Chris Beards Posted December 7, 2003 Share Posted December 7, 2003 🤔 Went for a quick wizz this afternoon only to find on my return a small amount of coolant had vented via the expansion bottle cap into the engine bay. The bottom of the bottle contained a dark sediment and the coolant has a distict oily consistency. No temperature problems were indicated and the rocker cover oil cap and dipstick are clean. I suspect the gasket may have failed 1800K 9000 miles and a soft life. Any thoughts welcome. How easy is a K head off job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Walker Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 Replacement of the K head gasket is easy and should take you about 4 hours. Be sure to use the uprated Mike Satur gasket available direct or from DVA Power. However oil in the coolant has proved not to be a simple head gasket job in all cases and no one knows for sure as yet what is causing the problem. A cracked block in the area around the oilway drilling which supplies the head is favourite which should be curable by sleeving the drilling. I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 4 hours? Bloody hell, you use a chainsaw? Maybe you can do it with practice in this time, God knows K owners get plenty, but 4 hours is optimistic. Rover garages book it as 6 hours in a 214/6/8 which I think is realistic bearing in mind there is better access in a 7.  When I did mine it took me 2 afternoons and a few evenings, doing other things besides here and there. I also sent the head away for a skim, strongly recommended. Crack testing is optional, I took the risk. Pressure testing (any decent garage) is the test method, and analysis of coolant for combustion products. DIY costs c. 150 parts and consumables, add 80 for skimming, less if you strip the head yourself first. Budget 4 hundred plus at a garage. It's a nice job, though not for the fainthearted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 A couple of guys at the last track day I did changed the head gasket on a 1800 16v K powered Metro in a couple of hours. I was very impressed 😬.    Chris.... H15 SVN Get it ! Edited by - ChrisC on 8 Dec 2003 10:06:47 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Beards Posted December 9, 2003 Author Share Posted December 9, 2003 Thanks for all your views everyone, still gathering info but I think I may give it a go myself. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superseven Twincam Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 Chris, The mechanic that works on my car used a "sniffer" on my girlfriends' Honda Aerodeck last summer. Apparently, it reacts to exhaust gasses in the radiators' cooling fluid? Could save You a lot of work if You let a mechanic make sure it's really a blown head-gasket... Jilles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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