MG ZR 1.4 - Loosing Coolant

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Wed 4 Apr 2012 14:38
MG ZR 1.4 - Loosing Coolant - golf-driver

I have an MG ZR+ thats done 100K

After say 15 miles the coolant level goes down but if I release the tank cap slowly the coolant level rises again, but I still have to add 1 cm of water.

There is some mayo on the dipstick and petrol cap.

Sometimes the temp gauge drops to zero from the normal position, it never goes high though. Whats the reason for this?

As I understand the head gasket is probably blown. How many miles can I drive before I scrap the car (repair cost is very high)?

As there is water in the oil if I change the oil will this buy me some extra time? What oil grade do I use?

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Wed 4 Apr 2012 15:00
MG ZR 1.4 - Loosing Coolant - RT

Use the same oil as recommended, ie viscosity and ACEA rating - don't worry about the brand. Change the oil and filter more frequently than usual and the bottom end should be ok.

But a blown head gasket isn't ever going to cure itself - how long it lasts is a piece of string.

Edited by RT on 04/04/2012 at 15:00

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Wed 4 Apr 2012 15:00
MG ZR 1.4 - Loosing Coolant - unthrottled

Yes, changing the oil will prolong its life. What kills the oil is the glycol antifreeze which oxidises the oil. The water itself is not much of a problem since it will boil out when the oil gets hot. So run very little antifreeze in your coolant. Just get the cheapest oil that is the right weight for the engine.

You could try clamping off the heater matrix hoses and dropping in a can of Radweld to see if that can seal the leak. Worth a try on an engine that's on limited life anyway!

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Wed 4 Apr 2012 16:36
MG ZR 1.4 - Loosing Coolant - golf-driver

I forgot to mention that the coolant is just water with no antifreeze, should I still change the oil as mentioned.

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Wed 4 Apr 2012 17:46
MG ZR 1.4 - Loosing Coolant - Collos25

The symptoms are those of a K series engine head gasket starting to go.

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Wed 11 Apr 2012 23:37
MG ZR 1.4 - Loosing Coolant - sb10

How long has it been without anti freeze,the high charge for these is because some mechanics dont like doing them,but if done correctly should last life of car assuming its in good nick

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 15:35
MG ZR 1.4 - Loosing Coolant - skidpan

It is possible the water in the engine froze during the winter causing the block to crack, that's a little more serious than a cracked head gasket.

Antifreeze is there for a reason. As well as doing what the label says it helps cooling and prevents internal engine corrosion, two things that the K series is famous for.

Problem with the K series is it needs propper maintenance to keep going but the 1.4 was the most reliable of the lot, you have neglected it and have reaped the rewards.

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