New Head Gasket Design from Ford

[Kenny]

New vs Old MK3 Focus RS head gasket design

The first one is the one you will be getting from Ford right now, the bottom one is the old head gasket.

*Not my photos but are genuine from a car with the head gasket problem.

[Kenny]

Close ups

[RS77]

What’s the fitting protocol? All cars before Aug 2017?

[gary1234]

Pop good point

[hillman998]

Reinz reasons for MLS gasket failure

For the technical minded have a read of this link and compare the images

Hope I never get to see one first hand but the article would suggest that the potential cause(s) might be blowby from excessively high combustion pressures, rough sealing surfaces, component distortions, or inadequate compression of the cylinder-head gasket.  I’d still like to see a communication to owners from Ford that confirmed the underlying cause.

A gasket alone may not be sufficient say for example if the vmin or vmax roughness on the head is outside the spec for the gasket or the liners where moving but would work if say the head bolt torque was not set correctly on installation.

Its potentially not an expensive fix, unless you have 20,000 cars affected, but one many owners of modified cars may be happy to contribute to as a precautionary measure, or even do themselves.  Certainly better than a whole heap of warranty claims and bad publicity, not to mention all the hype in the media.

[RS77]

Kenny – why do I get the feeling you know something we don’t!

[Kenny]

This was just shared by someone else I was just passing it on 🙂

Seems it is not the head gasket but more of the block design thats the issue.

[white-rs2]

So these New and Old head gasket designs.

This is what we should of fitted!! Or like the Bullseye game show this is what you “could” of won lol

Is this going to be a general recall on cars produced up to month ?? 2017 or a fix as they blow situation??

• Fix as they blow.

Probably be the most cost effective measure Ford could undertake. but probably the worst PR route.

• A general recall from ?? 2016 to ?? 2017 for head gasket replacement and correct head bolt torque setting.

This option would generally be Fords last choice simply due to cost, but their best PR opportunity in this whole engine fiasco.

Just some general thoughts as I’m inbetween assignments here in work.

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RS Edition.

FPM375 Rocks

The rest of the “M” maps suck

[71-bda]

I don’t feel confident in that at all ! I think it will just be a stop gap to buy a bit of time. Lets see who’s blows first with the latest headgasket!  I’m sure the problem lies in the open deck design allowing a wee bit of movement and causing headgasket failure. You should not build an engine where the headgasket has to try and keep the liners in place ! Shall worry a bit more about it in  4 years time if its not cured completely then fit a closed deck mod/ or closed deck block hopefully in production by then ! or ST block !

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No nothing.

No Mods. No rockers. Just a chunky knob, thats now been replaced by an RS knob innit.

No tackiness.

Std as Ford intended, but with a space saver wheel and jack and nuts and wheel brace. oh.. and flaps, a man has got to have flaps.

Innit?

 

[RS77]

I’m not an expert, but others have said there’s nothing inherently wrong with an open deck design. Other manufacturers use this without issue. However, I guess it’s the sum of the parts that determine the outcome. Looks to me like there’s very little surface area between the bores, so the HG has its work cut out maintaining a seal and holding the cylinders from flexing. Also, the sealing area is much reduced on the new one and varies in its location.

However, I agree that it’s probably a stop gap and changing the gasket alone will not be enough. But at least Ford have acknowledged there’s an issue and appear to be doing something.

[adh1964]

so guys do you think we will get a recall from ford for this new gasket, its the least they can do

[71-bda]

no I dont expect a recall. If it ain’t broke, dont fix it. They will just replace the gasket with the latest spec one when the old one has failed. You dont fill a tooth until its been decayed and needs drilling and fixing.

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No nothing.

No Mods. No rockers. Just a chunky knob, thats now been replaced by an RS knob innit.

No tackiness.

Std as Ford intended, but with a space saver wheel and jack and nuts and wheel brace. oh.. and flaps, a man has got to have flaps.

Innit?

 

[adh1964]

Mike, how much would it cost do you think to replace a gasket with labour i know the gasket is the cheapest of the two, i’m no mechanic but if your head gasket fails it doesn’t mean new engine though does it?

[o1turbo30v]

You guys are correct, the headgasket is just a stop gap the larger problem is in the head material and or the head finish (roughness), the rev C headgasket fixes some manufacturing errors (like an extra hole) and allows for a greater variance in head finish. There’s nothing wrong with the open deck design (as long as you don’t drive at 7250rpms all day long), its been proven relatively reliable in 450wtq+ Mustangs. Here in the US just this past week a RS was about to get a HG replaced with the current Rev C gasket, at the last minute Ford called the dealership and said to wait for a new head to be shipped, i believe this is going to be the “recall”, a new Rev C gasket and a new cylinder head for pre July 2017 built cars.

Lets keep the pressure on Ford. Now once this gets sorted lets start to worry about our yearly tire costs 🙂

[71-bda]

70 years ago BRM managed to get a 1500cc engine to withstand 80 pounds of boost ( 5.5 bar ) and produce 600bhp without headgasket failure !!! If only the Focus sounded as AWESOME !!…you need headphones or stereo speakers and a sub for the full effect !

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No nothing.

No Mods. No rockers. Just a chunky knob, thats now been replaced by an RS knob innit.

No tackiness.

Std as Ford intended, but with a space saver wheel and jack and nuts and wheel brace. oh.. and flaps, a man has got to have flaps.

Innit?

 

[Author]

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