The Dreaded Head Gasket Issue Newbie

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I don't drink as much as gives me sore heads. I can't afford drink and all my toys. I have HEAPS of toys here, tractor dumpers, digger, 26 acres, sheds, sheeps, guns, tools, generators (bought a beauty last week), wee motorbike, Disco, trailers, welders, and heaven knows what all.

If he sends me his Hippo thermostat assembly I will drill it for him. Just because HE can't do it doesn't mean to say it can't be done! It needs imagination, knowledge, skill, and the right tools.

CharlesY

CharlesY
 
Charlsey suggests:

"Reading that piece suggests to me that it would be GOOD practice to let the engine warm up BEFORE driving off. I know this is a slight waste of fuel, but, it might help the engine to heat up more evenly, and in the winter the heater would be ready for you! I can't reach it right now, but I think my TD5 Disco handbook tells me to do this on cold days. Check the Freelander book too."

Freelander book specifically advises against it
 
Hi, just took delivery of my 1.8i Freelander on Friday, I had the remote thermostat mod fitted in UK before having it shipped to Malta. I will see how it performs out here, the temprature out here never ever drops to what you could class as cold, this winter was a bad one and it got as low as 9 degrees. Theoretically the water never gets that cold out here to get a sudden rush of cold water to the head, so to speak. I will keep you posted, by the way my first Landie, been driving around with a grin like a Cheshire cat all weekend, does not roll around corners no where near as bad as I imagined and a lot better suited to Maltese roads.
 
slob said:
has any one tried just throwing the thermostat away? if the engine is as stressed as much as stated earlier then it might get up ti temp without it. albeit slower than optimal but that has got to be better than a gubbed engine due to heat shock
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Well said - They did that in the MGF cup racing cars, never any probs with HGF until higher mileage (normal wear and tear).

According to this site

Lotus Elise: Rover K Series engine is rebuilt for more horsepower.

The thermostat and smaller cooling circuit of the heater matrix meant very quick warm up times . esp for the young mums bringing the kids to school on wimter mornings. K-series was designed for a round town cars.

If you remove the Thermo-**** warm up times will increase to around 10mins.

If you keep the stat standard just let the temp creep up to the halfway before full throttle.

Pic of the stat below gives an indication as to the flange size when modding with 4-6mm holes. I believe it was the Lotus boys who first coined the idea of drilling.
 
In addition, due to the close proximity of the metal inlet arm on the engine pre-warms the returning coolant to the head. All be it by a few degrees.
 

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CharlesY said:
I don't drink as much as gives me sore heads. I can't afford drink and all my toys. I have HEAPS of toys here, tractor dumpers, digger, 26 acres, sheds, sheeps, guns, tools, generators (bought a beauty last week), wee motorbike, Disco, trailers, welders, and heaven knows what all.

If he sends me his Hippo thermostat assembly I will drill it for him. Just because HE can't do it doesn't mean to say it can't be done! It needs imagination, knowledge, skill, and the right tools.

CharlesY

CharlesY
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Do you think you can make 4mm hole on V6 thermostat? Anyone has spare KV6 thermostat?
 
The Mad Hat Man said:
I have - will post pics - not dismantleable :( - well not without destroying the housing!
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Does KV6 also used in race cars? If it does, what do they do with the thermostat?
Its good if we can make a hole in thermostat to balance the coolant temp. I notice from cold to normal temp (the arrow in the middle), the coolant temp from bottom radiator is very still cold compared to top radiator hose.
 
dearot said:
Does KV6 also used in race cars? If it does, what do they do with the thermostat?
Its good if we can make a hole in thermostat to balance the coolant temp. I notice from cold to normal temp (the arrow in the middle), the coolant temp from bottom radiator is very still cold compared to top radiator hose.
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For the K series (not the KV6) QED are very useful - they used to performance enhance the KV6, but appear to have stopped.

this mite be useful.... and this

for KV6 info - i suggest you call them - they couldnt help me with a KV6 remote thermo - but it wudnt do any harm to ask. - yu mite also want to read this
 
The Mad Hat Man said:
For the K series (not the KV6) QED are very useful - they used to performance enhance the KV6, but appear to have stopped.

this mite be useful.... and this

for KV6 info - i suggest you call them - they couldnt help me with a KV6 remote thermo - but it wudnt do any harm to ask. - yu mite also want to read this
Click to expand...

actually I have talked to them in few occasion but they are more into 1.8 K not KV6.
KV6 is used in Rover 75 so I was wondering whether they (race car) do something about the thermostat. I have search many Rover forum but no luck as they dont think there is something odd about the thermostat placement.
 
how much do landrover charge to fit the remote thermostat, i have just picked up my 1.8, petrol freelander, it had a head gasket done a few months back by a non landrover dealer but there is no way of know what type of gasket was used, so i may fit this or have it fitted if its no too expensive, what else should i do to prevent another HGF? thanks, is there a thermostat that open at a lower temp, or is the only answer to drill a few 6mm holes....
 
I fitted the remote thermostat to mine and it was 64 sterling from LR dealership. Cheaper than I expected. That was for the remote thermo and kit, not the head gasket, think that was around the same mark without the oil rails.
 
Hardback said:
I fitted the remote thermostat to mine and it was 64 sterling from LR dealership. Cheaper than I expected. That was for the remote thermo and kit, not the head gasket, think that was around the same mark without the oil rails.
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PRT is a good mod to have......


For those who dont want to splash out..... drill the stat ring.

Only one or two 4-6mm holes is sufficient to allow a cool flow of coolant from Rad to head/engine block.

The stat below has 6 holes in it, it takes 20min to reach full temp and even causes the engine to run at lower temperature than normal.

I would only recommend 2 holes or more for hot climates or summer months, one or two holes for the temperate climates.
 

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where is the best place mail order / online to get a PRT and seals etc etc as they dont look to hard to fit, and could some one point me in the direction of a good coolant bleeding guide.
 
QUOTE: I notice from cold to normal temp (the arrow in the middle), the coolant temp from bottom radiator is very still cold compared to top radiator hose.

That's the whole idea of the cooling system.

The coolant circulates from the pump, under the thermostat, down the by-pass hose/passage, into the bottom of the block, up through the block, into cylinder head (getting pretty hot now) and back to the pump and thermostat. Round and round, and pretty quickly.

Once the circulating water gets close to the temperature of the thermostat setting, the thermostat SHOULD start to open just a little, and a little very hot water goes into one end of (or the top of) the radiator. As this hot water goes in, some cool water is displaced out the other end of the radiator and MIXES with the flow in the by-pass that is heading for the bottom of the cylinder block. That means the water going back to the engine is a tad cooler, hopefully just enough cooler to maintain the correct running temperature. This (if it is well designed) will self-regulate, AND it should operate gently, without causing any thermal shocks to the system.

Thermal shock is what happens (especially on a nice cold frosty morning) when the engine gets nice and hot, but there is NO flow into the radiator, and then (due to bad design) when the temperature reaches "normal" the bypass closes suddenly as the thermostat opens up, and the entire VERY COLD contents of the radiator get thrown into the cylinder block and head. The sudden cooling effect causes differential contraction of parts to take place, and (again due to bad design) this has the effect of loosening the clamping effect holding down the cylinder head - and the head gasket fails.

Drilling a few holes in the thermostat ring means that as soon as the engine starts, some flow into the radiator takes place, and very gently the radiator will warm up. The engine may take a little longer to heat up, but chances are there will be no thermal shock effect, or not enough to do in the head gasket.
 
The thing is, out here the temp is very hot as you would imagine. Through the day the temp can get to around late 30,s degrees, so my engine coolant never really cools down. I am up to full operating temprature within 2 minutes literally, same in the morning when I leave the garage it is up to full operating temp within minutes.
I know this is a bit chav but I have considered putting an air scoop on the bonnet to cool the engine while driving also it will help get rid of some of the heat that is under the bonnet. I am wiring a switch in the car to switch the fans on manually when stuck in traffic as the gauge rises very quickly, I dont supose anyone can tell me the colour of the live wire to the fans please? 2000 1.8i petrol injun.
 
LR1796 said:
PRT is a good mod to have......


For those who dont want to splash out..... drill the stat ring.

Only one or two 4-6mm holes is sufficient to allow a cool flow of coolant from Rad to head/engine block.

The stat below has 6 holes in it, it takes 20min to reach full temp and even causes the engine to run at lower temperature than normal.

I would only recommend 2 holes or more for hot climates or summer months, one or two holes for the temperate climates.
Click to expand...

100% agree. I wish someone can do one of these mods with KV6 thermostat :rolleyes:
 
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