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Posted by ian
on 9/17/2008, 5:23 pm, in reply to "Rover K16 Head Gasket The real Facts"
K16 engines differ in piston and cylinder liner size, the 1.6 and 1.8 use larger liners hence a smaller amount of coolant can be contained in the block (1.6 and 1.8 lumps were only cobbled up due to bad relations with honda and BMW), The engine was original deigned for a fast warm up time which is why you wont find the EGR valve, tubes and sensors found on most other cars to aid a quick warm up (A legal requirement). This had the effect of an even faster heat up time in 1.6,1.8's that cause problems. The expansion rate of the liner and the ally head and block causes movement within the gasket facings this combined with the small amount of coolant usually results in disaster as soon as there is a loss of coolant! there was a partial fix in the thermostat design to reduce the "thermal shock" in early engines, but the design of the cooling system was poor to start with.
To reduce the risk of problems make sure the antifreeze is mixed 50/50 and changed on a regular basis, (antifreeze raises the boiling point of water to operate effectively at high temperatures)..At the first sign of loss of coolant get it checked, as the gasket will die and probably melt the head (fire-ring damage).
There is a redesigned gasket with a shim that helps a to protect the head surface caused by "thermal" movement, this is also accompanied with a beefed up bearing ladder that improves torsional stiffness in the block.
In all, the K16 engine was and still is a stunning engine that was years ahead of the game. Ford tried to buy rover to get their hands on the K16 (DTI blocked the buyout)! and even today few conventionaly aspirated 1.4 engines match the power output of this 1980's design!
P.S. fiat gaskets are more common to blow than k16's, and some manufacturers (diahatsu to name one) recommend head gasket replacement at determined service intervals (36K i think) unfortunately rover/BMW always denied there was a weekness in this area, the rest is history.
--Previous Message--
: I have already poste most of this info but
: here is in an easier to find form
: There is a load of rubbish talked about head
: gaskets on the 1.8 K16 here are the facts.
: They apply to all versions of the Rover K16
: engine in the 100/200/400/75 and Free Lander
: as no major part is different from the 1.6
: engine and the head and block are identical
: to the 1.4.
:
: Coolant leaks are initially usually caused
: by the the inlet manifold gasket seeping.
: Often there will be no sign of a leak
: because the coolant is being drawn into the
: engine.
: Rover introduced a modified
: "green" inlet manifold gasket
: (which most vehicles should already have)
: modified studs and a revised tightening
: procedure .
: This was however only a partial cure and the
: gaskets have a life of about 4 years and
: should be changed as a service item. It only
: takes about 30 minutes to change he gasket
: however it may take much longer than this to
: bleed any trapped air out ther cooling
: system. The inlet manifold is unbolted the
: contiuous air bleeder fitting on belt end of
: the manifold should be cleaned out and alsdo
: the pipe fitting at the rear of the
: thermostat should be examind for leaks as
: the the "O" ring which seals it is
: known to cause slight leaks after a few
: years service.
: Read the Rover K16 workshop manual before
: doing this particularly Rovers revised
: coolant bleeding instruction for the K16
: engine.
:
:
:
: As mentioned above another source of coolant
: leak is the connecting pipe at the back of
: the water pump.
: Let the coolant level drop too far and the
: system will air lock.
:
: It is the the OWNERS duty to check the
: coolant level at regular intervals.
: As on any all alloy engine loss of coolant
: circulation will lead to gasket failure.
: On the K16 engine unless it has been truly
: cooked gasket failure usually presents as
: mixing of oil and coolant due to a bead of
: silicone on the gasket getting damaged by
: differential expansion betwen the head and
: the block.
:
: If the engine is over heating but there is
: no sign of the oil and coolant mixing
: suspect either the thermostat is stuck or
: the system is air locked.
:
: Unless the engine has been truly cooked
: fitting and new head gasket and manifold is
: an easy job but the procedures in the K!6
: Overhaul manual must be followed to he
: letter.
:
: Note ---
: (1)New head bolts are not usually required
: provided they meet the checks detailed in
: the manual.
: (2) Exact workshop manual procedures should
: be followed when stripping the head of-
: particularly with regard to order of
: slackening head and cam carrier bolts and
: setting the crankshaft position before
: removing the timing belt.
: (3) It is vital that a proper LOW RANGE
: torque wrench is used to initially tighten
: the head bolts and the that the head bolt
: threads run freely and meet the testes laid
: down in th K16 overhaul manual.
: (4) The liner deck height should be checked
: against the spec in the K16 manual --- if
: slightly out a special thick gasket is
: available.
: (4) Great care must taken in filling and
: bleeding the coolant so as to remove any air
: locks. Note the continuous bleeder at the
: belt end of the inlet manifold is prone to
: blockage.
: (5)The cooling system should only be refiled
: with the correct type of coolant --- Rover
: used two types glycol and OAT they can't be
: mixed.
: (6) Coolant MUST be changed at the interval
: reccommended for the type otherwise after 5
: years or so pin prick corosion occurs on the
: head surface arround the bores.
:
:
:
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