Dreaded Head Gasket
Discussion
Just had my S1 about 3 weeks
I love it to bits...out today in the Devon sunshine. then It happened. Temprature Up....Steam out the back. AA took me to Peninsula Lotus. They confirmed the K series Lump has blown a gasket! All this 2 weeks after my wifes freelander took the head gasket out on its K series!
Peninsula have quoted about £600 for an A service and head gasket is that fair? Is there anything else that can be done to encourage the S1 not to blow another for a while?
Im off to sob in my beer now......
I love it to bits...out today in the Devon sunshine. then It happened. Temprature Up....Steam out the back. AA took me to Peninsula Lotus. They confirmed the K series Lump has blown a gasket! All this 2 weeks after my wifes freelander took the head gasket out on its K series!
Peninsula have quoted about £600 for an A service and head gasket is that fair? Is there anything else that can be done to encourage the S1 not to blow another for a while?
Im off to sob in my beer now......
Unlucky Martin. Don't know if Peninsula's price is right or not but you could try The South West Lotus Centre at Lifton (01566 784152). As independants they may be a bit cheaper.
If you leave the car at Peninsula could you ask it to form an orderly queue behind mine which is waiting for a C service and cambelt
(I'm not paying so don't mind the cost).
If you leave the car at Peninsula could you ask it to form an orderly queue behind mine which is waiting for a C service and cambelt
(I'm not paying so don't mind the cost).hi Tipper...I'll have a word!...SW lotus done some mods on it for the previous owner. I would have liked them to have had it, but the AA towed me to Peninsula. They seemed helpful guys there, so I thouht I would leave it with them. Asked them to give it a good once over and make sure its all 100% for the summer,so fingers crossed. So your an S1 owner in Devon, don't think theres many of us !
sounds about right going on what ive been quoted today for a head gasket replacement & clean out the mess, some were a bit less than that but not by that much & all depends exactly how bad it is once the heads off. Mine went yesterday, been on the phone all day trying to get someone to do it this week, the best quotes were from people booked up for 3 weeks!
I am going to fit a remote thermostat kit as a further precaution, although half the people i spoke to said they would not bother, very confusing, so i am going to do it anyway. I think the best bit of info i got was to always make sure i cool it down properly, sounds so obvious but i have not been leaving it running for 5 mins after the cool down lap on a trackday, which apparently i should. Hope you get it sorted 
GreenV8S said:
I know that Rover did a lot of work to address this problem so it's worth checking with somebody who understands the problems before you put the engine back together.
There is a different gasket used now & steel dowels rather than plastic iirc. Landrover have also just released a new gasket design for the k, its not been around long enough to know if its an improvement afaik
Martin, i teach at PCC, if you see an S2 (ice blue) in the area give me a 
. Peninsula are generally good guys and have looked after me in the past very well. more expensive than south west lotus (i think £75 p/h compared to £45) but its swings 'n' roundabouts, peninsula have done bits and bobs for me and never charged me for it. spring is here (apparently) get the car sorted ASAP
tanman
. Peninsula are generally good guys and have looked after me in the past very well. more expensive than south west lotus (i think £75 p/h compared to £45) but its swings 'n' roundabouts, peninsula have done bits and bobs for me and never charged me for it. spring is here (apparently) get the car sorted ASAP tanman
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