I have just bought a MG ZT 1.8T 2004 (new shape) in trophy yellow.I wanted to know if it can be chipped/remapped and what power gains i can get.Also wanted to know if remapping will affect reliability,especially head gasket.Has anyone had any head gasket problems with this car? Also,at what mileage does the timing belt need to be changed? Thanks
Head gasket failure is unfortunately quite common on the 1.8 engine, even without any any remaps... put it into the search herre and you'll find quite a lot of info about it.
Although there are a number of reports of HGF on the 1.8 I wonder how many 1.8's out there have never had a problem? No one posts that they are having no problems with their engine after all.
I have a 1.8 non turbo with just over 40k on the clock and not had any problems with it apart from the cat failing (touch wood). Having said that I would expect the turbo to be more prone to failure and remapping it would make it even more likely. I would suggest if you are going that route to go for the upgrated head gasket as a matter of course
People talk about hgf as if it's inevitable. The primary cause of hgf is overheating due to coolant loss. Loss of coolant is often overlooked/missed because of the poor design of the temperature gauge. This shows 'normal' (the 1/2 way mark) for any temperature between 75 and 115 degrees Centigrade. A minor leak can send this way above 'normal' very quickly and before many people realise the gauge is hitting the red, it's too late. Consider the gauge a worry indicator. Anything higher or lower than 'normal', worry. - and more importantly, act.
As in most things mechanical, prevention is better than cure. The coolant content of the K18 must be one of the smallest known to man (about 6.5 ltres) so even a minor leak has to be taken very seriously. The best advice is to be aware of the weak spots in the cooling system and check the level regularly. Run the diagnostic screen in temperature mode every so often so you can see how things really are going temperature-wise. With due care and attention, the K18 will have a worry-free life.
I believe the thermostat was revised on later engines. The conventional wax type stat was replaced with a Pressure Refief Thermostat (PRT) mounted under the radiator. The old housing contains a dummy.
TC
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