Topic

Welcome to the forum.

Get the mechanicals sorted out then we can help you empty your wallet on the shiny bits.

hello and welcome

Thanks for the warm welcome

From this, which had been off the road for 7 years and took a lot of fettling to get it nice:

To this:

Looks nice, looks like the suspension may need pumnping up a bit

and yes blue is the best

to the forum, The MG Bug has started, it will be the darkside next. lot of good advice on here, just ask.

The head came off today, and right enough, 1 incomplete exhaust valve in no 1 cylinder. Looked more like impact damage than burning, a bit of oil around too, but no signs of any issues so 2 new valves along with stem seals, a non MLS Payen gasket and reused head bolts. Liners were all within spec and head was in really good condition with almost no marking where the fire rings sit. Will finish off tomorrow and hopefully should have an 1800cc again instead of a 1350cc 3cyl... Still need a hood, and realised today how bad the alloys and wheelnuts are.

MGF wheelnuts are very soft, Mike Satur, MGF Centre do stainless ones at £3.50 each or you can get sets of plated steel ones on ebay for £16 ~ OEM locking nuts can be a bugger to get off too. Early wheels were bad for corrosion inside because of lack of paint. wheels tend weld themselves onto the hub, use plenty of copper grease.

Why did you not use the latest MLS gasket?? stretch bolts are ok to use again if they are not stretched above limits.

I've never had any issues with the original type gasket, and I worked on K series engines before the MLS gasket was introduced. There was a lot of development went in to designing the original type gasket and I think it works really well. Having done hundreds of head off jobs on these lumps I know the gasket isn't the problem. All the issues I've had to repair have been caused by cooling system faults, incorrect bleeding,lack of the correct coolant etc. I think the MLS gasket was brought out as a sticking plaster and not because of a need of a cure.My opinion and I suppose many people with far more experience will disagree, but I've been a mechanic for over 20 years and this is my view. I think the K series is an excellent engine, well engineered and powerful as well as light. Better in my opinion than Vauxhall's Ecotec or Ford's Zetec. AND, at the end of the day, if the gasket goes due to a cooling problem, it's a mornings work and 50 quid.

Welcome. I think with your sort of experience you will be answering more than asking.

Do you still use the plastic dowels?

No, I always replace with steel, these come with both types of gasket now. The car is now up and running, started first time and sounds sweet. I'll run it for 50 miles or so, then dump the oil and coolant and refill with good quality new stuff. Nipped by my local scrappy's this morning before starting work on the car, and got myself a spare alloy wheel... being a breakdown driver now, cars with no spare wheel is a real pain in the A$$ ...Also got wound up as there were 4 MGF's there, all had good hoods....which had been butchered by someone taking the rear windows out, looked like they'd used an axe. What a waste.