What Causes Head Gaskets to Go - Is it avoidable?

On or around Sun, 20 Nov 2005 10:20:48 +0200, "Pantelis Giamarellos" enlightened us thusly:

not really. Keep the surfaces clean when assembling, keep an eye on water level and temperature gauge when running.

check the block for flatness as well.

On or around Sun, 20 Nov 2005 20:12:47 +1100, "Samuel" enlightened us thusly:

they wanted a more powerful engine for the series motors to help sell 'em to the yanks, and the IoE 6 was available from stock.

It is of course the big brother of the IoE 4 which they had in the SI anyway... what I don't understand is why they didn't just fit the 3-litre version.

Austin Hi,

maybe it was a bit more torquey than allowed by the specifications of the transmission system?

Take care Pantelis

The early versions of these K series motors suffered badly from head gasket failures, partly due to the use of plastic dowels between the head and block for location purposes. it is said that the plastic dowels allow the head and block to creep slightly, this creeping being the cause of most gasket failures. it normally manifests itself as a coolant leak somewhere along the edge of the gasket to the outside world, and if left unattended for any length of time results in total gasket failure. If you spot the weep at the gasket line early enough, replacing with a kit containing steel dowels and a very good quality gasket seems to effect a cure. That's been the case with the ones I've done, anyway. Badger.

Thanks Huw - sorry to drift OT.