Gasket Failure Potential Damage
Discussion
As its saturday evening I can't get any info from my mechanic so wondering if someone can help!!
I was driving an hour and half journey to my parents in my 2.5L Focus ST3 (09 plate 59k miles, stock) about 20 minutes from the end I started hearing a weird noise when hard accelerating. It sort of sounded like metal debris spinning around in a metal tube. I presumed it was maybe the turbo as was only happening when turbo boost kicking in so I drove very carefully 30mph the rest of the way trying not to make the sound with hard acceleration. On the way home very occasionally the oil light would blink on.
I let the engine cool down a little then went under the hood to check the damage, about 30 mins later the engine still very warm (didn't get noticeably hot on the gauges though when driving ever). The coolant was very low but still a tiny bit left in the bottom of the reservoir so should be still in the pipes I presume. The oil was fine still between the levels. The car had been serviced 2 months ago and oil not to dirty or anything abnormal. There was a puddle of coolant under the nearside of the radiator.
RAC guy came out, hour later, put some water in the coolant, and had to attach a battery pack as battery gone flat (bit of a bad battery but did die quickly) started car, he could see bubbles in the coolant reservoir and said it was a cracked head gasket, and that the radiator has burst. He checked the belts and said they looked okay.
Left the car at my parents and drove their spare back as don't have nationwide recovery! I will get it brought back next week on my mates truck and take to the garage but before then was hoping someone could prepare me for what maybe I need to get replacing (headgasket, radiator, timing belt will it be cheaper if they have to dismantle anyway) and how serious it could be, will I need skimmed head, if driving for the extra 20 mins killed it, or how it could of even gone if temp gauges didn't go high and there still some coolant and plenty of oil?
Any info would be great, got a mechanical head but not for car engines unfortunately just not had the space to work and learn on them! This 1.5 non turbo diesel 106 killing me!!
I was driving an hour and half journey to my parents in my 2.5L Focus ST3 (09 plate 59k miles, stock) about 20 minutes from the end I started hearing a weird noise when hard accelerating. It sort of sounded like metal debris spinning around in a metal tube. I presumed it was maybe the turbo as was only happening when turbo boost kicking in so I drove very carefully 30mph the rest of the way trying not to make the sound with hard acceleration. On the way home very occasionally the oil light would blink on.
I let the engine cool down a little then went under the hood to check the damage, about 30 mins later the engine still very warm (didn't get noticeably hot on the gauges though when driving ever). The coolant was very low but still a tiny bit left in the bottom of the reservoir so should be still in the pipes I presume. The oil was fine still between the levels. The car had been serviced 2 months ago and oil not to dirty or anything abnormal. There was a puddle of coolant under the nearside of the radiator.
RAC guy came out, hour later, put some water in the coolant, and had to attach a battery pack as battery gone flat (bit of a bad battery but did die quickly) started car, he could see bubbles in the coolant reservoir and said it was a cracked head gasket, and that the radiator has burst. He checked the belts and said they looked okay.
Left the car at my parents and drove their spare back as don't have nationwide recovery! I will get it brought back next week on my mates truck and take to the garage but before then was hoping someone could prepare me for what maybe I need to get replacing (headgasket, radiator, timing belt will it be cheaper if they have to dismantle anyway) and how serious it could be, will I need skimmed head, if driving for the extra 20 mins killed it, or how it could of even gone if temp gauges didn't go high and there still some coolant and plenty of oil?
Any info would be great, got a mechanical head but not for car engines unfortunately just not had the space to work and learn on them! This 1.5 non turbo diesel 106 killing me!!
There is possibly a good chance it has cracked a liner if it is burning coolant or pressurising the system very quickly. Well known fault amongst 2.5 ST owners.
If this is the case I don't think there is any cheap fix for this other than a replacement engine but somebody may come along soon and prove me wrong.
If this is the case I don't think there is any cheap fix for this other than a replacement engine but somebody may come along soon and prove me wrong.
Has it been modified in any way? The ST version of the Volvo 5-cylinder engine has a design flaw in the block - later fixed in the RS version of the engine. Generally it is okay in ordinary use, but when tweaked for more power it can tend to show the weakness.
Short answer: Impossible to know really. It may just be the radiator that got holed and there may have been sufficient coolant to avoid damage. Or it may be the gasket or even block that failed, and it may be short-engine replacement time.
Short answer: Impossible to know really. It may just be the radiator that got holed and there may have been sufficient coolant to avoid damage. Or it may be the gasket or even block that failed, and it may be short-engine replacement time.
I will state that I know nothing about the ST...my son however knows an awful lot..owning one himself and modified others for customers..currently building one for 400bhp... anyway I asked him about HG...his response was more likely to be the block....let's hope not.....no one can diagnose from afar with limited info...Just be prepared for the worse but hope for something much simpler and cheaper...good luck
Oh dear well thanks guys, I do hope its not the block! There wasn't any loss of power etc was literally just the noise.
Nickyboy I did have a little look but I am not an expert. The bubbles in the coolant reservoir were big and quite slow paced, where as videos I have seen on headgasket issues the bubbles tended to be smaller and alot faster paced, but that may not mean anything at all! I do hope your right though and maybe it hasn't gone and just an issue with radiator.
But guess I will prepare myself for the worst!
Nickyboy I did have a little look but I am not an expert. The bubbles in the coolant reservoir were big and quite slow paced, where as videos I have seen on headgasket issues the bubbles tended to be smaller and alot faster paced, but that may not mean anything at all! I do hope your right though and maybe it hasn't gone and just an issue with radiator.
But guess I will prepare myself for the worst!
Similar has just happened to me, different car. Noticed the temp guage had soared so pulled over. Top hose was bulging. Engine fans soon cooled the engine down and I nursed it the short way home. It's not really lost much water so I suspect rad cap, head gasket or the water pump. Bugger.
ETA, I may be lucky. On a cold engine I can squeeze the top hose and hear air leaking from the pressure cap. New cap needed :-)
ETA, I may be lucky. On a cold engine I can squeeze the top hose and hear air leaking from the pressure cap. New cap needed :-)
Edited by Boosted LS1 on Sunday 22 April 16:22
If the rad had a leak you could have been losing coolant for some time. With the loss of coolant would come air in the system which may have left the coolent sensor in air so not registering a rise in temp. The noise could then have been the remaining coolant boiling.
How long did the RAC tech run the engine for before declaring the HG fail? A short run could still be trapped air escaping.
Is see a leakdown test in your future. Get your mechanic to do the test both at TDC and mid stroke. (TDC alone may find HG fail but not the split liner).
Steve
How long did the RAC tech run the engine for before declaring the HG fail? A short run could still be trapped air escaping.
Is see a leakdown test in your future. Get your mechanic to do the test both at TDC and mid stroke. (TDC alone may find HG fail but not the split liner).
Steve
Steve_D said:
Stick the car in gear.
Steve
That wouldnt stop it, even if you managed to take out all the backlash in the transmision the average car has enough compliance in engine mounts and suspension to absorb a quarter rotation of the engine. It would need some way of locking the crankshaft or flywheel directly.Steve
BDC doesn't work because there will be a valve open. This is why leakdowns are done at tdc.
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