Is it the head gasket?

I have a Rover 416 Sli. It is N reg. A while ago it started overheating and when I took it to the garage they said it was okay. They had done a balloon head gasket test and it was okay. There was still water in the expansion tank. The guy said the fan was cutting in. So I took it away and the next day it overheated again and I stopped, waited for the fan to cut it but it just went on getting hotter. I stopped the engine and there was an explosion under the bonnet. Water was going everywhere. I took it back to the garage who fitted a new thermostat.

Since then the temperature guage has remained normal BUT when I start the car I heard gurgling.

Now there is no overheating but after even a relatively short journey when I stop the car water pours out from underneath even though there is still water in the expansion tank . When I took the cap off the radiator lots of bubbles came out. Took it back to the garage who now say it is the head gasket, but the engine sounds fine and there is no sing of oil and water mixing, just this leakage of water and bubbles. Any ideas?

Once again, the Rover K series engine is notorious for head gasket failure, and you should be prepared for this.
However, I would like to find where the water is pouring out from......the expansion bottle will have an overflow, and it could be coming from there.
Any bubbles in the coolant isn't a good sign.
John

Rover K series engines, are made of chocolate, and dreamed up by Willy Wonka, in theory, they should be great, but in reality, melt in the mouth...

Worst ever engine after a Mazda rotary?

If the garage fitted a thermostat, it could be airlocked which would make it spew out of the expansion. Could be a head gasket with it being a K to the rap
Check everything before starting spare parts diagnosis - Start small! Cap OK? Pipes OK? Not airlocked? Then maybe check for excess pressure. Try getting it pressure checked. THEN start throwing money at it!!!!!!

Fenwick said:

If the garage fitted a thermostat, it could be airlocked which would make it spew out of the expansion. Could be a head gasket with it being a K to the rap
Check everything before starting spare parts diagnosis - Start small! Cap OK? Pipes OK? Not airlocked? Then maybe check for excess pressure. Try getting it pressure checked. THEN start throwing money at it!!!!!!

Click to expand...

It's a Rover K series engine DON'T throw money at it! The garage says it's the HG, they are famous for HG failure, don't waste time and money on it. The garage probably fitted the thermostat the wrong way round, and caused it?

Do the basics, try to eradicate an airlock, replace the rad cap, but methinks...dead engine. Even if you repair it the block is wonky, and will need skimming, and will never be right.

Fenwick said:

If the garage fitted a thermostat, it could be airlocked which would make it spew out of the expansion. Could be a head gasket with it being a K to the rap
Check everything before starting spare parts diagnosis - Start small! Cap OK? Pipes OK? Not airlocked? Then maybe check for excess pressure. Try getting it pressure checked. THEN start throwing money at it!!!!!!

Click to expand...

It's a Rover K series engine DON'T throw money at it! The garage says it's the HG, they are famous for HG failure, don't waste time and money on it. The garage probably fitted the thermostat the wrong way round, and caused it?

Do the basics, try to eradicate an airlock, replace the rad cap, but methinks...dead engine. Even if you repair it the block is wonky, and will need skimming, and will never be right.

Fenwick said:

If the garage fitted a thermostat, it could be airlocked which would make it spew out of the expansion. Could be a head gasket with it being a K to the rap
Check everything before starting spare parts diagnosis - Start small! Cap OK? Pipes OK? Not airlocked? Then maybe check for excess pressure. Try getting it pressure checked. THEN start throwing money at it!!!!!!

Click to expand...

It's a Rover K series engine DON'T throw money at it! The garage says it's the HG, they are famous for HG failure, don't waste time and money on it. The garage probably fitted the thermostat the wrong way round, and caused it?

Do the basics, try to eradicate an airlock, replace the rad cap, but methinks...dead engine. Even if you repair it the block is wonky, and will need skimming, and will never be right.