I've got a 2002 L322 TD6 with 118k on the clock.
I've had it around 18 months and it has always used a very small amount of coolant, I'd top it up every 2 or 3 weeks with probably 200ml of fluid and it's been fine. Never been able to find a leak when I or others have looked for one.
On Friday I got a coolant low message and when I checked the expansion tank was empty! I filled it up and used the car, drive fine but the temperature creeped past the halfway mark on the dial which it never normally does so I stopped. After it had cooled I checked again and the expansion tank was very almost empty again.
I filled it up this morning and ran it to temperature (I made sure the needle didn't go past halfway) on the spot to see if I could see any leaks, nothing.
I checked under the oil cap and I attach the picture... Very creamy, so I'm now fearing the head gasket has gone.
There is no white smoke out of the exhaust which I expected there would be.
I left the car to cool today, when I checked again the expansion tank was nearly empty again and this time the car won't start at all. It doesn't even start to turn over the engine, just a click and nothing.
Battery is strong so I'm confident that's not why it's not starting.
I guess it's time to get it recovered to a specialist, I assume these symptoms do point quite clearly to a head gasket failure, but wondering if anybody with similar experiences think it could be something else?
Thanks
Adam
