Blown headgasket??

Just been looking at what Mr Haynes has to say

Remove bonnet
Remove exhaust manifold
Remove turbo
Remove - just about everything!

But bolts can be re used up to 5 times. The question being how do you know? I guess if the gasket is original size ie 3 holes then its unlikely to have been off 5 times.

how much is a new set of bolts?
how much duz hgf cost? with inconvenience etc?

i wud be inclined to use new bolts every time - not worth the agro or risk.

Thas true, bolts £2 each x 18 plus gasket and hopefully head OK = a reasonably priced fix. Not sure if I need to take it to get a diagnosis as I've done everything BUT change the head gasket! AND its getting close to Christmas and I don't want to be up to me elbows in oil at Christmas.

stop fannying about and get yer spanners warmed up fer an early start tomorrow

Don't get a BRITPART head gasket mine only last 15'000 mile got a bearmach one now so hopefully should last longer

You got me worried now, its a BRITPART water pump I put on recently. I am seriously considering taking the head off tomorrow.

Went out to check water etc (have to do that every day now!) and to my surprise there was still pressure hissing when I took the thermostat housing plug out. The car had been standing since 9PM last night and it was gone 12 noon when I checked it.

Is that normal? At least I know the rest of the cooling system is in good order and holding pressure just not sure there should still be pressure in it 15 hrs later?

possible compression gases leaching into the coolant?

Its got to be hasnt it? How can I prove it conclusively? I have got better things to do at the moment than take the head off and be without a car for several days!

take it to a garridge and ask them to do a "sniffer" test - basically it checks for combustion gases int coolant (surprise, surprise).

Someone told me that dont work with diesels?

maybe - but wot yu got to loose?

Just come back from Valley (4 miles each way) topped up when I left and now exp tank full and radiator, thermostat housing and heater empty!

I don't think I need to pay for a diagnosis I just need to get me ead examined!

leave a set of spanners under yer pillow tonight and the HG fairys will do it overnight fer ya

Ha ha - I wish. But where would the fun in that be?

This is the plan now.
No need to take it for a comp test or anything. I reckon theres nothing left under the bonnet to do with cooling that I havent changed.

Tomorrow afternoon I will start stripping it.
Monday I will take the head to work and get it checked with NDT equipment for hairline cracks etc. If it looks OK I will order the gasket (or get one locally - ish) If head needs work there is a place on Anglesey or a bare head costs £245 + new

Hopefully back on the road by end of week

Well, finished work early to get cracking on the disco. Started at 1.30, by 2.30 I was struggling to get the head bolts loose with a puny 1/2" drive bar about 10" long. Went and bouught a 6 sided 19mm socket and a 600mm long bar and then got the bolts out no probs. Everything went smoothly except that stupid 10mm bolt on the back of the head that keeps the breather hose in place! and then the contents of the head (water) all went down the bores even though I had drained it. So an oil change will be in order!

The annoying thing is I phoned the place where I was getting the head tested and they said "no problem bring it in and you can have it back the next day" I had the head there by 4pm today and the bloke in the workshop (as opposed to in the office) said "I'll try and have it ready be the weekend" I can't even order the gaskets and stuff til I know whats happening to the head. It was a std one with three holes but if it needs a skim I'll have to get a different gasket. At this rate I'll be lucky to be back on the road by Christmas!

wur thur any signs of the gasket having blown?

well, not havin a trained eye like you I didnt see anything too bad, I thought it did look like there was signs of black marks towards the water jacket off no3. Hopefully the head will be ok. The bloke reckons that if the gasket has gone the head always needs refacing.

revjames said:

well, not havin a trained eye like you I didnt see anything too bad, I thought it did look like there was signs of black marks towards the water jacket off no3. Hopefully the head will be ok. The bloke reckons that if the gasket has gone the head always needs refacing.

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Hi,

When my head gasket blew, they found it went between 2nd & 3rd pistons. These pistons had also melted. The bill came out just over £1000 to get it back on the road.

revjames said:

well, not havin a trained eye like you I didnt see anything too bad, I thought it did look like there was signs of black marks towards the water jacket off no3. Hopefully the head will be ok. The bloke reckons that if the gasket has gone the head always needs refacing.

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Mine went from no 3 cyl to water chamber, there was a mark where the water had been.

BTW 3hole gasket is the thickest 1 hole being thinest, info on this on the tinternet some where