Cylinder Head Gasket !

[Guest NOMIS]

My cylinder head gasket has blown on my Elise, after only 33000 miles. I am thinking about replacing the gasket myself and I want to know if any one has any sensible advice. I have been told that it tacks about 8 hours, is the correct. Can you get to all the bolts through the wheel arch without taking the rear clamshell off?

 

!!Please Help!!

[spike]

my head gasket had started to leak, and ive literally just [tuesday] had it replaced at horizon motorsport in cradley heath. dunno if having it blow up completely has knackered engine parts, but they replaced the head gasket and the cam belt all in a day.

not much help if your gonna try fixing it yourself, but if u were going to take it to a garage, they would get my vote, nice people who know their stuff

 

.oO(spike)

[tazbaz69]

ok doing the head gasket isn,t hard, but i would advise u to take the clam off( only 45 min job) other wise you,ll really struggle to get tools in to engine bay. make sure u get a camshaft locking tool and a fly wheel locking tool aswell, i got both if u need to borrow them( i,m in notts though).

best thing is to get head off and then it needs to go in and get tested and skimmed( don,t listen to lotus, the K16 does need a skive, only very slight). The main reason they blow is due to the fact that the dowls inbetween the gasket are plastic as standard and need to be metal. geary at elise parts will supply u with full gasket kit( uprated gasket, air box gasket, metal dowls etc to do job) also u really need to get some headbolts as they stretch so better safe then sorry. i,d say total time for job is a good day if u know wat your doing?? all in all i,d say it would cost u £300-350 to do yourself. Lotus qouated me £900 +, rover over a grand.

 

baz

[Guest NOMIS]

SPIKE HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING TO HAVE THE GASKET REPLACED?

[spike]

c. £400 for head gasket set, head bolts and labour many have posted about great service from Horizon, and i'd only add to the praise

 

.oO(spike)

[tazbaz69]

thats a good price that then i must admit spike, £400 is just short of what it cost me to do it really myself with all new bits, but that was including buying cam locking tool, fly wheel locking tool, new water pump, cam belt and filter and oil.

[Guest NOMIS]

tazbaz69

 

 

How much was the fly wheel locking tool?

 

Where did you get the tool from?

[Scott_Mac]

Again i'll give a big thumbs up to Horizon....

 

I'll be in soon for Mike's favourite a geo check My car has started pulling to the left like nobody's business!

[GCCK]

Best practice is to replace the long bolts as well after a blown head gasket.

[snowman]

I too must sing the praises of Horizon.. Top guys who know their stuff..

[Scrappydog]

Nothing technical to add, but just wanted to say nice avatar Snowman!

[snowman]

just keeping humour in everyone life!!!!

[tazbaz69]

the fly wheel locking tool cost me £36 and i got it from a company in newark called partco. u may be able to do it without locking tool, just means u need to mark your time first then u can turn the car over using a 22 mm socket on the crankshaft pully, but take out the spark plugs which makes it easier due to less compression in engine.