15 replies to this topic

[PaulColeman]

I restored a 1976 Mini 1000 for my daughter and she's been using it for nearly a year now... until this morning!! It broke down on her way to work and she had to get the AA out to have a look. The AA guy did a compression check and found that two cylinders have 150psi whilst the other two only have 25psi - not good

 

I haven't had a look at it yet as she's being towed home after work tonight. It started all of a sudden from what I can gather and when we restored it we had the head converted to unleaded with new exhaust seats and valves so I'm thinking it probably isn't the valves.

 

So I was thinking head gasket, but she said the water is still up to the wire in the radiator? If it was rings I wouldn't have expected two cylinders to go at the same time?

 

So what do we reckon people? It was doing so well too... nearly a year with no breakdowns

 

Cheers, Paul.

Edited by PaulColeman, 16 January 2015 - 12:53 PM.

[alex-95]

Which cylinders only have 25psi compression?

[Icey]

If the two cylinders which are low are next to each other it's likely they've blown between them rather than into the water or oil ways. A HG can go in many ways not always resulting in water/oil loss/mixing.

Edited by Icey, 16 January 2015 - 12:56 PM.

[PaulColeman]

I don't know which cylinders are low at the moment as she's still at work until later. Just wanted to get a few thoughts before I get the spanners out tonight!!

 

Sounds like the best bet would be to pull the head?

[sonikk4]

Well one way or the other it sounds like a head off job to me. 

[PaulColeman]

Ok, I'll buy a head gasket on my way home and pull it tonight for a look.

 

Thanks people... four heads are always better than one!!

 

Cheers, Paul.

[Dan]

Sounds like a head gasket as you suggest.

[sonikk4]

And i would suggest a Payen BK450 head gasket as well.

[coopdog]

yeah sounds like a head gasket, shouldnt take to long to get it swapped over

Edited by coopdog, 16 January 2015 - 01:27 PM.

[PaulColeman]

And i would suggest a Payen BK450 head gasket as well.

Damn saw this too late and bought a kit from the only place locally I could find who stocked them. It's not made by Payen.

Out of interest what would cause a head gasket to go within a year of fitting - just bad quality?

 

I think we may have been lucky in that there has been no loss of water and the oil doesn't look contaminated. So hopefully the damage is minimal and I shouldn't need to dump the coolant and oil.

 

Cheers, Paul.

[sonikk4]

 

And i would suggest a Payen BK450 head gasket as well.

Damn saw this too late and bought a kit from the only place locally I could find who stocked them. It's not made by Payen.

Out of interest what would cause a head gasket to go within a year of fitting - just bad quality?

 

I think we may have been lucky in that there has been no loss of water and the oil doesn't look contaminated. So hopefully the damage is minimal and I shouldn't need to dump the coolant and oil.

 

Cheers, Paul.

 

I fitted a Minspares HG set which had a copper gasket in it. Fastidious in cleaning, checking for head trueness etc etc etc. So basically all was good and clean.

 

Fitted it all, torqued correctly with an accurate torque wrench and ran it all up to temp. re torqued and                 it bloody leaked?????? Anyway i thought been down this road before on another car so ran it for some time and even did L2B in it. No issues with overheating etc but it leaked oil and water but not copious amounts. Mmm, contacted simon@minispares and he sent me a Payen gasket and bingo no more leaks. Bone dry.   

[coopdog]

Yeah I've used 2 different copper gaskets from minispares and they both leaked!

[PaulColeman]

Okay. I may buy a Payen one for my 'stores' and fit what I've got for now as I need the car up and running for Monday.

 

Cheers, Paul.

[Dan]

You will need to drop the fluids, if they haven't mixed already they will when you lift the head! I have found 998s to most commonly fail between cylinders, you rarely loose any oil or water.

[Spider]

If it has a 998 engine, then a BK450 isn't the right gasket (thems for 1275s), though in a pinch will work on a 998.

 

Copper Head Gaskets are only good IF everything either side of them are prepared 110% or better, otherwise you'd wish you'd never seen one!