Both head gaskets gone within six months - LPG?

[markbikerider]

Hello folks,

Sadly, having only just had the right sided head gasket replaced 3 months ago (my engine is a 1987 WBX 2.1), the left sided one went on our way home from Devon on Sunday. As three head gaskets have 'gone' within three and a half years, it's finally time to get a reconditioned engine (bank loan secured today). My question is this - I had my van converted to LPG in April (2012) and I wondered if this might have anything to do with me now needing to replace head gaskets on an all too regular basis? I know it's a bit vague, but a colleague who used to be a mechanic said he used to replace head gaskets (not t25s) on vehicles that had fairly recently been converted. Is this a coincidence?

Also, if I may... Can anyone recommend a decent recon engine - I've been advised to buy Remtec, but it seems difficult to get hold of these days. Are TES any good?

As always, thanks in anticipation.
Mark

[itchyfeet]

well I had cracked heads that I thought could have been caused by lean running and therefore hot on LPG,
http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/rusty ... 43480.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think running lean and hot could also damage the head seals. I think most people who convert to LPG want better MPG so there is a temptation to turn down the gas and then get lean running.

Also most people who convert to LPG then do more miles as it's cheaper so this may also be a contributing factor.

Maybe you could be more specific becuse there is not really a head gasket on a WBX as on most engines?
do you mean the liner to head metal sealing rings
or the water jacket seals
or the o rings top and botton of the piston liners?

failure of each of these could be for different reasons,
who changed the gaskets?
did thay clean up the surfaces correctly,
reassemble correctly?
so many variables hard to say without more info

[markbikerider]

Hi and thanks. Yes, I should have said - on the left side, the water jackets have gone twice, but just before Christmas the sealing rings went on the right side. Sorry to show my ignorance, but what does lean running mean? If anything I do less miles now than before I had the van converted as I now cycle to work full time and only use the van for outings and holidays.
Cheers Mark

[itchyfeet]

runnging lean means your fuel to air ratio is wrong, so not enough fuel for the air, this runs hot.

Water jacket seal fail in my humble opinion is bad workmanship or cheapo seals, surfaces not cleaned up properly and de greased with meths or not Elring seals.

Also a big factor I think is Haynes tells you to add the Dirco sealant to one side only, this may be Ok for a brand new head and block but not if the surface is old corroded, I add it to both sides, of the seal.

So maybe don't need a new engine after all

[markbikerider]

Many thanks for your input

[croc]

HI
Water jacket seals (sometimes incorrectly called head gaskets) can and will fail if the incorrect sealant is used.
The correct sealant has adhesive properties. If incorrect sealant is used it allows the coolant pressure when hot to push the rubber out of place and may also tear it.
Some gasket sets come with the sealant some dont include the one for the rubber seals.
As itchyfeet said, yopu may not need to take thre loan and get a new engine!!
IMHO running on LPG would not have any effect at all on the rubber seals.
Good luck!

[markbikerider]

Cheers, Croc