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MG MGA - Head gasket

Hi my mga has blown it’s head gasket
Could somebody recommend a decent make to replace it , Are torqueline’ any good
Thanks
D J Joy

If you want a better quality head gasket you should fit something like the Payen or Cometic multi layer gaskets.

They are designed for higher performance engines and so are well up to standard road use.

Before you change your gasket, have both the block and the head checked for being truly flat, otherwise your gasket may fail again.

If there is no distortion issue with the block or head and it in a standard state of tune, then you should be ok to use the usual copper faced gasket again.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

I just noticed a possible misleading part in my last post Johnathon, when I said "it should be ok to use the usual copper-faced gasket again", I wasn't suggesting that you should re-use the same gasket!

I just meant that you could fit a NEW copper faced gasket of the same design.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

Johnathon, by co-incidence, I have just removed the cylinder head from my engine, the head-gasket hadn't blown but I am having some replacement valve springs fitted and so the head had to come off.

The Payen gasket was in perfect condition so it was a shame to have to junk it, but I will have to fit a new one when I get the head back and it will be another Payen gasket.

The Payen gasket was fitted 12,000 miles ago and replaces a Cometic gasket that had failed unexpectedly after the engine had only done around 10,000 miles.

So my preference is obviously for the Payen type.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

You do not have to remove the head to replace valve springs. KD make a tool for removing valve springs.There are methods of holding the valve in place.(ROPE fed into sparkplug hole tohold the vALVE UP/ Air pressure with sparkplug adapter will do the same thing.
Sandy
Sanders

Thanks Sandy,
I do already have the KD valve spring compressor and the air pressure hose connector because I had already planned to use the "rope trick" to hold the valves up.

However, I was speaking to Peter Burgess last week about new valve springs, seals and caps for my head and he said that he would prefer to have a look at the rocker assembly, springs and the head before he supplied me the parts. He also offered to re-assemble the valves in the head for me and so I have decided to take him up on his offer.

I plan to take it through on Friday, fortunately Peters workshop is only 40 mins from where I live.

I will let you know how it turns out.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

This thread was discussed between 19/11/2019 and 26/11/2019

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