10 replies to this topic

[AlexMozza]

I recently put a new head gasket on my 998 A+, nothing special, your bog standard Cooper one.

After fitting it, torquing it down in the correct sequence, I have noticed once it was filled with water, that I have developed a leak at the clutch end, between the head and the gasket, It is very slowly dripping water!

The block is in good condition and so Is the head So I can almost certainly remove damage to the faces as a cause of the water dripping.

 

Now, the question is, Should I have got new studs and Nuts when replacing the head gasket, They did not look in a bad way but can't be sure on the age of them!

 

Secondly, when I rebuilt the engine, It had been fitted with a composite head gasket, I know these are generally better than a Cooper one, but I could be wrong.
I have looked at both Mini Spares and Sport, neither sell a composite gasket!

 

I fully know the only course of action is to remove the head (AGAIN!) and replace the gasket, make sure that everything is clean.

Is it worth using new studs and bolts, For the sake of £30 I think so?

 

Can any one shine some light on this, or recommend what I should do next?

 

Thanks :)

 

 

 

 

[Noah]

Composite head gasket for a 998 from Mini Spares: 

 

Part Number: C-AEA647.

 

http://minispares.co...|Back to search

 

Head Stud & Nut Kit: 

 

Part Number: C-AHT279

 

http://minispares.co...|Back to search

 

 

 

[AlexMozza]

Epic, Ill order a set!
 

Edited by AlexMozza, 23 June 2013 - 08:40 PM.

[Noah]

Yep it will work fine  

[AlexMozza]

The composite gaskets I use on DB2 Astons require the block to be warmed the re-torqued with no water in, to ensure the best results.

I take it for the mini, just refill, torque down, fill with water the warm up and re check? 

[KernowCooper]

Not the first person with a copper gasket to experience that prob composite is the way to go, even though some swear by the copper jobbie

[AlexMozza]

Yeah, Ive never been a fan of Copper, on my MGA I use composite, On the Racing DB2's I work on they are all composite too, but when I asked at Sumerford Mini they told me that I could only get copper :/

[carbon]

I don't think fitting new studs and nuts will make much difference if the ones you have are able to take the full torque. The A+ studs were pretty decent quality in the first place.

 

I will probably get laughed off the forum for suggesting this, but if it is a small leak/dribble from a non-critical area then I would be sorely tempted to run it up to temperature and then put in some Radweld... I have used this in the past and it works amazingly well.

[AlexMozza]

I was also thinking this, I just dont want to risk creating and other issues!

[KernowCooper]

I would use a composite gasket rather that try a fix a head to block water leak with rad weld it could lead as you say to other issues like a blocked rad core overheating and the like

[BVY]

I had a similar problem on my last mini. After changing the gasket for a copper one, I had some bubbles coming out where the engine number is. All i did was crack all the nuts off in order and re-torque them and it was fine after that.