K Series Kettle "wisdom"

[AutoshiteBoy]

Its usually the first motion shaft that goes.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I ran an 06 Civic, gearbox was fine.

They're fine until they're suddenly not. But then VAG 6speeds of similar age aren't exactly brilliant either.

According to a mate who rebuilds gearboxes, the only issue with these is synchro crunch from 3rd to 2nd. He's done about 3 in the last 5 years out of the 5-10 boxes rebuilt every week.

Worst boxes are M32 Vauxhall/Saab shite and post 2010 520d/320d.

VAG boxes are average at best.

[captain_70s]

The 1.6 and accompanying 5 speed manual in my old Mk7 Civic were bullet proof, despite me redlining it every day and slamming through gears like a mad cunt.

The 1.3 in the Acclaim is equally as happy, it even runs 10w40 ffs. Try doing that in a BL/Ford from 1980...

My Dad had a 1.4 K series in his '90 214si and it was one of the most reliable cars he ever owned until it died of rust at 16 years old or so. I suspect it was a classic case of trying to cheapen a design causing compromised and boring them out to sizes they couldn't cope with to lug around cars that were too heavy for a 1.8 anyway.

[cros]

This is specially for the good people who enjoy a gloat over other fucker's misfortunes so have good long pull on this.
My Freelanders been unused for 3 weeks so yesterday I started it to get it in the workshop to do the front calipers for MOT.
It kicked off as normal for 2 seconds then misfired and stopped. I churned the starter and it didn't want to restart, in fact it felt as if something has broken. If I cared much for the car I'd have had a look under the bonnet at that point, but I just kept trying and eventually it spluttered into life and I got it moved. I left it running for a while (it was functioning quite normally by now) and though there was a bit of water and vapour from the exhaust, coolant hadn't gone down at all.
Today it's out with the plugs, all look perfect, no signs of leakage, starts perfectly, no white smoke, no water.
This starting business has happened before once, and there's similar accounts on that internet. I'm not putting new calipers on, it's not worth it. If I can get it through the test I'll run it til the next stupid thing happens otherwise I'll put it in a leaky rat infested barn for a few years so that it can become rare opportunity first to see will buy etc.
You'll have to trust I did a proper job when I replaced the head gasket, and I also put a new inlet manifold gasket on. Its that last poxy thing that I've got my eye on as the culprit. Absolute bore.

[Hooli]

Glad to hear it's living up to it's reputation.

[cros]

Glad to hear it's living up to it's reputation.

Its actually managed to exceed its reputation.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The early ones had a superb trick where, due to a missing roll pin in the box, reverse gear would slide into position whilst cornering hard.

*BANG!*

[AutoshiteBoy]

It'll be the inlet manifold again.

[AutoshiteBoy]

I set off for work at 6am this morning and it was -5. Whatever you think of the K-series, nothing, but nothing warmed-up faster.

[Scruffy Bodger]

I set off for work at 6am this morning and it was -5. Whatever you think of the K-series, nothing, but nothing warmed-up faster.

So it's a rapid boil kettle then?