another 'Hellmans' saga... - Page 2

Time Searcher · 26th June 2018, 16:01

Ultimate K Series Head Gasket Fix Kit has arrived. The tracking was useful and parcel arrived this afternoon on the day that delivery was promised.

.. Many thanks DMGRS.
I shall report back on what the problem was when the kit has been fitted by my local Portuguese MG Garage...

Discofan · 26th June 2018, 16:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Time Searcher

Ultimate K Series Head Gasket Fix Kit has arrived. The tracking was useful and parcel arrived this afternoon on the day that delivery was promised.

.. Many thanks DMGRS.
I shall report back on what the problem was when the kit has been fitted by my local Portuguese MG Garage...

I would have thought there is a slight 'hiss' when removing the rad cap on any cooling system running under pressure?

I had head gasket go on my Td5 Discovery last year and the coolant pipes were rock hard with the pressure being pumped into the system.
Not withstanding the above, you have repeated water loss and signs of water in oil, points to HGF, get it fixed with uprated parts and should be a 'fit and forget job'.

oswestryalex · 26th June 2018, 22:26

Hi there,
ah, someone else attracted to central Portugal! We have a place not far from Villa Nova de Poiares - but only go there a few weeks each year now. Still loads to do at the place.
My 1.8T R75 with the k series engine here in UK has definitely blown its head gasket - getting steam out of the exhaust and mayo in the oil and losing water too.... my local mechanic is going to do the work here - but he reckons the head may need skimming to get it flush and make sure the new reinforced gasket makes good contact. Not sure yet as the work hasn't started. Good luck with yours, and let us know how it goes - we will be out there before Christmas again, so could bring something out if you needed it at that stage. Cheers, and good luck with the repairs - well worth holding onto it. Alex.

Time Searcher · 2nd July 2018, 11:08

Just had a call from the MG Garage in town where they are repairing my ZT-T...
I thought that it was ready to collect, but when we got there, the car was still on jacks and bonnet up. They wanted to show me that a couple of the hoses needed to be replaced as they were very 'soft'... I asked them if they really needed to be replaced and ofcourse they said "Yes". So I had a feel around and as most of them were similar, I said replace the lot, except for the 'Gerry-T'.
I was able to see the Engine and head, all looked good and the valve seats were fine, there had been no overheat to the engine per se but the head gasket had failed between waterways and No. 1 cylinder.

The Kit from DMGRS contained a thermostat but garage said that my engine had a PRT and showed me the item that was in the engine where the original thermostat would have been fitted. Just an open frame really! I hope that that is the correct observation.
Anyway, the car should be ready tomorrow, so looking forward to getting it back...

SD1too · 2nd July 2018, 11:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Time Searcher

The Kit from DMGRS contained a thermostat but garage said that my engine had a PRS and showed me the item that was in the engine where the original thermostat would have been fitted. Just an open frame really! I hope that that is the correct observation.

It is correct to have an "open frame" in the conventional thermostat position when a PRT is fitted.

Your running temperature seems too low to me. It should be in the low nineties. Those members with more experience of the PRT than I might be able to offer advice on this.

Simon

Lovel · 2nd July 2018, 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Time Searcher

Just had a call from the MG Garage in town where they are repairing my ZT-T...
I thought that it was ready to collect, but when we got there, the car was still on jacks and bonnet up. They wanted to show me that a couple of the hoses needed to be replaced as they were very 'soft'... I asked them if they really needed to be replaced and ofcourse they said "Yes". So I had a feel around and as most of them were similar, I said replace the lot, except for the 'Gerry-T'.
I was able to see the Engine and head, all looked good and the valve seats were fine, there had been no overheat to the engine per se but the head gasket had failed between waterways and No. 1 cylinder.

The Kit from DMGRS contained a thermostat but garage said that my engine had a PRS and showed me the item that was in the engine where the original thermostat would have been fitted. Just an open frame really! I hope that that is the correct observation.
Anyway, the car should be ready tomorrow, so looking forward to getting it back...

The coolant hoses are manufactured in EPDM and do not like being exposed to hydrocarbon such as contaminated coolant. The hoses swell up and become soft, eventually I have seen the hoses slip off from the hose retaining clip connections and dump the coolant rapidly. They are wise recommending the hoses be replaced if indeed they have been exposed.

As your system has a PRS already fitted you have the open frame (dummy empty stat) at the back of the engine so that sounds correct. You would soon know about it if it were not and someone had put in another stat in error.

Time Searcher · 2nd July 2018, 14:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lovel

The coolant hoses are manufactured in EPDM and do not like being exposed to hydrocarbon such as contaminated coolant. The hoses swell up and become soft, eventually I have seen the hoses slip off from the hose retaining clip connections and dump the coolant rapidly. They are wise recommending the hoses be replaced if indeed they have been exposed.

As your system has a PRS already fitted you have the open frame (dummy empty stat) at the back of the engine so that sounds correct. You would soon know about it if it were not and someone had put in another stat in error.

I have not previously used this Garage, although they were and still are the main MGR repair shop in the District. Your comments are reassuring about the advice that they have given to me.
As an aside, their labour hourly rates are about €35/hour, which is quite reasonable but we have to live with 23% VAT on nearly everything

Yorkshire GOC · 2nd July 2018, 15:58

[QUOTE=Discofan;2643984]I would have thought there is a slight 'hiss' when removing the rad cap on any cooling system running under pressure?

Not when a car has been standing for say 12 hours - its classic sign that exhaust gas is in the coolant system -suggest you search the forum for posts by T-Cut on this subject.

Time Searcher · 10th July 2018, 16:56

Just returned from the 'MGR garage' in town where the car has been to have the HGF sorted out.
Last week I reported that they had recommended that all water carrying hoses be replaced... I said then that they should go ahead... Today I picked up the Bill... WOW.

12 hours labour @ 24€ 288€
5 hoses 170€
Engine Oil 57€
Anti-freeze 32€
Air Filter 38€
Oil Filter 7€
Radiator cap 5€
Head sealant 29€
Spark plugs 42€
Re-seat valves etc. 48€
misc. engine prep etc. just under 100€

IVA @23% (VAT) 197€
so, plus replacement parts from DMGRS £293

I'm glad that I was always wanting to have this car as a 'Keeper'...

My thanks though to those that have provided advice...

As a complete aside, my son has just bought a 2002 75 2Ltr. Connoisseur SE for the same price as the UK supplied parts... and it's faultless...

SD1too · 10th July 2018, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Time Searcher

Head sealant 29€
Re-seat valves etc. 48€
misc. engine prep etc. just under 100€

What are these Martin?

Simon

26th June 2018, 16:01	#11
Time Searcher Loves to post ZT-T+ 120 MkII XPwr Grey Commission # 31647 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tomar, C. Portugal Posts: 442 Thanks: 149 Thanked 25 Times in 18 Posts	Dmgrs Ultimate K Series Head Gasket Fix Kit has arrived. The tracking was useful and parcel arrived this afternoon on the day that delivery was promised... Many thanks DMGRS. I shall report back on what the problem was when the kit has been fitted by my local Portuguese MG Garage...

2nd July 2018, 11:08	#14
Time Searcher Loves to post ZT-T+ 120 MkII XPwr Grey Commission # 31647 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tomar, C. Portugal Posts: 442 Thanks: 149 Thanked 25 Times in 18 Posts	Update! Just had a call from the MG Garage in town where they are repairing my ZT-T... I thought that it was ready to collect, but when we got there, the car was still on jacks and bonnet up. They wanted to show me that a couple of the hoses needed to be replaced as they were very 'soft'... I asked them if they really needed to be replaced and ofcourse they said "Yes". So I had a feel around and as most of them were similar, I said replace the lot, except for the 'Gerry-T'. I was able to see the Engine and head, all looked good and the valve seats were fine, there had been no overheat to the engine per se but the head gasket had failed between waterways and No. 1 cylinder. The Kit from DMGRS contained a thermostat but garage said that my engine had a PRT and showed me the item that was in the engine where the original thermostat would have been fitted. Just an open frame really! I hope that that is the correct observation. Anyway, the car should be ready tomorrow, so looking forward to getting it back... Last edited by Time Searcher; 2nd July 2018 at 16:39..

2nd July 2018, 15:58	#18
Yorkshire GOC I really should get out more....... Rover 75 connoisseur se v6 auto Join Date: May 2014 Location: Hull Posts: 2,064 Thanks: 1,842 Thanked 623 Times in 469 Posts	[QUOTE=Discofan;2643984]I would have thought there is a slight 'hiss' when removing the rad cap on any cooling system running under pressure? Not when a car has been standing for say 12 hours - its classic sign that exhaust gas is in the coolant system -suggest you search the forum for posts by T-Cut on this subject. __________________ She came off the Longbridge Line on 20-05-2003 The Silver Machine was the 13th of 160 Rover 75's to come off the production line that day and is the 100th of 527 Starlight Silver Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur SE Auto saloons listed in the build records produced world wide.

10th July 2018, 16:56	#19
Time Searcher Loves to post ZT-T+ 120 MkII XPwr Grey Commission # 31647 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tomar, C. Portugal Posts: 442 Thanks: 149 Thanked 25 Times in 18 Posts	The Grey One is back home... Just returned from the 'MGR garage' in town where the car has been to have the HGF sorted out. Last week I reported that they had recommended that all water carrying hoses be replaced... I said then that they should go ahead... Today I picked up the Bill... WOW. 12 hours labour @ 24€ 288€ 5 hoses 170€ Engine Oil 57€ Anti-freeze 32€ Air Filter 38€ Oil Filter 7€ Radiator cap 5€ Head sealant 29€ Spark plugs 42€ Re-seat valves etc. 48€ misc. engine prep etc. just under 100€ IVA @23% (VAT) 197€ so, plus replacement parts from DMGRS £293 I'm glad that I was always wanting to have this car as a 'Keeper'... My thanks though to those that have provided advice... As a complete aside, my son has just bought a 2002 75 2Ltr. Connoisseur SE for the same price as the UK supplied parts... and it's faultless...

26th June 2018, 22:26	#13
oswestryalex Loves to post Rover 75 1.8T connoisseur saloon 2003 in blue , MG ZT 190+ 2003 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oswestry Posts: 308 Thanks: 159 Thanked 99 Times in 57 Posts	Hi there, ah, someone else attracted to central Portugal! We have a place not far from Villa Nova de Poiares - but only go there a few weeks each year now. Still loads to do at the place. My 1.8T R75 with the k series engine here in UK has definitely blown its head gasket - getting steam out of the exhaust and mayo in the oil and losing water too.... my local mechanic is going to do the work here - but he reckons the head may need skimming to get it flush and make sure the new reinforced gasket makes good contact. Not sure yet as the work hasn't started. Good luck with yours, and let us know how it goes - we will be out there before Christmas again, so could bring something out if you needed it at that stage. Cheers, and good luck with the repairs - well worth holding onto it. Alex.