, so don't want to take any chances ), hopefully make a start on rebuilding it later tomorrow.

[ceedy]

we have also tapped out the ball in the Jiggle valve, it only serves to make bleeding a bit harder work ;-) as its often clogged up .

[minimutly]

Don't know about the fitting of the shim dry - I think it needs wellseal unless it comes pre-coated?

[DMGRS]

Definitely a job for the Elastomer!
We have our version of the BW750 here - it's an identical copy, at 1/3 of the price.
Has all of the re-inforcement, and over 1,400 sold to date.
We currently send them out in bulk by the 50 and 100 to other suppliers and factors - so they're pretty good.

Bare gasket: https://www.dmgrs.co.uk/collections/...omer-lvb000320

Kit: https://www.dmgrs.co.uk/collections/...t-set-full-kit

[WillyHeckaslike]

Originally Posted by ceedy

we have also tapped out the ball in the Jiggle valve, it only serves to make bleeding a bit harder work ;-) as its often clogged up .

I'm not a jiggle-valve removal fan Chris because without it coolant flows outwith the original design and in so doing it bypasses the radiator. And depending on engine revs I think this can result in a not insignificant % of coolant not seeing the radiator as originally intended. This when considered with an engine design which some regard as being close to the margin temperature wise in oem guise ... well...

To help keep the jiggle valve clean and functioning is one of the reasons I stopped using oat antifreeze. Unfortunately one of oat's selling points, it forms an anti-corrosive coating, is also one of its drawbacks with regard to helping with that.

[Sonic ZS]

Well, head is now back on, spotlessly clean and with a genuine Payne BW750 gasket (sorry Mat...), interestingly the head bolts were boxed as Reinz but had 'KX1' stamped into the heads, so I'm assuming they may have been Kamax, which I think I read somewhere is the OEM ?

Tightened down as discussed (20Nm then 4 x 90*) with all threads and heads lubricated with an engine assembly grease, to ensure smooth tightening and correct torque

Jiggle valves were all clean and in fairness, the bore of the bleed pipe is very small compared to the main radiator feed pipes, so I can't imagine that too much coolant would be diverted with the floats removed. I think that an assured good bleed may well take precedence over a little coolant bypassing the radiator.

Unfortunately, late this afternoon I realised I had the wrong cambelt, and the replacement won't be here 'til tomorrow, so can't say yet if the fault is fixed..... everyone please keep your fingers crossed

[oxfordblue75]

Fingers etc crossed matey

[Sheraton]

Originally Posted by Sonic ZS

Well, head is now back on, spotlessly clean and with a genuine Payne BW750 gasket (sorry Mat...), interestingly the head bolts were boxed as Reinz but had 'KX1' stamped into the heads, so I'm assuming they may have been Kamax, which I think I read somewhere is the OEM ?

Tightened down as discussed (20Nm then 4 x 90*) with all threads and heads lubricated with an engine assembly grease, to ensure smooth tightening and correct torque

Jiggle valves were all clean and in fairness, the bore of the bleed pipe is very small compared to the main radiator feed pipes, so I can't imagine that too much coolant would be diverted with the floats removed. I think that an assured good bleed may well take precedence over a little coolant bypassing the radiator.

Unfortunately, late this afternoon I realised I had the wrong cambelt, and the replacement won't be here 'til tomorrow, so can't say yet if the fault is fixed..... everyone please keep your fingers crossed

Hope it's all Good for you

I'll be fitting a new cylinder head soon - I'll be ordering Gaskets/Bolts etc this week hopefully - Can I ask where you purchased the Payen Gasket ?


r.e higher Tensile Head bolts - Do these require the uprated Oil Rail to be fitted ? (i'm sure i've asked this before memory)



Paul.

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by Sheraton

Hope it's all Good for you

I'll be fitting a new cylinder head soon - I'll be ordering Gaskets/Bolts etc this week hopefully - Can I ask where you purchased the Payen Gasket ?


r.e higher Tensile Head bolts - Do these require the uprated Oil Rail to be fitted ? (i'm sure i've asked this before memory)



Paul.

Don't fit either the 10 mm bolts, they simply are not required

If your original head bolts when screwed fully into the rail without the head fitted measure <97mm between the block landing and the underside of the flange on the bolt, they're suitable for reuse

Remember to clean the threads and lightly lubricate them before testing/fitting

Brian