Hello All,
I've Just purchased a 1993 Rover 820SLi. Oil and Coolant is leaking out of the side of the engine where the block and head meet (head gasket) Is my only option to change the head gasket (and is that all it will require...or is there more to them) to cure this problem as there is absolutely no oil and water mixing...just leaking out of the side quite severely. How much will the parts cost as I'm thinking of having a go at this by myself. If I dont how much will labour cost.
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This weep is a known issue with this engine (T series).
Infact, I have never known a car with this engine that hasn\'t had the weep by the time 30,000 miles have passed under the wheels.
My 1994 420 GSi had it, as did my father\'s 1992 (early new shape I recall) 820 SLi. By the time it was a year old, my colleague\'s 1994 820 SLi had the leak, as did another colleague\'s 1995 820 Vitesse Turbo.
In all cases with these four vehicles, the leak was a pain in the neck, but no more, and never resulted in an internally blown gasket. I did however get a new gasket fitted on my 420 GSi, simply because I got fed up with the preventative maintenance of wiping the block dry before I got drips on the driveway or garage floor! The new gasket was fine for another 30,000 miles, and then the leak was back. A shame, as this was otherwise a cracking engine when plonked in a 400 series.
Can\'t comment on costs or difficulty I am afraid, as mine was a company car and in any case fixed under warranty. You will however find another recent post on this forum ( www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=4&t=20...3 )
where part of the problem was what is probably the same leak, and where costs are mentioned further down the thread.
Good luck.
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Genuine gaskets & sealant about £60-£80
Labour 4.5hrs at the applicable rate
You are advised to use a bead of Loctite 574 around the oil feed 'hole' to provide a little extra insurance.
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Hi,
If it's pouring out then yes, change the gasket. If it's just a weep, I wounldn't bother. (My old 220 turbo weeped until it was written off at 105k miles, and never caused a problem or got worse.)
When you change the gasket, use an uprated one (Rover sell one made by Klinger for about £30) or the problem will just come back again.
Check this applies to your engine (might only be turbo models): there is a restrictor in the oilway at the top of the head which should be removed to reduce the high oil pressure which causes the problem.
Good luck!
-Mark
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Can you explain more to me about this oil restrictor. And how I take it off....was this a design fault by Rover...and why on earth didnt they recall them all to have it removed to prevent this fault.
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Hi,
I don't know much about this - just what the mechanic told me when I had mine done last week.
Basically it was a design fault, yes. It was there to increase oil pressure to the head (like putting your finger over the end of a hosepipe) but apparently caused more problems than it solved. No idea why they didn't do a recall.
To remove it, identify it (I think it's down in the oil supply in the corner where the leak is), screw a self-tapping screw into it and pull it out.
Rover (or someone else on here) might be able to give you more information.
Cheers,
Mark
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Hi,
The reason these gaskets leaked was because the oil hole in the block and the cyliner head were out of alignment. The latest gasket incorporates an elongated oil hole with a copper insert. It it not recommended to apply any sealer to the replacement gasket as it already contains a special bead of sealer applied to it during manufacture. As many others have said, if its only a dribble then you can leave it. I had a montego that had this leak for 6 years and it outlived the rest of the car, which eventually went for recycling into a new citroen.
Hope this helps
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These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am...
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My 820 had this problem at 70k miles. New gasket fitted.
(It also had a new clutch at 30k - I am NOT hard on them - 4 sets of faulty electric windows, dashboard squeaks, alloy wheels corroded solid on hubs , blown exhaust - all in first 3 years).
NEVER buy a Rover 800. (In fact I would say never buy a Rover but..:-)
madf
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Couldn't disagree more. My first 820 did 96,000 miles before being swapped for current 2-litre coupe, which now has similar mileage. Nothing's gone wrong apart from routine maintenance. Make sure it's serviced every 6,000 and use decent petrol.
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Loctite 574 (just a small bead) works wonders on these gaskets around the oilway.......I wouldn't change one of these gaskets without doing this unofficial modification.
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groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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I have found out since there is a modified Head Gasket called the Klinger Head Gasket that cures the ills of the original poorly designed OE head gasket. So hopefully I shouldnt need any of kind of other unofficial modification if I get one. Has anyone else heard of this?
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Erm, yes, I've heard of it... That's why I wrote in my first post:
When you change the gasket, use an uprated one (Rover sell
one made by Klinger for about £30) or the problem will just
come back again.
:-)
Good luck!
-Mark
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But the Klinger gasket is only any good if both the sealing faces are in 100% good condition..
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