K-series still unreliable......

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sun 29 Aug 2004 19:09
K-series still unreliable...... - Aprilia
Just had a visit from some of the wife's friends - a retired couple (early retired, I should say).

They've just had their MGF 1.8 trailered back from the South West after the head gasket failed whilst they were on holiday there. They car is a second car and the husband is pretty gutted - he bought on his retirement in 2001 and its been treated like a new-born baby ever since. Driven gently and checked before every trip. Just 20k on the clock.

The car is just out of warranty and main dealer has quoted £750 to repair. Lucky, because he bought it and had it serviced with them they are making noises about paying half the cost.
I suggested he has it repaired and then gets shot of it.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 29 Aug 2004 20:20
K-series still unreliable...... - Puppetland
Yep, HGF is still a widespread problem on the K-series.

Hope he can find someone to buy it off him, or give him a fair trade in price.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Aug 2004 00:59
K-series still unreliable...... - J Bonington Jagworth
"still a widespread problem"

Do the heads get torqued down properly at the first service? Maybe it's a problem with the instructions rather than the motor (I know the end result is the same if it fails, but it's something that could be checked).
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Aug 2004 01:00
K-series still unreliable...... - J Bonington Jagworth
"Do the heads"

Sorry - I know it's only got one, really!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Aug 2004 14:15
K-series still unreliable...... - tr7v8
cylinder heads haven't needed retorquing for some time, I don't know of any these days that don't use stretch bolts that mustn't be retorqued. My personal feeling is that the K series is relatively fragile hence the amount of HGFs, I suspect Ford would like to run away from it in the Freelander! given that they've been replacing engines when it occurs. And yes I know it can be made strong I was in a garage when a Caterham with one made 280BHP @ 9,200 RPM and very noisy & impressive it was as well but I still wouldn't want anything with that engine.

Jim
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Aug 2004 17:25
K-series still unreliable...... - Cardew
What - no input from 3500S!!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 30 Aug 2004 18:28
K-series still unreliable...... - Sooty Tailpipes
When I replaced my BMW M51 head, it had to be retorqued, what a pig of a job, it took an hour to do, at least to stripp all the pipes and brackets and umpteen bolts and then retorque and reassemble and reseal the vacuum pump etc...

Now, when the dealer did the head gasket twice, they never bothered, they said noone bothers these days, but when I used their own CD manual I got off ebay, it gives explicit instructions to, in fact, I think the dealers are all corner-cutting and useless, lazy and thick, even when they seem friendly and competant,
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....