worzacct@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> Thanks in advance for anyone who might have information on this issue.

We have a similar car of a slightly earlier vintage, which went 80,000mi before the
gasket blew. I did a lot of research on it at the time, and the consensus seemed to be:

* The genuine replacement gasket is much better
* The problem is really with the open head design
* It's quite difficult to bleed all the air out of the engine
* The gaskets fail due to local overheating where the air bubble sits
* You'll hear it gurgling on switch-off if it isn't bled right.

The upshot is:
* if you have the original gasket, and your engine is *always* bled correctly,
the gasket won't fail prematurely,
* if you have a replacement gasket, you have better chances of surviving poor bleeding,
* you should ensure that your mechanic knows the correct procedure, knows that you know
it too, and will blame them *and make them fix it* if the gasket blows after they've
serviced it.
* There's some reason to consider tapping a small tube into the cross-over pipe that
carries coolant from one side of the engine to the other, and running that tube to
the top of the radiator, to make the engine self-bleeding from the highest point.

We haven't added this bleed tube, but the car has survived a further 25,000mi so far.

Clifford Heath.

The dealer should have replaced the 1 piece head gasket(s) with an
updated 3 piece metal gasket that appears to be bullet proof, and you
should have no more head gasket issues. Typically it is the left side
gasket that leaks coolant externally, and usually that is all you will
get replaced under warranty. Change coolant every 30K and you're good
to go. The original head gaskets were single layer metal with a
coating of carbon/polymer that would erode away, allowing either an
internal coolant leak into a cylinder, or more commonly an external
leak appearing at the rear lower part of the head. It is a drag that
something so simple as gasket material causes so many problems.

Tlather@verizon.net wrote:
> Typically it is the left side
> gasket that leaks coolant externally, .... either an
> internal coolant leak into a cylinder, or more commonly an external
> leak appearing at the rear lower part of the head.

Are you sure you're not confusing the DOHC gasket problem with the SOHC
one? IIRC, the DOHC fails by blowing exhaust gases into the coolant, which
comes out the overflow pipe. The SOHC is the one that tends to have the
external leak.

You're right, the DOHC gasket failure tends to allow combustion into
the cooling system where it causes a big air bubble and blows coolant
out the reservoir and engine overheats, etc. The SOHC gasket does
usually leak externally, but I have seen some that were leaking
internally and causing those same symptoms. Worza's initial question
is dealing with the SOHC engine. In either case, the original gaskets
were single layer metal with coating; replacement gaskets were 3 layer
metal.

Tlather@verizon.net wrote:
> Worza's initial question is dealing with the SOHC engine.

Ok, thanks - it was me who wrongly assumed that he had a DOHC engine like
ours. Hopefully my comments will help some DOHC owner :-).

Clifford Heath.