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Old 4th January 2011, 01:20   #3
Robson Rover Repair
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ZT-T 190 / 75 Diesel x3 / 6 door limo / 216 Cabby / Rover 25 van

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Default CHAPTER 03 - The reliability myths

THE HEAD GASKET / RELIABILITY / YOU CANT GET PARTS MYTH.......


People have a terrible opinion of the Rover K series engine and its deeply unfair. They have a reputation for head gasket failures and was exposure on BBC's Watchdog during the 1990's. As a result, all Rovers suffer HGF according to the uninformed!

The fact that HGF occurs on many cars is often the result of a problem elsewhere that has not been addressed. The fact that Lotus used them in their Lotus Elise sports car should be proof enough that they can be reliable when driven hard IF maintained appropriately. If anything a 1.8 or 1.8T is usually a bargain because people are afraid of buying a K series engine 75/ZT.

These are alloy engines and the appropriate maintenance and checks of the cooling system are essential as on any other make. People are dangerously ignorant to the fact that you can not run a car for 12,000 miles a year without checking the oil, coolant and other such parts and only do it once a year for the MOT. These are the people who often had the failures in their cars!

Head gasket failure on the 1.8 and 1.8T engines typically occurs around 30,000 miles, and thus the majority of high mile 1.8/1.8T engines will almost certainly have had ''a head gasket repair'' done at some stage. If done correctly, then we have multiple members whose cars have done into the 100,000 of thousands of miles!!!

When purchasing a 1.8/1.8T ask if the head gasket was done. If it was done, ask for the receipts as often people cheat and simply pour a tank of "Radwell or K seal" into the engine coolant tank which will temporarily cure the car, often enough for you to have driven the car away and it fail a week or two later. Its a dirty trick in the second hand market, HOWEVER some people have reported it has worked to their advantage curing tiny leaks.

I will cover in detail the list of parts and procedures and what to watch for specifically in the 1.8 and 1.8T engine sections along with photos and explanations of what is what.

It should be noted that the 75/ZT V6 engines KV6 almost never have a head gasket failure, and it is extremely unlikely to occur unless servicing has been terrible. Be wary of mechanics claiming the V6 needs head gasket work as 90% of the time, they wont know what they are talking about. The KV6 can have a failure however it boils down to poor maintance not a mechanicial fault, but like anything mechanicial it can still fail.

The diesels and V8 NEVER suffer a common head gasket failure as they are BMW sourced and the V8 is Ford sourced.

Take the car to a recommended Rover/MG expert every time as mechanics love to con people with Rovers and often do more and I mean MUCH more damage than good. Ask on the forum for someone in your area and recommendations!!!

On the subject of parts. With such companies as Rimmer Bros (www.rimmerbros.co.uk), X-part (www.xpart.com a division of Caterpillar Inc also, X-part are the Mg Rover approved servicing centres around the uk) and the various aftermarket manufactures, there are very few and I mean very few parts that you can not get for the cars. These are often found on the owners forum of www.the75andztclub.co.uk along with advice on substitute parts that work just as well. Again, a great reason to become a member of a owners club.

Last edited by Robson Rover Repair; 3rd August 2011 at 22:59..
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