Head gasket & cam belts job 2002 180 vvc.

Hi everyone I'm new on this site/forum.
   I'm looking for some help/advice on doing this job,  I've done before on my 97F but my question is:  is it anymore difficult to do on a VVC than a standard F ie: cam belt replacement and timing on main crank end belt and then the vvc belt, I'm looking at using a SKF belt kit has anyone used these before?  The other thing is any recommendations in regard to head gasket, I understand that it would be a multi layer with shim is this correct or is there something better?    Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.
                              Regards D4KGP (Glyn)

The choice of head gasket needs to be determined by the height of the cylinder liners in relation to the surface of the block. There is a choice of 2 types
This is the article here you need to read about head gaskets https://www.the-t-bar.com/forum/54-how-tos/98969-head-gasket-failure-its-causes-and-diagnosis#206909

Hi, yes I know about the liner height, but some say that there is a new gasket with the silicone or whatever it is that is so say better than the MLS. That's what triggered me into raising the question, so have you or anyone else heard about it? Belts pump & tensioner: I was thinking about using SKF kit (I think that's the name) have you heard about or used their products? Many thanks for your reply. Regards D4KGP (Glyn)

Yes sorry, I meant to say that I'd read that from Cobber before.

I can't say much about actual individual head gaskets as I've not had a failure....AT All!  which shows that HGF is NOT the inevitable failure that common wisdom would have you believe.  The engine in my car was rebuilt by the MG specialist who owned the car before me ( it was his personal car which he sold  to me because he had to move back to the UK due to a sick family member. the car had been for sale and a buyer had reneged on the deal, leaving the seller having sold everything else an only a few days  before het was booked to fly back to the UK. I made a cash offer which he accepted)
Now  since the upgrade the site doesn't seem to show how long I've been a member  here (it would be easily over 10 years) I no idea how long I've been a member here, but as I haven't had a Head gasket failure in all that time. I guess it shows that with the job done properly in the first place and careful maintenance, preventative measures such as the fitting a low coolant alarm and vigilant monitoring there is no reason that these cars can't be reliable.
In fact this has been one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned! And how wrong the common wisdom derived from the opinions of all the pub experts who are only too quick to tell us that our cars are lemons, actually is.
 
I can however say that I've used SKF products in automotive, marine and industrial applications for many years, and that I've never had any issues with their quality, in fact SKF has long been one of my trusted and preferred brands.
Having said that, it only takes a company take over by bloody parsimonious bean counters, who start sourcing product from the sort shit holes that seem have priorities that place price before quality, to trash a company's reputation with me! But so far SKF have to date, seemed to have avoided that fate.
They make bearings and seals, and supply to the automotive sector, they  offer various ready to go solutions  through their retailers and I assume this kit you mention is one of those. So I'd say the tensioners  etc in a timing kit would be made by them but they would source in the belts from outside suppliers. (no idea who)
It's likely the exact same kit sold by the belt supplier under their own brand. Same kit, same parts from the same factories , compiled together  in different branded boxes, to be marketed by different companies.


 

It’s great that you’re taking on the challenge of replacing the cam belt and timing on your VVC. The process is quite similar to the standard F, but the VVC does have a few extra steps, especially with the VVC belt. Just make sure you have the correct tools and follow the timing marks precisely.As for the SKF belt kit, many have had good experiences with it, as it’s known for quality and durability. It should serve you well for this job.Regarding the head gasket, yes, a multi-layer steel (MLS) gasket with a shim is generally recommended, especially for the VVC engines. It provides a better seal and is more durable compared to the standard ones. However, if you’re looking for something even more robust, you might want to explore leak sealer which has been well-received by others in similar situations.Good luck with your project, and feel free to ask if you run into any other questions!

Hi thanks for your input and encouragement but I don't think I'll use any leak sealers.
Regards D4KGP (Glyn)

Hi thanks for your input, I have a low coolant unit to fit on my 97 F but not got around to it yet so I think that I'll do that before the VVC 160 arrives next week. Thanks for your encouragement.
Regards D4KGP (Glyn)

If these engines were used in other vehicles did those other vehicles have the similar head gasket failure propensity?
A Google on this suggests there were other factors such as who produced the cylinder liners and possibly who built the engine. Lotus is mentioned but did they just take the engine for their purposes or did they modify it with regards to head gasket etc?
Anyone have “history” on this, and if so what is now the accepted wisdom should a new gasket be required?

As I understand the K series engine was used in a lot of Rover/MG cars, the HGF was common to all models.
But because of where the engine is mounted in Fs & TFs these seemed to be affected more than front mounted motors that have better air circulation thereby (supposedly) improving the cooling effect.
I'm sure someone with greater knowledge on the subject will be able to give a more in depth explanation.
Regards D4KGP (Glyn)

Delbourt wrote:

If these engines were used in other vehicles did those other vehicles have the similar head gasket failure propensity?
A Google on this suggests there were other factors such as who produced the cylinder liners and possibly who built the engine. Lotus is mentioned but did they just take the engine for their purposes or did they modify it with regards to head gasket etc?
Anyone have “history” on this, and if so what is now the accepted wisdom should a new gasket be required?

Lotus partially stripped the engines including fitting an upgraded head gasket. HGF is not unknown on the Elise though either. I visited the Lotus factory in 2000 and they had a warehouse full of K Series engines stacked 10 high, quite a sight.
 

Lotus used the VVC head casting with it's larger valves but did not use the VVC, they used a different cam and probably some other detail changes to give @ the same HP as the  MG VVC engines. 
All the MG Rover uses. Would've been pretty much the same  as the F/TF other than ECUs, engine capacity variations, age related differences and anything specific to the application it was used in.
The mid engine location offered a more challenging operating environment...less air flow, more heat soak, and more complex coolant plumbing.
The K series engine was also used in many kit cars but these would've either been as used from the donor car or modified by the end user, so no real direct comparison there.
I'm not aware of any other users of the engine that would've had the production volume to justify their own variants