Morris Minor Owners Club

My Mechanic thinks head gasket is gone in my morris..
Is it a hellish job to replace it ?? will it cost me a fortune ?? am I doomed?

Nope, not a hellish job at all really, but it depends on your mechanical skills.

It SHOULD not cost a fortune if it's just a gasket failure, but it's best to have the head/block checked for trueness while you are at it.

What was the cause of the failure? overheating?

About three weeks ago I was driving home from work..I noticed
a funny smell..Driving in the Drive of my abode, I notice the smoke.. Rad completly empty and smoking like a knacker camp!
I never had any issues with water in the rad...and I am wondering what ran her out..??
I am such an idiot all the same ! should have been wathing her.

PS How much is a head gasket roughly ??

PS Mechanic could be wrong though.. He is an old timer..and very reasonable on cost !

CAM.. I saw the same 56 splitscreen as mine on E Bay..the other day..immaculate..jesus she was very good nick.

I was thinking about my own last night on how she has aged over the last three years..not too bad but ugly in places..
God I could have cried..it is amazing on how you can become attched to a car..that is the truth.

Head gasket with a backstreet garage on cheap labour rates (not London etc..) would be £50 to £100 at a best guess, plus ~£10 parts.
If they check the head and it needs skimming, add another £25 ish, although it will be more if there isn't an engine recon place nearby - time is money etc...

Yeah, you might be lucky then and not have warped the head, although it IS possible with severe overheating. Get it checked though otherwise you will be paying for another head gasket in a few weeks/months. Also, of course get the cooling system checked as you must have a leak somewhere.

Yes, it IS amazing how you can become attached to a car though. I'm pretty attached to mine and would not want to part with any of them at the moment (even though Ray has issued death threats if I don't ditch the traveller! ).

Thanks Lads...
Aprat from the mayonaise sunstance in the Rad..
Compressision test would tell if I had blown it ??

PS would it cut car while I was in mid flow....
Can a warped head be easily fixed ?

Yes, a compression test is a pretty good indicator that a gasket is blown.

It depends on WHERE is has blown. If it blows between cylinders then you will notice a lack of power more easily (as 2 cylinders are affected), it it blows outwards, then it will sound like a race tuned tractor!!!

A warped head can be fixed by either skimming (milling) the surface flat again, or a cheaper option would perhaps be to fit a cheap 2nd hand head (if you have, or can get one).

Head gasket is only about 4 pds - and takes 2 hours max to fit. But you have now 'roasted' the engine - so there could be multiple other problems. Compression test is the first step - or just stick a gasket on and see how it runs. At least, change the oil and filter !! The usual leak is from the bypass hose or the even the water pump itself - fit a new 'solid' type bypass hose as a matter of course - and if possible fit new rad hoses too unless you know their age ?

If you do it yourself, it can be helpful to leave the exhaust manifold and carb connected to the head, assuming the head does not need to be sent off to be flattened. This will save on gaskets and cut the time down, but little things usually crop up like head studs unscrewing from the block, which need putting back and various joint faces to clean up, also you may wish to remove some carbon deposits etc, so assuming you live in the real world and don't want a ''that'll do mate'' job, give yourself at least a morning. Re-torque head nuts after a 100 or so miles.

Yes take the manifold with carb etc off with the head - no need to even undo the cables, just the petrol pipe. Leave the carbon on the pistons - it forms a 'seal' of sorts. But you must find the leak !!