[Mdemon]

Imported post

Nothing to do with diving - except it means I can't get to any dive sites now!

Car died.  Very hot.  Clouds of grey smoke. The very very nice man at the AA said it was a head gasket.  Ouch.

Is this going to require a second mortgage to fix?  Anyone got any ideas whether this is something you can do yourself?  Is it a new engine job?  Can you fit wheels to a valve guard???

Any help gratefully received...

(6 yrs old, Rover 623si, LOTS of miles...)

 

[Bikerbill]

Imported post

This could be a new engine job i'm afraid.  These engines are prone to internal corrosion after about 20K miles.  The symptoms are of the head gasket blowing letting water into the oil.  If this is the case, it is very easy to fix, but the heads may need to be shaved because they could have distorted due to the heat.  However, if the oil has went into the water!, could be internal corrosion.  Take off the cap at the water filler, start the engine briefly, if oil runs into the water reservoir, the block is corroded.

Hope this helps

Billy

 

[Mdemon]

Imported post

Cheers Billy - I think it is water into oil.

Is it going to cost an arm and a leg to shave these heads then?  Doesn't Araldite work - it does everywhere else!

 

[Mdemon]

Imported post

Result - borrowed the Mondeo Estate from work!

 

 

 

[Seadart Bob]

Imported post

<font color='#000080'>John
I’m no mechanic but just had a word with my mate who is.

You are most probably looking at a major job.
The head will have to come off and be skimmed.
Don’t take it to a Rover garage it may cost you up to a grand.

Take it to your friendly back street garage [that has been recommended by someone]
You could get it done for as little as 400.

Yep they could go between every 10 and 20 thousand miles.
My mate had one customer who bought her rover in with only 12,500 on the clock
With the head gasket gone [just out of warranty as well]

Best thing to do is dump that load of shite and by something decent.
But don’t ask me what a decent car is.

Got your PM will get back to you on that one.

Graham [Kinetic]
Haven’t forgotten you m8 will get back to you when the certificates are ready.

Cheers
Bob

 

[markg]

Imported post

<font color='#000F22'>try filling cooling system with radweld and then sell it QUICK.
it sometimes works

 

[Doug Parker]

Imported post

Mdemon.  I knew it was a piece of s**t as soon as i saw a Rover badge on it.

  Sling it in the bin and buy an old green escort van just for diving.  Cheap to run on red diesel and you don't have to worry about corrosion, i just park on the hill and chuck a couple of buckets of fresh water in it and it's dry by the morning.  Next Dive vehicle is long wheelbase,12 seater, safari Landrover.  Simon will supply enough stainless to make a decent floor in the back and then i can treat it the same way as the van, but get more kit in it.  I'm not worried about how slow it is as after driving a diesel escort for a couple of years you learn to ignore the need for speed.

 

[Seadart Bob]

Imported post

<font color='#000080'>Mdemon


I’ve got an old second stage.
Am going to connect up to the compressor and give it a try.
Will let you know the results.

Cheers
Bob

 

[Mdemon]

Imported post

Cheers Bob.  Fix and flog it is then!  The car was just expensive enough to be worth fixing.  Just.   Is it all Rovers, or any car, where the gasket goes?  And do gaskets "just go", or is there another (expensive) cause somewhere else?

What to get next?  Mundano's are cheap.  I could get an estate I suppose.  Not a purple one, like the one I got from work though!  

Radweld.  Hmmmm....

Doug, I've already thought long and hard about my next dive vehicle and I think I'd get one along the line of Seadart Bob's travelling workshop!  Was it a large tranny Bob?  Can't remember.  But it'll have all the gear in it, and the side door will have a rack for the twins so I just sit down to kit/dekit - no carrying it about.  Room to sleep in on long dive trips.  Shower, cooker, fridge.  Hang on, this is turning into a motorhome...

 

[Mary]

Imported post

Quote[/b] (Mdemon @ Sep. 06 2003,07:04)]Is it all Rovers, or any car, where the gasket goes?  And do gaskets "just go", or is there another (expensive) cause somewhere else?

No unfortunately not, had 2 engine rebuilds in 5 years, 205 head gasket and Fiat bravo cam belt tensioner wheel - crunches all the insides.

I think I'm just jinxed with these things

 

[Mdemon]

Imported post

There's good news...and bad news.

The good news is that the head gasket is fine!  Hooray!

The bad news is that the cylinder head is cracked.

Double pants.  They are like rocking horse poo.

I need a cylinder head "H23A3" for a 2.3 litre Rover 623 or Honda Accord.  Anyone got a spare one? LOL!

And the Mondeo's gone too.  But I can borrow the Escort Van for diving!  What do you reckon Doug, is a van a good idea???