2L head gasket failiers

[micktheshed]

I have been told 2l is prone to head gasket failier at around 70,000 + miles. Is this common enough to warrant changing rather than wait for the inevertable? Mine is at 78,000 now but gets heavy use towing 3/4000mpyear. Reliability is very important to me (so why did you buy a Fronty I hear you cry?) & to date I have had no problems that I could'nt fix. However the hyd. follower(s) have been getting noisier for the last 25,000m & as I've just obtained a set very cheaply I am itching to change them (& the camshaft if required?). Although I can replace the followers, using a special tool, easily enough the camshaft is a head-off job.
Hence my question to justify a gasket job.
Just a suggestion: is the head gasket failier due to people switching off a hot engine before giving it chance to cool for a few seconds (as you would for a turbo diesel)? I personnely have always rigged-up a fan overide switch to activate the fan if the temp. is a bit high before swich-off. It inspires confidence if nothing else!

[gotafrontera]

ide say if your going to do one job on it do the lot.

i changed the head gasket on mine at about 120k as it was overheating (no idea at last change) then at 150k the cam went so replaced and it went again. looking at it there was an oil feed prob which it very common so i got an engine for £250 did a complete strip down and de-greased the whole lot put new gasket sets in and now have perfect oil pressure and the engine is silent to the point you can hear the injectors pinging with the fire order

so back to my point if you feel you have a job that needs doing you may as well go all the way or you'll just end up striping it all again for something else.

Luke

[micktheshed]

Thanks Luke. If mine would last to 120,000 I will be well pleased!

[pidge]

the last owner changed the engine on mine at about 75000 due to with the head gasket! this engine is on about the same due to the speedo so last month should have changed it when i had the ports polished!

[Sir-Doris]

the last owner changed the engine on mine at about 75000 due to with the head gasket! this engine is on about the same due to the speedo so last month had it changed when i had the ports polished!

Have you noticed any difference since you had the engine ported?

[pidge]

yeah a bit but the last week seemed slug ish went to a mechanic friend of mine and looks like my head gasket has gone i'm not impressed!

[Sir-Doris]

Do you reckon the port and polish is worth it and if you dont mind me asking did you do it yourself or get it done somewhere?

[pidge]

i did it over the whatchfull eyes of my mechanic friend it was easier than i thought it would
be! you just have to get stuck in and not be afraid my mate said most people mess it up because
they get scared they might take off too much! the only advice i would give is go for it and just
take gental strokes. i noticed a boost in power straight away then about two weeks later
(yesterday) noticed my head gasket has gone so thats what i put the power loss down to that
so thats a job sor satuday! so the moral to this thread is yes 2l's are prone to gasket failures as
this is my second engine and the second head gasket problem!!