Currently putting the head back together on the 1.2 16v following a blown head gasket and wondered if anyone can recommend the best quality brand for head gaskets and where I can get them from?
Cheers
Cheers
Technical Top quality head gaskets..?
- Thread starter RetroPanda
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Technical Top quality head gaskets..?
Head gaskets almost always go for a reason (water pump, coolant loss, water rail O ring or, commonly -- thermostat). Providing you've fixed the cause and skimmed the head, re-occurence will only be provoked by another fault.
Big Mick at eurocarcare in Derby (google will find) stocks OE ones and Spesso. The Payen ones are good, too, but this isn't a K Series.
Big Mick at eurocarcare in Derby (google will find) stocks OE ones and Spesso. The Payen ones are good, too, but this isn't a K Series.
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how can head gasket get bad with a water rail O ring failure? coolant leak?
coolant leaks = air pockets,
[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_gasket[/ame]
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cant be, there is higher pressure inside than outside, how can the air come in?
Coolant leaks out. Level drops, air enters cooling system and gets trapped inside engine at various points. This leads to poor circulation and localised overheating, and head gasket failure.
If you had a leak from the coolant pipe, then your head gasket went, the coolant leak is the cause.
Regardless of whether you can accept the diagnosis, it is correct. There is a lot of experience on here, the guys talk sense, a mixture of knowledge, and personal experience. Trust them, that's why you are here, and everyone else.
If you had a leak from the coolant pipe, then your head gasket went, the coolant leak is the cause.
Regardless of whether you can accept the diagnosis, it is correct. There is a lot of experience on here, the guys talk sense, a mixture of knowledge, and personal experience. Trust them, that's why you are here, and everyone else.
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im not trying to undermime anyone but i still cant accept that a lower pressure air can enter higher pressure system unless as u said antifreeze level drops and with it the pressure itself, and becomes same as the air from outside which then enters the system but for that to happen your antifreeze level must be way below min mark?
It'll come in as soon as the engine cools a little -- it's only an effective pressure system when the engine is running. Add to which, while water won't compress, air or steam will, that'll cause a pressure drop, air will come in.
But, rather than believe us (and why should you!) get a decent book on tuning: anything by Vizard, A Graham Bell or Corky Bell is well worth reading. You can even find bootleg ones as torrents........... Or nice s/h printed ones on eBay.
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did u just use a word bootleg, that reminds me of seinfeld
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Agree with all comments, but also agree that the FIRE engine does seem to be very intolerate of cooling issues.
Ive "gotten away" with much worse cooling failures on other engines without anyhead gasket issues. I too am about to change head gasket due to a slightly leaky water pump that dropped the coolant level down and was wondering if Spesso racing head gaskets might be the way forward?
FYI This car has had 3 head gaskets in its 55000miles since 1999 - once due to cooling fan switch failure, another due to botched repair by mechanic im guessing (did he actually skim the head and use new bolts?), another now due to water pump leaks. Admittedly years inbetween each failure but the car doesnt get raced - my mum potters about local town with it... it should be much more robust.
Ive "gotten away" with much worse cooling failures on other engines without anyhead gasket issues. I too am about to change head gasket due to a slightly leaky water pump that dropped the coolant level down and was wondering if Spesso racing head gaskets might be the way forward?
FYI This car has had 3 head gaskets in its 55000miles since 1999 - once due to cooling fan switch failure, another due to botched repair by mechanic im guessing (did he actually skim the head and use new bolts?), another now due to water pump leaks. Admittedly years inbetween each failure but the car doesnt get raced - my mum potters about local town with it... it should be much more robust.
Spesso are fine -- but to go Spesso Racing is probably pointless.
If you think about it, a racing gasket will be designed for much more extreme conditions but for much shorter periods.
All the instances of failure in your history have clear and cogent causes.
If you think about it, a racing gasket will be designed for much more extreme conditions but for much shorter periods.
All the instances of failure in your history have clear and cogent causes.
gotta say my rule of thumb here is always go oem head gasket unless there is a good reason to upgrade to a racing style one - and never ever, not even if your low on funds get an ebay special head gasket - its false economy as it will not last.
just to add to that, my seicento turbo which runs like double stock power (ish) uses oem head gasket - never had any issue with it.
