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[cam2502]

The mother in law has an 02 plate MG TF 1.8. She's planning on selling it and a guy viewed it today. He discovered a whiteish gunk in the expansion tank. Straight away he said the cylinder head gasket had gone. M.I.L said the car seems to be running fine, no water is leaking and no other signs that its HGF.
Having looked online most are saying it is HGF, but there's also quite a few posts on MG forums from experienced members who say its nothing to worry about as its a common symptom of a car being used on short journeys.
M.I.L only ever uses it in the summer months and will do around 10 miles on an average day and  she never gives it a hammering
 The "cure" is to give it a right good run according to some.
Anyone have any knowledge of these cars and if so is it good or bad news?

[serek]

The mother in law has an 02 plate MG TF 1.8. She's planning on selling it and a guy viewed it today. He discovered a whiteish gunk in the expansion tank. Straight away he said the cylinder head gasket had gone. M.I.L said the car seems to be running fine, no water is leaking and no other signs that its HGF.
Having looked online most are saying it is HGF, but there's also quite a few posts on MG forums from experienced members who say its nothing to worry about as its a common symptom of a car being used on short journeys.
M.I.L only ever uses it in the summer months and will do around 10 miles on an average day and  she never gives it a hammering
 The "cure" is to give it a right good run according to some.
Anyone have any knowledge of these cars and if so is it good or bad news?

if this was on oil filler cup then ok, other way its HGF
I done few HG on mgf and must say not job what I like to do, as access not very good

[Shackeng]

I had daughter's TF to keep for a year or two, it also had a fair bit of mayo in the header tank, but given a coolant change and a good run, it was fine. I suspect he is just hoping for a cheap deal.

[cam2502]

Is there any way to know for sure it's HGF or simply needing a good run without the lottery of actually taking it a run and risking catastrophic damage?

[henryd]

Is there any way to know for sure it's HGF or simply needing a good run without the lottery of actually taking it a run and risking catastrophic damage?

If there is oil in the water on a K series engine then it's almost certainly down to the start of head gasket failure,or if the car has had a previous failure then it's possible that the cooling system was not fully cleaned and what you are seeing is residue from that.

[4x4]

Other option is failing inlet manifold gasket which also gives hgf symptons

[TheBoy]

Other option is failing inlet manifold gasket which also gives hgf symptons

That's usually coolant loss, either into cylinders or externally. There is no oil in the inlet manifold (bar breathers, which gets sucked straight into cylinders), so any oil in the coolant is either impending HGF, or a previous one.


To the OP, as the coolant is quite easy to drain and flush, its odd those selling haven't, if even to hide the fact...

[omegod]

MOT exhaust sniffer in the header tank should prove it one way or tuther