Hey! Anyone got the address of the designer of the K-series?

[Station]

As I'd like to kick his stupid fucking head off his fucking weak, puny bony shoulders.

 

New water pump = £30

New radiator = £80

New Payen OE three layer head gasket = £120

New Payen OE head bolts = £30

New belt = £15

Second hand head (bare) = £80

Skimming and testing of head = £40

New valves = £80

New hydraulic lifters = £60

New valve stem seals = £20

 

Having the head gasket go after a month of usage = DIE AN EMBARRESSING DEATH, YOU HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE CUNT

[Minimad5]

Damn If it helps if you ever need a hand or anythin' just askHope all is okays !Didnt know ya had to buy a new pump when the HGF occured on the K-it Kat engines

[Station]

The water pump went in the first place (gasket was leaking), so I thought I'd replace the entire cooling system on these wretched engines.Head was pressure tested and everything!Thanks for the offer, I think I'm going to leave this til the summer. I just can't be arsed again. :DI tell you, it's no fun shitting yourself on every journey over 10 miles.

[Guest greenvanman]

£555 in parts and your time & effort to fix it, you must love it!

[Rod/b]

Bad news. Were the liner heights all correct?

[Minimad5]

The water pump went in the first place (gasket was leaking), so I thought I'd replace the entire cooling system on these wretched engines.Head was pressure tested and everything!Thanks for the offer, I think I'm going to leave this til the summer. I just can't be arsed again. :DI tell you, it's no fun shitting yourself on every journey over 10 miles.

Why wait till summer ? Its not that cold out there No worries, I live local so any help i can give, then i will give !

[Richard]

I was actually going to start a "designers you'd like to punch in the face" thread, I have a list. I might do that when I get home from work.

[Torsten2001]

That sounds like a walk in the park, buy a Neon if you fancy a proper financial buggering

[CIH]

It was actually a really good design, totally compromised because Rover Group weere skint and couldn't afford to bolt 'em together properly.

[Rod/b]

It was actually a really good design, totally compromised because Rover Group weere skint and couldn't afford to bolt 'em together properly.

It was a flawed design of which Rover refused to acknowledge there were any problems with and put right. The HG design wasn't ideal but that was exacerbated by coolant leaks from inlet manifolds and water pumps, which in turn often cause problems faster than you may see in other cars due to the low coolant capacity in a K, so a lower tolerance for leaks.People I know swear blind that a K fitted with the revised inlet manifold gasket, a PRT design thermostat, MLS HG, uprated oil rail, uprated locating dowels AND an eye kept on coolant levels shouldn't be much of a problem. Although that can still leave the problem with heads going porous but a friend of mine knows somewhere that machines in uprated fire rings to resolve that issue. Then again they can drop liners.Doesn't help the OP, mind...Station, where are you based?

[Lankytim]

I think the K is a cracking engine, the problem is once they do the HG once they just seem to keep going....

[Station]

I really like the KSeries, the 1.8 in mine is awesome and has a great sound once you get over 4000 rpm. They feel so 'comfortable' to drive. I was surprised to see wet liners when I fixed it. It was adapted from a 1400cc, which explains the meccano-esque construction when you look in it.This engine was originally conceived as a 'throw away' engine without a head gasket, the head and block was one piece.I'm on the Wirral - Woodchurch to be precise.

[Guest]

When the headgasket goes on a K-series engine they seem to have very little chance of ever working again.Shame because they're nice when they do work.

[Rod/b]

I'm on the Wirral - Woodchurch to be precise.

Nowhere bloody near East Sussex or Newcastle then...

[Minimad5]

I'm on the Wirral - Woodchurch to be precise.

Nowhere bloody near East Sussex or Newcastle then...

Nope but 5 minutes drive from Rock FerryCould we get a "locals" thread on here ?Would be good to see who lives locals in a League of gentlemen way

[marinast]

The earlier closed deck K series are much stronger than the later open deck block engines which were modified to increase capacity. The 1800cc engines are prone to suffering from thermal shock in the TF due to the long runs of coolant pipes, also in general the liners are too close together making boiling of coolant a real possibility (not a good thing!). Coupled with small coolant capacities and nasty plastic manifolds which leak, you have to actually look at these engines once a week to keep problems in check.

The K series was really never inteneded for expansion in quite the same way as Rover did it, but then again B** pretty much Lugered the company in the head by insisting the K was the engine to go rather than use 1600, 1800 and 2 litre versions of the almost bullit proof T series, which could be turbocharged to produce 330 killing perform...

Oh yes, that's why B** used the far more fragile K series.

If the liner heights are within tolerance, I'd suggest that your heads are both suffering from the effects of anealing, brought on by very high engine temperture, suggesting perhaps that your replacement head is from a HGF engine. Also if you have fitted the multi layered shim gasket kit (MLS) you need to check that the liner heights are bang on as the MLS kit will not work if they are out of true.

[AnthonyG]

The earlier closed deck K series are much stronger than the later open deck block engines which were modified to increase capacity.

Does this explain why the Mk1 214s seem the most immune to HGF? - I know several that lasted 15-16 years happily and the cars died for other reasons.

[Rocket88]

they're not as tragically crap as Stag engines............"lets weld two triumph 4 pots together, with a timing chain just short of the length of Hadrian's wall, forget to flush all of the sand out after the engine casting, and then expect a totally inadequate cooling system to cope with the radiator silting up"......."we'll see what we can do sir"..........

[dollywobbler]

Very true Colc. There's something wonderfully shit about an engine that needs the timing CHAIN replacing more often than a timing belt. By 'eck do they sound nice though...So, what went wrong with our motor industry again?

[Rusty Pelican]

they're not as tragically crap as Stag engines............"lets weld two triumph 4 pots together, with a timing chain just short of the length of Hadrian's wall, forget to flush all of the sand out after the engine casting, and then expect a totally inadequate cooling system to cope with the radiator silting up"......."we'll see what we can do sir"..........

[Rocket88]

It's almost as if Triumph said " we've got a really good looking car, half the price of the only equivalent [Mercedes] competition,what can we do to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I know, we'll not use that nice V8 that Rover nicked from the Yanks, we'll deliberately design and build an engine that's guaranteed to fuck up the entire project, and while we're it, we won't bother too much with that new fangled rustproofing nonsense.." job done, exit British motor industry stage left.

[Station]

you have to actually look at these engines once a week to keep problems in check.

I want to deny this, but it's been a constant fear, and I have had to check it more often than everyweek. As a result, the car has done less than 7000 miles in three years, and the missus and I go out for drives almost everynight. This is unacceptable for a modern engineered car, it's like buying a TV that might electrocute you if you didn't check if the cable had frayed itself everyday.The first time we drove it, the coolant temp shot up to red, and then returned to normal, and then nothing bad for another few months. What type of car does that, I ask you? It's totally random! I drove the car for a further 100 miles today and I didn't have a problem with it (although I know something's wrong).I'll never own another car with a K-series in.I read they could've put a really decent engine in the Stag, but instead put that one in. The only question is how did BL/Rover etc last beyond the 70's?

[Pete-M]

Back in the late 80's the brother of a chap I know came into some money and decided to restore his dads old Stag to 'better than new, money no object'. As classic car prices were going utterly mental, it was deemed a worthy exercise and he set about making the nicest Stag in the world. He'd already built a couple of concours Fords and this old Stag had been sitting forlorn in his driveway for years.A total nut and bolt rebuild followed. Every single bit that he could replace with brand new bits was replaced. He went utterly over the top. Insanely so. Managed to find two blokes who worked for Triumph's engine department when they were in Speke and got them to completely overhaul all the running gear to blueprint levels. It was absolutely beautiful, and I don't normally like Stags. Mimosa yellow, black leather, the alloy rims polished to mirrors. All the correct underbonnet stickers etc. He even had the Triumph 'running in' instructions sticker on the windscreen. Total extremes. He was in contact with all the Stag specialists for advice, did all the recommended upgrades to make sure the thing was going to be reliable and trustworthy, bigger radiator, uprated water pump, the best of everything. Nothing was left to chance. It blew up after eight miles. He left it on the path to rot, just like his dad had.

[Rod/b]

you have to actually look at these engines once a week to keep problems in check.

I want to deny this, but it's been a constant fear, and I have had to check it more often than everyweek. As a result, the car has done less than 7000 miles in three years, and the missus and I go out for drives almost everynight. This is unacceptable for a modern engineered car, it's like buying a TV that might electrocute you if you didn't check if the cable had frayed itself everyday.The first time we drove it, the coolant temp shot up to red, and then returned to normal, and then nothing bad for another few months. What type of car does that, I ask you? It's totally random! I drove the car for a further 100 miles today and I didn't have a problem with it (although I know something's wrong)

Sounds like you've got an airlock in it. Does the heater blow sometimes go cold?

[wilko]

Sorry but not going to get masses of sympathy here - in this day and age, you go into K-series ownership with your eyes open!Everybody knows they drop HG's, that's why the cars powered by them are cheap? I took the risk a few years ago and got a 1998 216 which had done 80k for half the price of the equivalent Golf/Focus, it did another 30k without any problems at all (sailed through MOT's) and then dropped the HG, so I weighed it in - still worked out very cheap to own & went like the clappers for a 1.6. It was the opposite of "sporty" - 14 inch steels and dodgy grandad walnut effect trim, but it was only 4bhp behind my brother's 2.0 8v Mk3 Golf GTi, far cheaper to insure & faster off the lights.The one thing I don't understand though - why develop the engine in the first place? The 1.6 16v Honda engines in the old 216 models are a gem - them & the K-series are streets ahead of the equivalent early 90's Vauxhall/Ford/VW 1.6 lumps in performance - why did Rover not just buy the rights to use them, along with using various Honda platforms? Powertrain sharing is all the rage nowadays - I think you can find the same range of HDi engines fitted to Peugeot, Citreon, Mazda, Land Rover, Jaguar & Ford(!)

[Pillock]

what can we do to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Heh I love that...."British Car Industry: Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory since 1978"

[wilko]

1978? I'm sure backward leaps evident in the Allegro, Marina, SD1 etc... pre-date that!

[scooters]

Back in the late 80's the brother of a chap I know came into some money and decided to restore his dads old Stag to 'better than new, money no object'. As classic car prices were going utterly mental, it was deemed a worthy exercise and he set about making the nicest Stag in the world. He'd already built a couple of concours Fords and this old Stag had been sitting forlorn in his driveway for years.A total nut and bolt rebuild followed. Every single bit that he could replace with brand new bits was replaced. He went utterly over the top. Insanely so. Managed to find two blokes who worked for Triumph's engine department when they were in Speke and got them to completely overhaul all the running gear to blueprint levels. It was absolutely beautiful, and I don't normally like Stags. Mimosa yellow, black leather, the alloy rims polished to mirrors. All the correct underbonnet stickers etc. He even had the Triumph 'running in' instructions sticker on the windscreen. Total extremes. He was in contact with all the Stag specialists for advice, did all the recommended upgrades to make sure the thing was going to be reliable and trustworthy, bigger radiator, uprated water pump, the best of everything. Nothing was left to chance. It blew up after eight miles. He left it on the path to rot, just like his dad had.

maybe the hell of the Stag engine explains why all Stag owners at car shows seem to be flying jacket wearing po faced, snobby ciserabale munts?

[scooters]

bad luck with the K series BTW - have been very tempted to buy an MGF in the past as I do like them but the K series has scared the shit out of me. Have a mate who works for the RAC and he told me that he does at least 3-5 K series failures a month. Always HG and often a replacement HG.MInd you B** are Harry Hunts as well. I had a lovely 523i from 1996 - really nice motor except for the useless alloy piece of shit under the bonnet that sheds its water pump and dumps its coolant resulting in a cooked and cracked head after 60k. specialists will tell you it is the penny pinching plastic impellor blades on the water pump that are to blame and have an aftermarket fix by replacing them with metal ones. My 523i ate 2 engines in 70k before I scrapped the miserable piece of boch hun crap - it put me off BMW for life!....twunts and thieves!

[Station]

Defintie airlock in the early days on my K-Series, but the string of events that has followed totally trouble free motoring is silly. I can see the only solution to this is getting rid of the car, but it's the GF's and she wants to keep it.