Mi16 Head Gasket

[S@m 156]

Well, it seems as though the head gasket has gone on my mi16, in a rather strange way, i have coolant running down the front of the block and no other symptoms whatsoever - you can clearly see it is weeping from the head gasket itself as the whole line is slightly wet all the way along the bottom edge of the cylinder head and there is much dried coolant on the block below that level. If anyone has any ideas about what may have caused this them i am all ears - the car has never overheated, has good coolant mix, still runs perfectly with good power and shows no other symptoms of head gasket failure whatsoever.

 

Anyway, the obvious thing is to get the head off and change the gasket, accompanied by all the fun that results from doing that in situ in a 205 engine bay. But my questions are as follows, which gasket do i use? Citroen/Peugeot do not list a standard thickness gasket for the mi16 but i was under the impression that it is the same as the 8v, especially since the repair gaskets listed are the same for both 8v and 16v. So do i use a new 8v gasket, an mls gasket perhaps, an xu7 gasket (as i have seen suggested in other topics) or otherwise? I am under the impression that the head has not been skimmed before but i will check this when it is off.

 

Also,I am currently trying to locate the citroen tool in work to check the liner protrusion, is this necessary? I haven't done an mi16 gasket before but i do know the engine well, i have the haynes manuals, Peugeot rebuild manual and all BX manuals and i've done one h/g before on an 8v turbo. Any other pitfalls i should be aware of? I plan on using all OE Citroen parts just would like some confirmation on the above. Whilst the head is off i plan on changing the little oil feed filter and possibly the non return valves that retain the tappet oil supply, any thing else worth doing?

 

I'd also like to know what could have caused this to occur in the first place, having searched it seems to be a one off - don't want to do all the work only to have it occur again for the same reasons.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[welshpug 1,657]

I don't think an MLS item is suitable for a wet liner engine, its best to wait till you've had the head off and skimmed before ordering the gasket.

 

its worth confirming the liner protrusion, all you need is a straight-edge and feeler blades.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

I have had this before. It was down in my case to simple gasket old age, the fibre material had deteriorated and hence was weeping coolant out of the front of the block as you describe. Cleaned it all down fitted new gasket job was a goodun. Engine ran fine before and after.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Fingers crossed it's that, The blocks suffer from corrosion and can need to be decked to cure it, only thing is the engine needs to be stripped for this

[Jme 7 1 Cars]

i had the same prob on my 8v i put some rad weld init while my outher engine was being built it lasted 2 months till outher engine was built took it apart when it was out of the car and the head gasket was missing half a inch on the front gasket from age olny had 54000km