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Re: Head Gasket query

To: Eric <eric@erickson.on.net>
Subject: Re: Head Gasket query
From: Carl Elliott <grunt2@adelphia.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 11:56:35 -0500
Just went through the same thing, My head is warped, I need a new streight
edge as I checked before I assembled the motor, Its in the shop being
plained and I have my spare on the car. Try retorquing the head first.
If that doesn't work then the head might be warped. This is no big disaster
and inexpensive to have corrected.  Carl E.

Eric wrote:

> OK, here is a question for all, based on my recent painful and expensive
> little driving experience.  Some might remember that I bought my little
> yellow car, my first MG, as a learning experience... I think I may have
> hit another speed bump in my learning curve.
>
> A long, 65mph, two and a half to three hour drive in 95/100F heat...
> check out the engine (especially after losing a lot of oil) and see a
> lot of "seepage" and bubbles along the head gasket on the distributor
> side of the block.  I assume that the gasket has gone because this is
> meant to be a "seal"... surely... and I am nowhere near my usual,
> trusted, family MG doctor to ask advice.  Nor am I near a computer and
> Internet access to ask you guys.
>
> I have now been informed (from a trusted source) that after such a drive
> this sort of "seepage" is quite understandable and it will simply "seal
> up" again once things cool down and get back to "normal" driving again.
> In fact this source said that he had seen racing MGs that had
> distributor problems because so much water came out past the head gasket
> under such stressed conditions.
>
> Now I will tell you that if I saw this on my Ford I would come to the
> conclusion that the gasket was shot and I wouldn't find many who would
> think otherwise, but my problem was that the mechanic who did the work
> for me did NOT do a compression test before ripping the head off (it was
> too late by the time I dropped in to witness further work being done)
> and I only found this out when I saw his report afterwards.
>
> Any thoughts on this?  Was my head gasket going/gone or did I just make
> another payment on this mechanic's Porsche for no good reason?
>
> Eric
> '68MGB MkII (resting)


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