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[JamesV6CDX]

If you haven't already worked out, I am buying a Miggy V6 tomorrow.

I believe it's a one owner car, with full service history. The only downside - 167k miles.

Despite being a reliable setup, I have seen many V6's around this mileage with failed head gaskets. Although the fire rings stay intact, they leak out of the rear corner, and the composite material corrodes away.

My question is this. When I get the old girl home - is it worth taking the top end off (despite the fact it runs fine) - and renewing the head gaskets, manifold gaskets/studs, as a preventative measure?

Extreme, I accept - but we all know things start to fail around these miles - and I wonder if it's worth just doing it in one hit.

This would also enable a really, really tidy job to be done of the vaporiser, and LPG plumbing, while heads are off and things very accessible. Would also be an opportunity for a good cleanup, inspection, and valve lap... and a damn good excuse to pop some 3.0 cams in...

Discuss

[Jimbob]

2 schools of thought..


If it aint broke, dont fix it
(or if it aint broke, it soon will be  )

Or head off, do everything, inc lpg, then hopefully sit back with and enjoy it.;

[cem_devecioglu]

personally , if I had your mechanical skills , I would .. but would do the lpg installation after..

[TheBoy]

No. Only if it needs doing.

[joshwyatt]

You know that you secretly want to do it!
If you fit all the LPG stuff, and at a later date the HG goes, I imagine you're going to have to remove the LPG stuff, and create more work for yourself in the end.
I'd say go for it, you'll then know it's a good job and will last, and won't have any issues - There's noting worse than not having confidence in the vehicle you drive, and it's ability to get you where you're going.
If it's going to be a vehicle you use for long holidays, you'll want it to be perfect, and despite your extensive knowledge...I can't imagine it'd be fun trying to fix a HG in France or the likes  :-/

[TheBoy]

You know that you secretly want to do it!
If you fit all the LPG stuff, and at a later date the HG goes, I imagine you're going to have to remove the LPG stuff, and create more work for yourself in the end.
I'd say go for it, you'll then know it's a good job and will last, and won't have any issues - There's noting worse than not having confidence in the vehicle you drive, and it's ability to get you where you're going.
If it's going to be a vehicle you use for long holidays, you'll want it to be perfect, and despite your extensive knowledge...I can't imagine it'd be fun trying to fix a HG in France or the likes  :-/

mkaes little difference if LPG or not - just a couple of extra hoses/connectors to deal with.

A few 1998 3.0l seem to leak from passenger HG.  The majority of V6s never have the slightest HG issue......


So, I'd leave it. Even if it does go, its not problematic - mine had been failed a year or more

[joshwyatt]

That's interesting TB...so it looks like it's not needed.
I must admit I'd always worry slightly, but of course different engines behave differently with HG failiure.
I suppose if you have a Rover K series, you'd get used to it after a while...saw a '52' 75 with 29,000 miles with HG failiure.

[JamesV6CDX]

Thing is...

The cam cover gaskets have just been done by a garage. There's a chance they haven't used genuine GM bits, so a failure will be imminent, if so.

The cambelt kit will want changing, as a matter of course.

The camshafts will be coming out, for 3.0 ones.


SO... as it stands, assume the cambelt kit and waterpump are off, the camcovers are off, and the cams out... with the inlet and cooling pipes also out for the LPG work..

Maybe as good 'a time as any?  :-/

[TheBoy]

That's interesting TB...so it looks like it's not needed.
I must admit I'd always worry slightly, but of course different engines behave differently with HG failiure.
I suppose if you have a Rover K series, you'd get used to it after a while...saw a '52' 75 with 29,000 miles with HG failiure.

I have a K Series. And yes the HG did fail (again). About 2 years ago.  I really must get around to fixing it if she can let me have the car for a couple of weeks

[Elite Pete]

Sounds like you've already made you mind up James

[JamesV6CDX]

Sounds like you've already made you mind up James

Not necessarily - but, while it's half way apart, I just wonder whether it's worth doing the extra things, like manifold gaskets, stat, etc....

[TheBoy]

Sounds like you've already made you mind up James

Not necessarily - but, while it's half way apart, I just wonder whether it's worth doing the extra things, like manifold gaskets, stat, etc....

Stat defo worth doing imho

[Elite Pete]

Sounds like you've already made you mind up James

Not necessarily - but, while it's half way apart, I just wonder whether it's worth doing the extra things, like manifold gaskets, stat, etc....

James' don't think i'm being nasty, i'm not, but from my observations every car you've had you stripped down rebuilt and them prompty sold it. Now I don't know but would think that you may have lost or possibly broken even on these cars so why not wait a while, decide if its the car for you to keep and then consider rebuilding it

[JamesV6CDX]

Sounds like you've already made you mind up James

Not necessarily - but, while it's half way apart, I just wonder whether it's worth doing the extra things, like manifold gaskets, stat, etc....

James' don't think i'm being nasty, i'm not, but from my observations every car you've had you stripped down rebuilt and them prompty sold it. Now I don't know but would think that you may have lost or possibly broken even on these cars so why not wait a while, decide if its the car for you to keep and then consider rebuilding it

Your observations are correct - with a couple of very rare exceptions, I have always lost out on cars.

You know what, I don't know what it is... I take great satisfaction from stripping down a V6 and getting everything spot on.... and after I've done so, I seem to get bored and look for another project 

[JamesV6CDX]

As we all know, HG failure is down to poor coolant maintenance.

What I might therefore do, is look through the VX History, and see if indeed the coolant's been changed often - look at coolant condition, maybe get an idea from when I look inside the WPump apeture etc...

And take it from there