zx head gasket

8304 · Post by **8304** » 15 Jul 2006, 10:08

after many months of being thrashed with extra boost and fueling my head gasket has gone - (totally self inflicted i might add)

the head is off and looks ok and is going for a presure test and skim next week.

I dont want to turn the pressure down on the turbo becuase it wil be not as fun to drive so i am tempted to leave it in its tuned state.

however,

does anybody know of a tougher head gasket for these engines? i have bough a three notch from GSF but if there is a harder tougher gasket out there i would go and buy that one... has anybody heard of tougher head gaskets for these engines or is it the norm to fit 3 notch thicker ones?????

cheers
in
advance

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 15 Jul 2006, 10:30

did you buy a fibre/steel composite, or a multi-layer steel laminate gasket? The multi-layer steel ones are much stronger than the fiberous ones, and last almost indefinitely.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 15 Jul 2006, 12:43

So you have got the bite for diesel turbo power now

- no - it wont help you with a "tougher" headgasket - not even a wee bit. It will just delay the next failure.

The problem is not caused by the headgasket - and thats where the real story begins

The problem is caused by this sequence of events :
1) the very fun to drive engine overheats during animated driving
2) the cooling system can not cope with these peak power heat losses in the head - both as a heat distrbution (equalising) - and a heat removing job.
3) the head then starts to get uneven in temperature over its lenght
4) any massive material will twist when uneven heat is applied over its mass - no matter how hard its bolted to another massive material.
5) the head will twist a micro wee bit more for every peak heat power loss exposed to
6) at some point(s) over the joint there will be more gap between head and block - than the gasket can ever fill out - and then either coolant - or oil - or combustion pressure - flows out where its not supposed to. Disaster is evident.

You cannot get such flexible headgaskets which will keep up with the growing gap.

Do as you intend to do - with a quality headgasket.

Then use all your brains and ideas (and some of the good tune-up websites around) to up the cooling of the engine as much you can - especially the flow of the coolant.
That is the best way to insure you get a prolonged life with the fun drive

Post by **Peter.N.** » 15 Jul 2006, 16:07

I used a laminated steel gasket on my XM, it was expensive but certainly more robust than the standard one and I have not had to top the water up in about 25k.

But, as Anders says, the head is not designed to cope with that sort of heat output but I wonder if the all metal gasket would help conduct some of the heat away to the block? The 2.1 td head has much improved cooling, but then it produces more power. I think its just horses for courses.

Stewart(oily) · Post by **Stewart(oily)** » 15 Jul 2006, 16:41

I use the metal laminated type of gasket to help with durability here but if you are running excessive boost then failure is still possible, the gaskets are made by curty payen and are sometimes called repair gaskets or Volcane type gaskets.
Stewart

8304 · Post by **8304** » 15 Jul 2006, 19:15

thanks for your replies.

so the general consensus seems to be better cooling to cut down on the head expanding / changing shape...

i wonder if there is a high volume water pump on trhe market for these engines??????

the temperature gauge generally stays around 90 degrees and doesnt seem to rise if i thrash the car. but i surpose it is the heat didtribution in the head rather than the amount of heat itslself which causes problems.

the gasket had a very smal split next to a water way behind the cylinder closest to the gear box. I must admit it did look like a fatigue crack from movement between the head and block..
the rest of the gasket wasnt looking too good either and there was a slight pit in the ead in one place from corrosion.

I think the engine should last fair while with the nex gasket as it did about 18 months or so in the tuned state witha 13 yr old head gasket so with a new gasket and resurfaced head i might get three years i spose but its hard to say.

i think i will turn the pressure down a couple of psi - ive heard that the gains above 18psi are slight as the charge temperature rises ra[idly and so the density falls....

anybody heard of a high volume water pump for these engines?????

cheers everybody

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 15 Jul 2006, 22:13

I think the way to improve the cooling may be to use a 'wetting agent' these are advertised in some specialist press - probably the 4 X 4 press as they seem to buy more strange products than anyone else. It should work by lowering the surface tension of the water / anti-freeze and allowing better contact with the metal.

I think they are quite expensive - so you want the thing to be clean and leak free before you start.

Worth researching.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 16 Jul 2006, 08:02

My gasket failed mainly I think due to lack of antifreeze, it was corroded almost to the point of disintegration, I now have a 50/50 antifreeze mix and I also fitted a new radiator for good measure.

8304 · Post by **8304** » 17 Jul 2006, 12:52

right here where i am:

gsf made a mistake and gave me the wrong head bolts - ive got the correct ones now.

ive got a set of tensioners and idler wheels for the cam belt, a new water pump and cam belt.

the head is in having a small spot of corrosion welded up and then a skim. im going to take the fibre gsf gasket back and get a steel laminated one - it sounds stronger to me and with extra boost i probly need it. - its like double the price thou!

i just need to establish what notch gasket i need - i need to check what the original one was (cos they are not all standard thickness) and add the amount skimmed off the head to determine the gasket thickness required.

i should get the head back wednesday and start fitting it wednesday evning - ill let you kno how i get on!

its getting expensive though - about £200 quid parts at the mo. but it will be satisfying to know that every erviceable item will have been renewed on the engine.....

Post by **Peter.N.** » 17 Jul 2006, 14:13

The XM gasket only comes in one thickness! It looks quite thick which of course has the effect of lowering the compression ratio, not a bad thing with all that boost. It made mine a little more difficult to start when I first fitted it but after 1000 miles or so it was fine.

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 17 Jul 2006, 14:18

The 1.9TD head gasket, however, comes in 5 different thicknesses, and with 2 differing notch systems. Get it wrong, and you risk piston/valve mess, or low compression.

8304 · Post by **8304** » 17 Jul 2006, 14:41

AGGGHHH! two different notch systems - i though there was only one!

sounds like selcting the correct lone might be fun then!

Post by **Peter.N.** » 17 Jul 2006, 19:10

The standard 2.1 gasket comes in a variety of thicknesses, but the Citroen 'repair' gasket only comes in one.