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[terry paget]

I have changed the starter. I checked the original starter with jump leads, it fizzed a bit, but did not engage or turn. The one I had bought off e-bay engaged and turned. When fitted to the car it turned the engine (plugs still out) and right hand cylinder sprayed water all over the shop.
The external water pipe goes enters the inlet manifold in line with the right hand cylinder (driver's side, is that 1 or 4?) I can imagine if the inlet valves on that pot were open for six weeks and the manifold gasket was leaking between water channel and air channel at that point water would leak into the cylinder. I presume at the other end the water enters the head through the gasket, and could again leak into the cylinder.
I am hoping that is my leak, not in the head gasket. It being in only one cylinder, and an end cylinder, is encouraging. Is there any way I could check this?
Please advise.

[4x4]

Hard to say really,could be worth changing gasket and be done with it,at least you know it will give a few more years service.

[terry paget]

Head gasket job is quite easy on a K series lump,its more important to check liner heights when the head is off to determine what time of gasket is needed,lots of folk fit the multi layer steel gasket thinking its a miracle cure but if liner heights are low it won't work and the latest elastomer type is required

Yes, all the more so given that it's had a (relatively) recent HG change.

Memories are vague, but I believe there's a water jacket around the intake manifold that pre-heats it, and there's a connection through the intake manifold gasket that connects up with a water gallery in the head. This can leak and give similar symptoms. If that cylinder stopped with the intake valves open, and the water connection was leaking into the intake manifold...

IME when the inlet manifold gasket leaks, its usually nearer No1, not No4. And it leaks externally.

Been a long time since I've had one apart, so I may be talking 'dangle berries' of course

Haynes calls the timing belt end cylinder no. 1. That is the driver's side end, the one that is full of water. It is this end that has the water pipe into the inlet manifold. That surely means that the water leaves the inlet manifold at no. 4 end, and it will be here that it passes through the inlet manifold gasket, so nowhere near my cylinder full of water. So my leak must be in the cylinder head gasket. Please tell me I am wrong.

[05omegav6]

Will you swap it for a diesel Zafira...

[Kevin Wood]

Will you swap it for a diesel Zafira...

Would that be a rather pedestrian example?

[05omegav6]

Will you swap it for a diesel Zafira...

Would that be a rather pedestrian example?

Might be...

[terry paget]

I thank you all for your help, gentlemen. It looks like the head gasket is leaking into no. 1 cylinder, has been for a while, possibly ever since her home mechanic in Chippenham replaced it. As long as she ran it every day it was OK, just needed regular coolant topping up. Leaving it standing for 6 weeks allowed no.1 to fill with coolant, blocking rotation.

I may have damaged it with my attempted tow start. I am tempted to blow all all the coolant by cranking it, replace the plugs, add some coolant, and see how it runs. Please advise.

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, see if it runs. Nothing to lose.

Had it hydraulic locked while running it would almost certainly have bent a rod, but it has only had the force of the starter motor on it, which won't have damaged it, by my reckoning.

I'm guessing the head gasket was swapped without checking the liner heights, and has failed again.

[henryd]

Yep, see if it runs. Nothing to lose.

Had it hydraulic locked while running it would almost certainly have bent a rod, but it has only had the force of the starter motor on it, which won't have damaged it, by my reckoning.

I'm guessing the head gasket was swapped without checking the liner heights, and has failed again.

Think Terry said he's tried a pull start too ,worth firing it up and see if all cylinders present and correct or compression test if it won't run

[Kevin Wood]

Think Terry said he's tried a pull start too ,worth firing it up and see if all cylinders present and correct or compression test if it won't run

front wheels just skidded when I dropped the clutch

Ahh! Right you are. Still worth a try IMHO.

[aaronjb]

Think Terry said he's tried a pull start too ,worth firing it up and see if all cylinders present and correct or compression test if it won't run

To quote from the original post:

Today I tried to tow start it, engine still would not turn, front wheels just skidded when I dropped the clutch.

[henryd]

My daughter in law has a Rover Streetwise. It last ran mid November when she had a baby. At Christmas she mentioned it would not start. I said I would sort it out. I tried a jump start - engine did not turn. I put in an Omega V6 battery - would not turn. Today I tried to tow start it, engine still would not turn, front wheels just skidded when I dropped the clutch.

What could be wrong with it? Engine could not have seized could it? Could it be a jammed starter? I have heard of it happening, but never known it.

Any suggestions gratefully received. I have towed the car 6 miles back to my place, hopefully to repair it.

That could turn out to be an expensive mistake

[TheBoy]

Never, ever ignore topping up coolant on a K series. The system cannot loose enough without eating the HG.

No1 is cambelt end, 4 is gearbox end

[terry paget]

I put in the plugs, but it would not start.
I checked compression. No. 1 - 10 bar
                                      2 -  1 bar
                                      3 -  3 bar
                                      4 - 10 bar
Looks like head gasket to me.

Still getting a bit of water in no. 1

Comments please.

[Webby the Bear]

I would say youre right but if you can get a leak down test done then that'll confirm it 100%.