Back in my days ( now retired) I have done many head gaskets on K series, I never trusted the head to be flat. I always sent the head for pressure testing and then provided it passed, they would skim it ..... never the less a very good video, and if my VVC needs it I will do exactly that. Many Thanks.
Couple of tips...the cambelt can be threaded through the engine mount by undoing 1 bolt at a time and redoing back up. The crank can be locked with a 5-6mm allen key into the flywheel from the rhs next to the driveshaft.
I have a Freelander 1.8 k and I am nearly a mechanic since I have my freelander 4 years 😂 head gasket, clutch , wishbones, rear diff mounts, prop shaft mounts , brake disc etc etc etc
Removing the engine mount support isn't necessary. I have just completed the water pump and timing belt replacement with only dropping the two 18 mm bolts and dropping the engine abut 2 inches. It's quite fiddly getting the belt out and new one back in, but it's a lot easier than removing all that engine mounting, especially in an air-conditioned car where the compressor is in the way of one of the bracket mounting bolts.
this is a very helpful video, perhaps the best i have seen on youtube for an MGF. One observation though, is he saying "windy gun"? it's helpful when doing an instructional video not to use colloquialisms, they are hard to understand and can be misunderstood.
Anyone that’s had anything to do with owning cars and the slightest diy knowledge would know what a windy gun was. If you haven’t heard or don’t understand don’t attempt this job😂🤦♂️👍
This video makes it seem to easy on these old cars, be warned. So far only reached to about 5 mins in and I had - 1) 1 plastic bolt for the soft lower shield sheared, then 2) the metal thread that holds the soft cover one into the subframe - sheared and had to drill, retap. 3) Alternator tensioner nut seized and sheared, gave up with drilling out when I saw its commonplace to use alternator tensioner upgrade. 4) One of the lower 13mm subframe bolts ( the awkward one to remove) started to round. Somehow with head and lube and 1/2 socket that did come out (luck) The position of the removal of bolts seems downright disgusting in places too, feels like bad design. Really gone off the car so vearing more towards hate than love :D Though probably age has its part too, this feels like hardest car to work on so far, I've previously done 820 headgaskets and other cars. Getting someone else to do it would avoid this animosity and pain lol
Vehicle condition and preparation will vary repair times and we appreciate that each and every car will be slightly different. This video has been produced to help owners visualise the task and although some editing has to take place for production reasons, the work carried out is accurately represented in the film.
@@RimmerBrosTV Sorry its a great video, just warning to others with respect to problems with the car. Be prepared for LOTS more work than you might expect on face value esp. as these cars only get older....
Assumes you have a 'windy' gun to get the crank bolt out, my starter motor was destroyed by the previous owner trying to undo the crank bolt; John Paul should show the use of the crank locking tool that goes in where the starter motor is, a much safer and effective way to deal with at 205 Nm bolt. Wit the correct tools the job is quite straightforward as long as you are a perfectionist on the belt fitting and bolt torques.
And once you’ve got to this stage this gives you access to remove the glove box held in by a couple of Whitworth nuts and gain access to the windscreen washer bottle to top it up.
Hi got a 2005 MG TF, its done 27k miles from new, 1 owner from new my mum, we put it up for sale and everyone asking about it says about the cambelt, head gasket and waterpump, car is 12 years old, while i appreciate the cambelt might be perishing why change water pump and head gasket if they are ok? It seems to be putting everyone off, also do you know if the TF cambelt change process is roughtly the same as a mgf? I done a cambelt on my 1994 mr2 turbo in the car by taking off the engine mount like the mgf, the hardest part was getting to intercooler bottom bolts to get that off to get to belt cover bolts, done it and all worked great, due another change soon as its comming up to 120k miles but the belts been on a good 10 years since i done it, am pretty good with mechanics so looking to do the MG TF, are there issues with the waterpump and head gasket on TFs ?? Cheers
The cambelt will obviously be due for replacement. Yes, the MGF and TF had issues with failing head gaskets. We sell a multi layered replacement that cures the problem. Most people change the water pump as a matter of course, seeing as you are that far into the job, but it's not known to have any inherent faults. The process for both vehicles is the same.
do you also have to align the timing marks on pullies rigth at the beginning when changing the head gasket or does it applies only for the cam belt? When removing engine head you have to align the timing marks afterwards. or?
I think that I would rather just buy a mx5 or a mr2 ? Watching this is exactly what gives the k series its bad reputation. Well done though you obviously are a brilliant mechanic 👏
Hello, i bought an MGF of 1997 with hgf, i removed the head and i found the uprated head gasket. The signs of mix between water and oil are not so evident. The top of the cylinder near the two pulleys is blackened. It is possible that the cylinder block is deformed ? How can i discover a damage to the cylinder block ? Thanks
Sorry for the late reply, We've just done a similar video on a Rover 75 1.8 turbo which is the same engine basically and gives more insight into the bleeding process.. The simple answer is that they're a pain to bleed. It takes time and patience.
I'm afraid we can't give you a total costing for this job including labour, but if you'd like to forward your details to Sales@rimmerbros.com , we'd be happy to put together a quotation for any of the parts which you require. The temp sensor, which operates the gauge on the dash remains in the same position on the engine throughout production, Could you perhaps be referring to the location of the thermostat? This was indeed relocated on the later cars and the pipework for the later setup can be retrofitted onto earlier models, this is quite an involved task though I'm afraid, not something we'd suggest tackled by a diy mechanic. Please see the attached extract from our MG F&TF parts catalogue for further detail. "The thermostat fitted to MGF models and pre-2003 model year MG TF models is of a traditional type located inside a housing bolted to the engine. The thermostat can be replaced in its housing, in time honoured fashion, as required. It may be found below in Engine Mounted Thermostat & Housing. From September 2003 onwards (from VIN 4D) and intermittently from January 2003, a Pressure Relief Thermostat (known variously as ‘PRT’ or ‘PRRT’ pressure relief remote thermostat) was introduced on the MG TF. Its purpose was to reduce thermal shock on the engine (and subsequent strain on the cylinder head gasket) by introducing a softer cycle of cold and hot coolant through the engine as the thermostat opened and closed during high speed running. The PRT’s location was further away from the engine inside a sealed assembly inserted in the hose run to the underfloor pipes. As the ‘sealed’ suggests, this assembly must be replaced as a single unit - it can be found later in this section under Pressure Relief Thermostat & Hoses. When the PRT was introduced, the old engine-mounted thermostat housing was retained in the cooling system, but a restricting flange was fitted inside it in place of the thermostat to ensure water pump flow was still governed correctly. At the same time, the water flow through the radiator was reversed. The radiator was not modified, since being a crossflow type it can operate either way, but considerable changes in the cooling system routing were required. Also from January 2003 the MG TF automatic (CVT Steptronic) was given a PRT, but the layout and hose runs differ significantly to those on the manual cars, throwing further complexity into the already complicated MGF/TF hose layout history. The PRT system was successful, and can be retro-fitted to MGFs and earlier TFs if desired. A good understanding of cooling system principles is however required to correctly carry out the necessary modifications to the engine bay pipework unfortunately not a job for the average DIYer."
@@RimmerBrosTV still trying to work out if gonna buy one with these issues ir just do a toyota yarus engine swap. 1.5 vvti from newish range. My yaris 1.8 sr has been great so still an option for it to give its heart for the swap.
Say that if after following your excellent guide, 'someone' was silly enough to leave the cam wheel locking tool in place and tried to undo the 22mm crank pulley bolt. Now with the crank pulley and cam cover markings at safe, the notches in the cam wheels don't line up by 2 notches. I suspect the belt has possibly slipped. Is there a procedure for getting it back in time? Or have I done something expensive?
Nope, you should be ok as the pistons will have been halfway down the bore. Take off the cambelt, line everything up and refit. Then turn 2x revolutions to make sure it all lines up.
Hi there. Thanks for the video! I was wondering, since the head hasn't been skimmed, should the head shim be installed on top of the gasket? I thought it was used to make up the head clearance lost when heads are skimmed, but could be wrong. Does it not alter the compression ratio too much with a non-skimmed head? Thanks!
Hi there, Yes, the shim must be used, even if cylinder head resurfacing work has not taken place. The shim should be fitted with the black coated side to the cylinder head. Hope that helps :)
And 2:08 shows exactly why my car won't start after the HG job. I put the exhaust pulley 180° out of phase and I lined up the two lines instead! I don't think any valves touched the pistons as it rotated freely by hand before trying to start. Hopefully will be up and running fully in half an hour! :)
Thank you for your feedback Peter. Absolutely! We aim to show you these videos for this reason: If you are mechanically minded and feel confident to take on the job then you can use our videos as a guide while referring to the workshop manual. If you do not feel confident to take on the job, do not attempt it - take it to your local mechanic/ garage to carry out the work. At least having watched our video you have a better understanding of the process :)
Am having steering shake when I brake at over 50ph when I move the steering it moves when the car is of steering locked it’s fine no foul play why could it be
@@RimmerBrosTV done it my self am based in albania no suck certified mechanics here 😂 am now having overheating on the engine but the gage and the numbers inside the car says normal running temp when I open the oil cup air coming out and the thermostat pipe dead cold when the other is burning hot what could it be now cheers
The dowels are just for stability really. As JP points out in the video, it is the old rubber seals that led to most failures and that the uprated kit gasket solves. To answer your question though, they come in our entire uprated kit as metal dowels, part no: ZUA000080. Or as standalone individual parts on their own, part no: LYU000010
@@k.kristianjonsson4814 mate, it looks a hell of a lot more accessible than some of the modern, bigger engines saloons I've worked on. Just try and take a starter motor, or an ac pump off a Jag xf 3.0d. Or what about the bmw n47 2.0d that requires the engine to come out for a timing chain job because it's on the back. The mg looks tons easier to work on than many cars.
@@k.kristianjonsson4814 lucky sod. Me and my dad took the engine out of the jag xf to get the crank reground and new bottom end bearing after it spun one. Absolute fucking joke to work on.
Back in my days ( now retired) I have done many head gaskets on K series, I never trusted the head to be flat. I always sent the head for pressure testing and then provided it passed, they would skim it ..... never the less a very good video, and if my VVC needs it I will do exactly that. Many Thanks.
Maybe the machine shop who you were paying to do that put that in your head 🤔
Couple of tips...the cambelt can be threaded through the engine mount by undoing 1 bolt at a time and redoing back up. The crank can be locked with a 5-6mm allen key into the flywheel from the rhs next to the driveshaft.
Thanks. Successfully changed the head gasket, water pump and thermostat 👍. The subframe bolts were tuff to get out.
Great video, and the feedback given by Rimmer Bros to the comments is a credit to them. Wish they were my local garage.
I have a Freelander 1.8 k and I am nearly a mechanic since I have my freelander 4 years 😂 head gasket, clutch , wishbones, rear diff mounts, prop shaft mounts , brake disc etc etc etc
Thanks JP. Really excellent. I am going to do mine tomorrow
Thank you JP - that's a class vid...also persuaded me to get a pro to do the work! Many Thanks.
very good video, from a very talented mechanic well done!
Thankyou so much for a clear and no nonsense video
Absolutely brilliant information many thanks for taking the time to produce this post. Love it👍👍👍👍
Thanks for the feedback John, it makes it worthwhile knowing that customers find it useful! :)
good vid just done mine all ok rimmerBros are the best for parts
Great video, thanks!
Nice to know it is a metric car as well.
What can i say a fantastic video, thank you....
Excellent instructions Thanks
Great video, going to order all the bits from you now
Brilliant, thank you very much! Do let us know if you need any assistance :)
Really fine video, thank you.
Brilliant video.
Removing the engine mount support isn't necessary. I have just completed the water pump and timing belt replacement with only dropping the two 18 mm bolts and dropping the engine abut 2 inches. It's quite fiddly getting the belt out and new one back in, but it's a lot easier than removing all that engine mounting, especially in an air-conditioned car where the compressor is in the way of one of the bracket mounting bolts.
this is a very helpful video, perhaps the best i have seen on youtube for an MGF. One observation though, is he saying "windy gun"? it's helpful when doing an instructional video not to use colloquialisms, they are hard to understand and can be misunderstood.
Thank you for the feedback James!
Anyone that’s had anything to do with owning cars and the slightest diy knowledge would know what a windy gun was. If you haven’t heard or don’t understand don’t attempt this job😂🤦♂️👍
I've never heard it called that, but I'm on the other side of the world! We call them "rattle' guns, as in "rattle it up tight!"
@@bobhenson9867
Video veramente bello e completo. Complimenti!!!
Grazie mille, Marco! :)
Hello, if i have the manual tensioner how can i check the tension of the belt ?
Thanks
Great videos, thanks a lot
Excellent video, I have a Freelander 1.8k , what type of coolant is that?
Really well explained👍!
This video makes it seem to easy on these old cars, be warned.
So far only reached to about 5 mins in and I had - 1) 1 plastic bolt for the soft lower shield sheared, then
2) the metal thread that holds the soft cover one into the subframe - sheared and had to drill, retap.
3) Alternator tensioner nut seized and sheared, gave up with drilling out when I saw its commonplace to use alternator tensioner upgrade.
4) One of the lower 13mm subframe bolts ( the awkward one to remove) started to round. Somehow with head and lube and 1/2 socket that did come out (luck)
The position of the removal of bolts seems downright disgusting in places too, feels like bad design.
Really gone off the car so vearing more towards hate than love :D Though probably age has its part too, this feels like hardest car to work on so far, I've previously done 820 headgaskets and other cars. Getting someone else to do it would avoid this animosity and pain lol
Vehicle condition and preparation will vary repair times and we appreciate that each and every car will be slightly different. This video has been produced to help owners visualise the task and although some editing has to take place for production reasons, the work carried out is accurately represented in the film.
@@RimmerBrosTV Sorry its a great video, just warning to others with respect to problems with the car. Be prepared for LOTS more work than you might expect on face value esp. as these cars only get older....
Brilliant well done 👏👍
Assumes you have a 'windy' gun to get the crank bolt out, my starter motor was destroyed by the previous owner trying to undo the crank bolt; John Paul should show the use of the crank locking tool that goes in where the starter motor is, a much safer and effective way to deal with at 205 Nm bolt. Wit the correct tools the job is quite straightforward as long as you are a perfectionist on the belt fitting and bolt torques.
And once you’ve got to this stage this gives you access to remove the glove box held in by a couple of Whitworth nuts and gain access to the windscreen washer bottle to top it up.
Shouldn't the plastic dowls be replaced with metal ones ?? Metal dowls came the hg kit when I did one a few years ago
You guys are fantastic!
Great video very helpful I have questions I have automatic gearbox I need replace drive plate is possible to remove gear box on floor ?
Hi how did you hold the crank when tightening the crankshaft pulley bolt, thanks
do have any idea what the costs could be changing the head gasket with or without the belt ?
Hi got a 2005 MG TF, its done 27k miles from new, 1 owner from new my mum, we put it up for sale and everyone asking about it says about the cambelt, head gasket and waterpump, car is 12 years old, while i appreciate the cambelt might be perishing why change water pump and head gasket if they are ok? It seems to be putting everyone off, also do you know if the TF cambelt change process is roughtly the same as a mgf? I done a cambelt on my 1994 mr2 turbo in the car by taking off the engine mount like the mgf, the hardest part was getting to intercooler bottom bolts to get that off to get to belt cover bolts, done it and all worked great, due another change soon as its comming up to 120k miles but the belts been on a good 10 years since i done it, am pretty good with mechanics so looking to do the MG TF, are there issues with the waterpump and head gasket on TFs ?? Cheers
The cambelt will obviously be due for replacement. Yes, the MGF and TF had issues with failing head gaskets. We sell a multi layered replacement that cures the problem. Most people change the water pump as a matter of course, seeing as you are that far into the job, but it's not known to have any inherent faults.
The process for both vehicles is the same.
Great video, thanks! Is the process for the MG TF much the same?
That great i have same timing to fix tomorrow
How do i disable the painfull vvc?
It idles at 2500 rpm when hot. If i turn it off and on its fine for a minute.
When you torque the alternator pulley to 205nm, does the cam locking tool hold it enough? Or should I remove the locking tool? Thanks in advance!
nice didnt know you guys had youtube channel.
do you also have to align the timing marks on pullies rigth at the beginning when changing the head gasket or does it applies only for the cam belt? When removing engine head you have to align the timing marks afterwards. or?
Hello from France ! You don't replace the lower oil rail by the new reinforced version wich is part of the MLS kit...?
Thanks for answering
Shouldn't they be new headbolts ???
Is the timing the same on a 8 valve?
Excellent most helpful
Very interesting and helpful. How long did it Take?
I think that I would rather just buy a mx5 or a mr2 ? Watching this is exactly what gives the k series its bad reputation. Well done though you obviously are a brilliant mechanic 👏
Top Video thank you
No mention of steel dowels or checking the liner heights
He said if you don’t want to remove the cam cover because the valves are shimmed up🤦♂️ their hydraulic lifters. Did I hear that right?
Is that a k series engine
What's the gasket goo you use to seal the water pump?
Just general motor factors gasket sealant. Most types will suffice.
Hello,
i bought an MGF of 1997 with hgf, i removed the head and i found the uprated head gasket. The signs of mix between water and oil are not so evident. The top of the cylinder near the two pulleys is blackened. It is possible that the cylinder block is deformed ? How can i discover a damage to the cylinder block ?
Thanks
Hi there. You will have to put a straight edge onto the block and check for deformities. Or take it off and let a specialist check for you.
Does a 1996 mgf have a 23mm timing belt or a 26mm?
Generally they are 23mm but there was never a set period between the two choices. Sorry I can't be more specific. Best to measure it I'm afraid.
Is there a video how to change coolant?
Sorry for the late reply, We've just done a similar video on a Rover 75 1.8 turbo which is the same engine basically and gives more insight into the bleeding process.. The simple answer is that they're a pain to bleed. It takes time and patience.
How much does this cost to be done? Did they sort the plac the heat sensor was put to make sure it didnt over heat.
I'm afraid we can't give you a total costing for this job including labour, but if you'd like to forward your details to Sales@rimmerbros.com , we'd be happy to put together a quotation for any of the parts which you require.
The temp sensor, which operates the gauge on the dash remains in the same position on the engine throughout production, Could you perhaps be referring to the location of the thermostat? This was indeed relocated on the later cars and the pipework for the later setup can be retrofitted onto earlier models, this is quite an involved task though I'm afraid, not something we'd suggest tackled by a diy mechanic. Please see the attached extract from our MG F&TF parts catalogue for further detail.
"The thermostat fitted to MGF models and pre-2003 model year MG TF models is of a traditional type located inside a housing bolted to the engine. The thermostat can be replaced in its housing, in time honoured fashion, as required. It may be found below in Engine Mounted Thermostat & Housing. From September 2003 onwards (from VIN 4D) and intermittently from January 2003, a Pressure Relief Thermostat (known variously as ‘PRT’ or ‘PRRT’ pressure relief remote thermostat) was introduced on the MG TF. Its purpose was to reduce thermal shock on the engine (and subsequent strain on the cylinder head gasket) by introducing a softer cycle of cold and hot coolant through the engine as the thermostat opened and closed during high speed running. The PRT’s location was further away from the engine inside a sealed assembly inserted in the hose run to the underfloor pipes. As the ‘sealed’ suggests, this assembly must be replaced as a single unit - it can be found later in this section under Pressure Relief Thermostat & Hoses. When the PRT was introduced, the old engine-mounted thermostat housing was retained in the cooling system, but a restricting flange was fitted inside it in place of the thermostat to ensure water pump flow was still governed correctly. At the same time, the water flow through the radiator was reversed. The radiator was not modified, since being a crossflow type it can operate either way, but considerable changes in the cooling system routing were required. Also from January 2003 the MG TF automatic (CVT Steptronic) was given a PRT, but the layout and hose runs differ significantly to those on the manual cars, throwing further complexity into the already complicated MGF/TF hose layout history. The PRT system was successful, and can be retro-fitted to MGFs and earlier TFs if desired. A good understanding of cooling system principles is however required to correctly carry out the necessary modifications to the engine bay pipework unfortunately not a job for the average DIYer."
@@RimmerBrosTV still trying to work out if gonna buy one with these issues ir just do a toyota yarus engine swap. 1.5 vvti from newish range. My yaris 1.8 sr has been great so still an option for it to give its heart for the swap.
@@RimmerBrosTV what year did the changes take place. Im looking at a 2004 model in 1.6.
Say that if after following your excellent guide, 'someone' was silly enough to leave the cam wheel locking tool in place and tried to undo the 22mm crank pulley bolt. Now with the crank pulley and cam cover markings at safe, the notches in the cam wheels don't line up by 2 notches. I suspect the belt has possibly slipped. Is there a procedure for getting it back in time? Or have I done something expensive?
Nope, you should be ok as the pistons will have been halfway down the bore. Take off the cambelt, line everything up and refit. Then turn 2x revolutions to make sure it all lines up.
Hello,
Can I buy this parts for my MG ZR 1.4?
Thanks.
Hi, Yes the part numbers on our website rimmerbros.com are LVB500190A and RP1078. You should use the uprated oil rail with this kit.
Do you have to take of the cam belt to get the head gasket off
Yes, you absolutely do.
Rimmer Bros TV (can you send me a link to the head gasket please mate)
@@maxer1694 These are the kits that we do. You'll no doubt want the uprated kit rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID018813
Hi there. Thanks for the video! I was wondering, since the head hasn't been skimmed, should the head shim be installed on top of the gasket? I thought it was used to make up the head clearance lost when heads are skimmed, but could be wrong. Does it not alter the compression ratio too much with a non-skimmed head? Thanks!
Hi there, Yes, the shim must be used, even if cylinder head resurfacing work has not taken place. The shim should be fitted with the black coated side to the cylinder head. Hope that helps :)
Thanks a lot! :)
And 2:08 shows exactly why my car won't start after the HG job. I put the exhaust pulley 180° out of phase and I lined up the two lines instead! I don't think any valves touched the pistons as it rotated freely by hand before trying to start. Hopefully will be up and running fully in half an hour! :)
Aaaand it's alive! Finishing off tomorrow. Thanks for the video. It helped a lot, considering my silly mistake!
Well done, Jim. An excellent example of why we do these videos. Keep it up! :)
When you said you turned the head bolts 180 degrees twice do you mean you turned it 360 degrees?
no that's 180 in sequence then another 180 in sequence not 360 once
A great video, but after seeing the job I think I will find a Good Garage or Mechanic to do mine.
Thank you for your feedback Peter. Absolutely! We aim to show you these videos for this reason:
If you are mechanically minded and feel confident to take on the job then you can use our videos as a guide while referring to the workshop manual.
If you do not feel confident to take on the job, do not attempt it - take it to your local mechanic/ garage to carry out the work. At least having watched our video you have a better understanding of the process :)
I think Lotus got the better batch of K-series engines. They tweaked them to make them more reliable.
Lol, no they didn't.
That's a no a Lotus owner
Am having steering shake when I brake at over 50ph when I move the steering it moves when the car is of steering locked it’s fine no foul play why could it be
Hi there,
We would advise you seek professional advice from a certified mechanic.
Hope this helps!
@@RimmerBrosTV done it my self am based in albania no suck certified mechanics here 😂 am now having overheating on the engine but the gage and the numbers inside the car says normal running temp when I open the oil cup air coming out and the thermostat pipe dead cold when the other is burning hot what could it be now cheers
terrifying.
Why does a mechanic charge 3 to 4 hours labour when its took 28 minutes lol
The filming took much longer than 3 hours lol!
jp how nuch for you to do this job for me,mg tf 1.8 thanks
Please call John paul on 07766 774279. Thanks.
Weren't those plastic dowels part of the HG failures on the K series? Do you guys do the updated metal dowels?
The dowels are just for stability really. As JP points out in the video, it is the old rubber seals that led to most failures and that the uprated kit gasket solves. To answer your question though, they come in our entire uprated kit as metal dowels, part no: ZUA000080. Or as standalone individual parts on their own, part no: LYU000010
Rimmer Bros TV many thanks
I will never buy a car that difficult to work on, never!!!
You think that's hard? Really? 😂😂
Yes , an engine in that position can not give anything else but problems
@@k.kristianjonsson4814 mate, it looks a hell of a lot more accessible than some of the modern, bigger engines saloons I've worked on. Just try and take a starter motor, or an ac pump off a Jag xf 3.0d. Or what about the bmw n47 2.0d that requires the engine to come out for a timing chain job because it's on the back. The mg looks tons easier to work on than many cars.
@@jamieswain4888 You probably right. You can always find something worse. My reference point is my Volvo 940 where you can sit down beside the engine.
@@k.kristianjonsson4814 lucky sod. Me and my dad took the engine out of the jag xf to get the crank reground and new bottom end bearing after it spun one. Absolute fucking joke to work on.