Head Gasket symptoms!?

Whilst under the car replacing a leaking diff seal I noticed the starter motor was very 'damp'... and drips on the air intake hose... I had replaced the fuel pressure regulator about 1000 miles ago, and that was clean as a bell... further investigation:

Oil seems to be coming from below the inlet manifold and blowing back onto starter motor, dripping down from the bottom of the air intake hose where it dips under the brake servo.

While in the vicinity I also noticed coolant run marks and drips in the header tank coming from the cap.

So my question(s) to you all:
- Is this classic head gasket symptoms?
- Should I stop driving it immediately?
- Is it advisable to get the head refitted with steel dowels, new injector seals anyway at this age?

It's a 2001 90, stage 1 remap from TD5alive, 110,000miles, 10p engine. FPR done, injector loom and rocker gasket done...

i don't know the td5, but i'd pull the turbo pipes and check for a load of oil just incase the turbo seals are going. is it losing much oil, smoky, etc?

coolant will blow out down the short pipe if system gets excessive pressure as normal its only a worry if its constant and you have to keep topping system up daily ,remove bleed screw to check level it should run coolant , tank can appear full but engine can be low, if it takes some to keep it full over a few days you know youve a leak or cooling system issue h/g etc

It's not using much oil... 250ml/1000miles?

Coolant cap was tight, so confused why there would be leakage there?... did notice the heater was a bit cooler than normal, but that could just have been the recent weather!

There's a definite oil tide line below the inlet manifold/ head gasket... should this be a serious concern?

Local garage has offered to give it a look, and check coolant for exhaust gas contamination???... but cannot do this until Monday....

I am aware that TD5's can quickly wreck heads... if these are very early symptoms, I'd rather pay for the head gasket now, rather than a new head in a months time?

The Gribbin said:

It's not using much oil... 250ml/1000miles?

Coolant cap was tight, so confused why there would be leakage there?... did notice the heater was a bit cooler than normal, but that could just have been the recent weather!

There's a definite oil tide line below the inlet manifold/ head gasket... should this be a serious concern?

Local garage has offered to give it a look, and check coolant for exhaust gas contamination???... but cannot do this until Monday....

I am aware that TD5's can quickly wreck heads... if these are very early symptoms, I'd rather pay for the head gasket now, rather than a new head in a months time?

Click to expand...

try the coolant system as i said, inlet manifold if gaskets not a 100% as is common will leak some oil passed through from turbo if this is negligible on the stick no great worry

OK I will check the coolant system as suggested... maybe I am over reacting...so head gasket failure is more gradual.

jamesmartin said:

try the coolant system as i said, inlet manifold if gaskets not a 100% as is common will leak some oil passed through from turbo if this is negligible on the stick no great worry

Click to expand...

Have I added a bit of confusion... the oil seems to be coming from the seam below the inlet manifold, not the manifold itself... hence my head gasket concerns

check the cooling system and monitor oil loss its not unusual for head and manifold to leak a little with manifold been the worst

Thanks JM... wiill keep you all posted...

All clear... as JM suggested... garage has now confirmed, no major worries... suggested I give the engine a steam clean, and monitor the oil leaks.

Phew... thought I might have been up for a big bill there.