I'm pretty sure my head gasket is now goosed, oil in the water and water in the (brand new castrol) oil. Car was running hot, noticed the water was really low all of a sudden, topped it up and now it's all mixed together.
The car still starts and pulls just fine, if a little smokey, but sounds a bit rattly too.
What I need to know is how long have I got til it's knackered? I need the car til the weekend and don't want to attempt the job in an evening in case something unforseen happens as I'll have no taxed backup car to get to work. Are HGs still available from the dealers? And are there any 340 specific pitfalls to watch out for when doing the job?
Engine is a B14 by the way, with 150k+ on it.

Cheers,
John.

Remove head with a sideways twist rather than a pull up as it's less likely to disturb the liners.

Don't turn the engine after you've removed the head for the same reason, unless you use special tools 5803 (deluxe washer and bolt kit ) to stop the liners moving up.

You'll probably have to get an engineering shop involved if the head needs skimming.

If you want a good quality gasket set get a Victor Reinz one, they made the Volvo gaskets (in my pack) anyway and are known to be "the daddy" for HGs.

Check your HG set. I didn't have a water pump housing to head one in either.

If you have an unco-operative dealer find a co-operative Renault one!

It'll take you a while mate, manifolds off kinda job. Me and Andy managed mine in a day, but it was a rush, and I had to get the car back to Southampton.

As above, leave in one of the centre bolts, and rubber mallet the head about the bolt. We just used some BIG penny washers and bolts, but thats because I had a very good supply of bolts, and could get those required very easy. Before you do it, look in the green books, they explain it really really well.

Looking at the cylinder head I have on the table, I think the middle one furthest from the manifold side is the dowelled one.

Grand stuff, I couldn't remember which it was!

Its worth getting the head re surfaced just for peice of mind .

I'll put money on it that your HG is gone. I've never done it, but my understanding is that if you can get the head to break off cleanly without disturbing the liners, you're 90% of the way past the tricky stuff.

cheers

James

Cheers fellas. A day might be too long for my impatience. I reckon I could swap the whole engine for one of my spares in about 3-4 hours so I may do that instead. It'd probably be fewer bolts that way anyhow.

I'm incompetent as a mechanic, but with a friend who was a trained mechanic, with the right tools, we did a head on the 1.4 Renault unit in 3 hours - I did the work, he advised with lots of tuts! The engine proved to be in good condition though, so the gasket was all we did.


PIJ

John,

Is this the blue 3 door? If so, it sounds like the previous owner was onto something, odd how all the signs went away though and nothing showed, and it was fine up until now. Either way, at least the most important part of the 300 is good, the body work! The nuts and bolts side of things and mechanics are a lot easier to rectify.

Pete

Yeah Pete it's me lovely blue one. I'm still in love with the old girl, despite the current hiccups with break ins etc. There are a few bits of orange starting underneath thanks to the council salting the roads when it's 5 degrees above freezing, but nothing I can't catch and rectify.
The car's done over 150k so a little engine trouble is to be expected really. I think it's been using water for a while, it had been running hot in traffic but now I've changed the oil and topped up the water it's sweet again. In fact it's running better than ever. When this weather gets nicer it's time for some polybushes and a damn good undersealing.

Do the right thing John and buy a 3dr 360-I might know where there's one never raced or rallied either

The one you and Bill turned up in before?

Think that was B's gold one

Aye it was, D reg I believe. PM replied.