Diesel - Head Gasket? Water Pump?
Discussion
Evening all, sorry I know this should really go in the Vauxhall section, but after a speedy response.
I've acquired a 1.7 Diesel Astra Van, It's T-Reg and I've paid pretty much scrap value for it, it's running and has an MOT, but its been sold as needing a water pump, the guy who bought it thinks it needs a head gasket and has therefore sold it to me, Cheap!
So, before I go ripping the head gasket off, these are the symptom's:
Engine runs, perfectly, all four cylinders, no smoke on idle, although a little oily smoke on a short drive (has been stood for a few weeks).
If I take the cap off the coolant it has a very slight oily residue, but also a pressure as if something is pressurising the whole system.
Your thoughts?
I've acquired a 1.7 Diesel Astra Van, It's T-Reg and I've paid pretty much scrap value for it, it's running and has an MOT, but its been sold as needing a water pump, the guy who bought it thinks it needs a head gasket and has therefore sold it to me, Cheap!
So, before I go ripping the head gasket off, these are the symptom's:
Engine runs, perfectly, all four cylinders, no smoke on idle, although a little oily smoke on a short drive (has been stood for a few weeks).
If I take the cap off the coolant it has a very slight oily residue, but also a pressure as if something is pressurising the whole system.
Your thoughts?
My old Passat pretty much presented those symptons. If it's pressurising the cooling system, it is pretty much down to the head gasket (Combustion gasses in cooling system etc). Sorry chap.
ETA: You could take it to a garage to get a sniff test done (they put a tube in expansion tank with a liquid in it, the liquid will react and turn green if it detects combustion gasses)
ETA (yet again): is the cooling system pressurised when cold?
ETA: You could take it to a garage to get a sniff test done (they put a tube in expansion tank with a liquid in it, the liquid will react and turn green if it detects combustion gasses)
ETA (yet again): is the cooling system pressurised when cold?
Edited by Triumph Man on Monday 1st October 21:40
Edited by Triumph Man on Monday 1st October 21:40
For the amount of effort, it's really just worth whipping the head off, clean it all up, new gaskets and bolts, job done. Take about a day. DON'T get the head skimmed unless there's significant damage.
Then you have piece of mind.
Almost all head gaskets will fail eventually. They rot from inside out (if coolant is not renewed regularly), they rot from outside in just due to age. you could also slip a new belt on and then forget about it all for the next 4-5 years and just drive it.
Then you have piece of mind.
Almost all head gaskets will fail eventually. They rot from inside out (if coolant is not renewed regularly), they rot from outside in just due to age. you could also slip a new belt on and then forget about it all for the next 4-5 years and just drive it.
Astra Dan said:
For the amount of effort, it's really just worth whipping the head off, clean it all up, new gaskets and bolts, job done. Take about a day. DON'T get the head skimmed unless there's significant damage.
Then you have piece of mind.
Almost all head gaskets will fail eventually. They rot from inside out (if coolant is not renewed regularly), they rot from outside in just due to age. you could also slip a new belt on and then forget about it all for the next 4-5 years and just drive it.
thats pretty much the plan, I'll give the whole thing a good clean while it's apart!Then you have piece of mind.
Almost all head gaskets will fail eventually. They rot from inside out (if coolant is not renewed regularly), they rot from outside in just due to age. you could also slip a new belt on and then forget about it all for the next 4-5 years and just drive it.
FSEngineer said:
1.7 Diesel Astra, it's the oil cooler
it breaks down internally and lets oil into the coolant system. Fairly easy job to do, but don't forget to budget for new fluids. Oil coolers run about £100 from a dealership. HTH
I also suspected this, but there is very little oil in the coolant and it's pressurising with gas?!it breaks down internally and lets oil into the coolant system. Fairly easy job to do, but don't forget to budget for new fluids. Oil coolers run about £100 from a dealership. HTH
I found coolers on ebay for £30 but with the gasses pressurising the coolant surely it's the head gasket?!??
Petrolhead_Rich said:
I also suspected this, but there is very little oil in the coolant and it's pressurising with gas?!
I found coolers on ebay for £30 but with the gasses pressurising the coolant surely it's the head gasket?!??
Hmm... sounds a bit odd, I'll talk to my mate at work tomorrow - he has a 1.7 diesel astra and has had the oil cooler go about 4 times now, so he should be able to shed a bit more light on the symptoms.I found coolers on ebay for £30 but with the gasses pressurising the coolant surely it's the head gasket?!??
Surely with oil coolers being so cheap on the bay it might be worth just replacing it, chucking a bottle of radweld in and seeing what happens?
Astra Dan said:
DON'T get the head skimmed unless there's significant damage.
Why do you say that?Gaskets are metal these days, and for a good metal to metal seal you need a smooth, flat and clean surface. Skimming the head gives the face such conditions. I recommend doing it for these reasons.
Welshbeef said:
What's the car worth if no issues?
What is the cost to get it fixed?
It may be uneconomical to fix.
Worth thinking about as these are ten a penny vehicles just my 2p
no issues, £5-600What is the cost to get it fixed?
It may be uneconomical to fix.
Worth thinking about as these are ten a penny vehicles just my 2p
I've paid £300
Head gasket will cost £40, oil £25, Coolant £10
so £375 for a fully functional, serviceable astra van, I'd say it's economical to fix?!
Petrolhead_Rich said:
no issues, £5-600
I've paid £300
Head gasket will cost £40, oil £25, Coolant £10
so £375 for a fully functional, serviceable astra van, I'd say it's economical to fix?!
I would get the head tested to be fair, nothing worse tha stripping it down, replacing the gasket to find you have a warped or cracked head. A garage did this to me once with a Bora I had bought, in and out of their garage under warranty, they were throwing money at it left right and centre until they finally replaced the gasket but didn't check the head! idiots then refused to do anything more and gave me my money back.I've paid £300
Head gasket will cost £40, oil £25, Coolant £10
so £375 for a fully functional, serviceable astra van, I'd say it's economical to fix?!
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