back in december i bought a 2005 MG ZR 105 trophy for the wifes xmas present.

 

i know these cars are prone to head gasket failure so i checked it best i knew how for gunk under cap and dipstick and all seemed fine.

 

yesterday the coolant light was on, so i checked level and it was low but fine, was gonna top it up as soon as i had a minute.

 

this morning she came in from work saying it was 'steaming', so i check coolant level and again and there was no coolant at all!

 

ive been told to top it up, let it warm up for 20 mins and see if the coolant disappears, if it does the either a leak on head gaskets gone.

 

if it is the gead gasket, this is gonna cost about ?700 to fix.

 

the car came from a small dealer with a 6 month warranty, ive not checked that but any chance HG is covered under a warranty?

 

what else can i check before running it to a garage and having ring rubbed for 700 notes?

 

has anybody had any similar experience with the notorious K-series engine?

 

thanks

Edited February 3, 200917 yr by HomerJay

I bought the wife some perfume.

 

Won't be getting my ring rubbed, but I won't be ?700 worse off.

Beat an egg and put it in the coolant bit.

 

It fills all the holes in. Eventually.

 

Or is it the radiator you do that in? Cant remember.

 

F?ck it, if its goosed it wont make that much difference if you put it in the wrong hole. Well, apart from the hole you put the fuel in perhaps.

Beat an egg and put it in the coolant bit.

 

It fills all the holes in. Eventually.

 

Or is it the radiator you do that in? Cant remember.

 

F?ck it, if its goosed it wont make that much difference if you put it in the wrong hole. Well, apart from the hole you put the fuel in perhaps.

 

 

Thats when the radiator is leaking, a quick bodge job when your selling the car, head Gaskets on these are a night mare,

Check to see if the blowers blow hot air when coolent is in, if its still blowing cold when the engine is warm, then the HG is probably fcuked, 700 notes is very steep though, I can put you onto someone who will do it quite a bit cheaper

is there a pudle in car could be your heater maytrix

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=243523

hope this helps, but if you only got it in December, you should take it back and get them to check/sort it.

Check the oil. If it looks 'milky', your head gasket is gone. If it looks fine, it's probably the radiator.

or try radweld, from halfords or somewhere, check your oil make sure its not gone up this would be a sign of water leaking at the head too, if you do fill it up and watch where the water leaks, leave the cap off at first (not for too long) if you get bubbles this also would suggest the sytaem is pressurising and the gasket is gone.

Mine went in October, I used that 'bars' its a crumbly stuff, worked a treat, no problem since

 

from http://www.barsproducts.com/1100.htm

Edited February 3, 200917 yr by Traf

cheers all.

 

hopefully if it is HGF then i should be able to get it done cheaper with any luck. rather it cost nowt though.

 

no mayo in the cap, when i bought or now.

 

ive just been and bought some antifreeze and filled it up, tis running now so see if it disappears.

 

i checked for bubbles, there were none. and no exhaust smell which is another sign apparenlty.

 

cant see and water leakin from between the head and the block.

 

when its warmed i'll the try heater.

15min idling and

 

temp guage all over place, no heat from vent, coolent has dropped, it stinks, and i can hear bubbling/hissing from the block.

 

i think that confirms its fooked, yes?

Check the oil. If it looks 'milky', your head gasket is gone. If it looks fine, it's probably the radiator.

 

Oil's always black isn't it?

15min idling and

 

temp guage all over place, no heat from vent, coolent has dropped, it stinks, and i can hear bubbling/hissing from the block.

 

i think that confirms its fooked, yes?

more than likely, any white smoke from exhaust? thats a sign its passing into block and turning to steam, so you dont always see a "leak" as such, it just boils the water away in effect, but, if not it could be the thermostat stuck, so water isnt being allowed back to the radiator to cool, is the cooling fan kicking in when the temp gets up? oh and be careful you dont run it hot for too long, because if it is sommat else, running it hot will soon f?ck the head up any way.

15min idling and

 

temp guage all over place, no heat from vent, coolent has dropped, it stinks, and i can hear bubbling/hissing from the block.

 

i think that confirms its fooked, yes?

 

let it cool the keep watch after starting again and try to see if there's a hose leak or summat. That's what I've done on mine in the last few days and found a small hole in the top hose. But wasnt obvious if you just waited until it was steaming all over the shop as by then you couldnt tell where it was from.

It will be the head gasket on a K series engine, and the dealer is 100% liable for the cost of the repair if you only bought it in Dec. It's hardly "fit for the purpose intended" now is it?

Go back to the dealer and explain your problem, if he tries to squirm out of it - then tell them you'll take your case to trading standards.

 

Ps - Don't get any work done on the car before you take it back to the dealer.

dealer is in nottingham, bit of an arse.

dealer is in nottingham, bit of an arse.

 

?700 is more of an arse. If the dealer is decent he should offer to let you get it repaired locally,then reimburse you the full amount, if he's awkward he'll try to make it a ballache for you ie -"fetch it down mate we'll have a quick look"

Either way the buck stops with him.

So is it fucked then?

dealer is in nottingham, bit of an arse.

If the bloke is an arse take Widnes Two Hats (to put his head in a vice and belting round the metal bar with a lump hammer though).

?700 is more of an arse. If the dealer is decent he should offer to let you get it repaired locally,then reimburse you the full amount, if he's awkward he'll try to make it a ballache for you ie -"fetch it down mate we'll have a quick look"

Either way the buck stops with him.

 

totally agree, it did come with a 6 month warranty which i remeber him telling me i could use anywhere and claim it back.

 

but i cant find the details.

 

i ring him tomorrow.

Edited February 3, 200917 yr by HomerJay

I'm not an expert, but maybe it's the flux capacitor that's gone?

Should have got her a scalextric - 2 birds with one stone, and quite a bit of change

Should have got her a scalextric - 2 birds with one stone, and quite a bit of change

wasn't that a video

the plot thickens...

 

local garage has confirms its fooked, so claim on the warranty is the obvious next step.

 

warranty company are now saying there is a ?250 limit with a ?25 excess. and the job is gonna come in at about 400-500

 

the fooking warranty was ?160!

 

are they taking the piss here or what?

 

what i need now is a bloke with a baseball bat.

 

cunts