i bought a car ( rover 414 s reg) there seamed to be no problems with the car but on my second drive in the car the engine over heated . there was no water in the cooling system, so topping it up i carried on and few more miles the water was gone again and was smoke coming rom exshaust. i was told it could be the head gasket has gone so i burning water in the fuel. how hard is it to replace the head gasket? any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.. thanksHow hard is it to change a head gasket on a rover 414?
Check the oil filler cap for creamy mayonaise type gunk. check the coolant bottle for the same.
If it is clean, the head gasket HAS NOT failed. Its usually the inlet manifold gasket allowing coolant to enter the cylinders.
If it is the head gasket, Its one of the easiest modern engines to change. Get a haynes manual for the basic description, but I'll give you some extra advice its best to follow.
Do not use cheap no-name gaskets. Only use the oem payen type. The land rover MLS gasket is the best. Get one from a land rover dealer. tell them you want it for a Freelander 1.8. Same engine.
Do not bother with the up rated oil rail available. Some people will tell you its needed. It isnt exept on the freelander.
Measure the liner stand-proud above the block face, using a straight edge and feeler gauges. It should be more than 2 thou. 1 thou is acceptable, less than that and the liners have sunk and the new head gasket will fail again quickly. New engine time.
The head bolts can be re-used as long as they are in good condition, screw each bolt into its location with the head still off. They should screw easily to well below the hight of the head without effort. if they bind at all, get new ones.
Look at the head face, if there is a groove where the fire ring sits, it has gone soft from over heating. you can get it skimmed flat if its not too deep, and use a head saver shim. better off with a new head.
DO NOT skim the head if it is flat. they are surface hardened and skimming can remove that layer.
Make sure both faces are very clean before re-assembly.How hard is it to change a head gasket on a rover 414?
If it's the 414 it's defo the Head Gasket thats gone! these engines eat them!!
This job is not difficult for someone who knows what they're doing but if you've not done it before then it will be difficult.
Get a Haynes Manual for the car this is a MUST!
You will need a Torque wrenchHow hard is it to change a head gasket on a rover 414?
its not that hard, but having over heated it you could have warped the head, just makesure you get the timing correct there is a tool to lock it in place and most of all replace the head bolts, i didnt and when reassembling it i snapped one and had to drop the sump which was a work up, because they are stretch bolts you can only use them once, apart from that i found it rarther easy, before i did it everyone umed and ared about it but dont let them put you off, av a go its goo learning, by the way mine was a rover engine not the honda engine, good luckHow hard is it to change a head gasket on a rover 414?
not easy.
