headgasketarama

[stuthemong]

Seems my headgasket is definitely gone on one bank. I've suspected for quite a while (in fact, ever since I bought the car), but it's now been confirmed.

Anyone paid a man to sort this before? How much is going rate? Garage recommended a skim, pressure test & refit + doing both sides whilst engine was out.

I'd really love to DIY this one, but I just want to enjoy the end of summer and haven't really got the space / time to do it

At least we don't suffer depreciation.....

Stu

[morebeanz]

For my edification, is this because you have seen oil in the coolant, or are there other symptoms?

Sorry to hear about your troubles, by the way...

[stuthemong]

Just using coolant over the last 5K miles, only a shade. Now slight misfire, which has become increasingly apparent after a service (maybe I Was giving it extra beans). I think it's either a pinprick in the gasket (I hope) or a crack in the head (I hope not). Symptoms are zero oil in coolant and very small coolant loss, albeit significant now (maybe 100ml / 100miles at a guess) - and a misfire at lower revs, which seems to clear it's throat at higher revs.

Ultimately there is no concern on having borked the bottom end, and I remain hopeful that I haven't gunked all my coolant lines, which is nice. Just hope it's a simple gasket replacement ..... :/ After a 12K service + quite a few extras, this is shaping up to be one expensive month......

[snipes cerbera]

stuthemong said:

Just using coolant over the last 5K miles, only a shade. Now slight misfire, which has become increasingly apparent after a service (maybe I Was giving it extra beans). I think it's either a pinprick in the gasket (I hope) or a crack in the head (I hope not). Symptoms are zero oil in coolant and very small coolant loss, albeit significant now (maybe 100ml / 100miles at a guess) - and a misfire at lower revs, which seems to clear it's throat at higher revs.

Ultimately there is no concern on having borked the bottom end, and I remain hopeful that I haven't gunked all my coolant lines, which is nice. Just hope it's a simple gasket replacement ..... :/ After a 12K service + quite a few extras, this is shaping up to be one expensive month......

Hi mate My names wes i have a 4.5 cerbera with almost exactley the same symptoms just wonderd if you could let me no if you find out anything usefull as im also needing sum serious advice.

[snipes cerbera]

stuthemong said:

Seems my headgasket is definitely gone on one bank. I've suspected for quite a while (in fact, ever since I bought the car), but it's now been confirmed.

Anyone paid a man to sort this before? How much is going rate? Garage recommended a skim, pressure test & refit + doing both sides whilst engine was out.

I'd really love to DIY this one, but I just want to enjoy the end of summer and haven't really got the space / time to do it

At least we don't suffer depreciation.....

Stu

I forgot to ask is yours leeking oil from the head ? thanks again wes.

[stuthemong]

well on the AJP's HGF is quite rare. Apparently. Trust our luck, eh?

Things to check beforehand.

Coolant cap leaking.
Rad leak.
Coolant Leak elsewhere - pressure test etc..

Running probs can be water (rainwater) in the coilpack connectors apparently, so try there too.

Otherwise, if it's using coolant and it isn't leaking anywhere, chances are it's ending up in the combustion chamber... I'd take it to a garage to look at if I were you

EDIT: Oil from the head, what do you mean? Mine did leak a little oil around the cam cover, but shouldn't anymore as a thread was stripped, now repaired. I will get there... one day

Edited by stuthemong on Wednesday 1st September 21:54

[itiejim]

Stu, sorry to hear you're having problems - are you sure it's HG though? Can you get someone to put a sniffer test on it to check?

If you do have to change the HG it is, unfortunately, an engine out job to get the head off. Therefore, you really need to think about how far you want to go before you get stuck in.

If it's not too problematic now, what about enjoying it for the last summer sun and then looking at it over winter? I'd be happy to share my experiences (and expenses) with you if you want to send me a PM or give me a ring.

[stuthemong]

Thanks dude, and yeah, the engine will have to come out. I've had the mounts off to get the manifolds on, but that's as far as I've gone in the past. Bigger problem is time & space. With a garage I may attempt this, but on a drive is not the place to do HGF repair The place it's at are pretty sure it's the problem, and it's now getting pretty bad, sufficiently so that they pulled a plug out and could see it had been 'washed' - running as-is is a recipe for disaster I think, and I just want to play with it.

Just had new brakes and diff mounts & shocks so it's more direct & fun than ever, I just want to get it back for the next couple months

One option when taking the heads off is to slap new rings & bearings on the crank, a pseudo re-build. The guys didn't recommend this & figured unless the bearings show any signs of wear, it's money wasted. There is a small temptation to drop the crank & get it all balanced though alongside.... could you PM me balancing numbers? Ultimately I'll probably just sort the gasket/head and leave it at that, but I always price up cheeky upgrades/improvements when doing these things, seems a shame to have the engine out & stripped and not gain anything

Edited by stuthemong on Wednesday 1st September 23:24

[itiejim]

Stu - I've sent you a PM.

[smash]

Stu - only just seen this but I had a sniffer test done when I owned the car (I had a little mayo on the dip stick after being left for a while) but it came out all good. Considering it hasn't done many miles since the rebuild I'd be surprised if it was a head gasket.

[Onzlouk]

One of these http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8...
has saved me hours and thousands of pounds on more than one occasion.

Just food for thought

Hope you get sorted quickly (and inexpensively)

[FarmyardPants]

When I had coolant loss and no apparent leaks (no water at all under the car) it was a hairline crack in the rad. A pressure test found it. The misfire could be lots of things. Do you get lots of white smoke (ie water vapour) from the exhausts? I would make absolutely sure before you pull the engine.

[tejr]

Fwiw I think stu got this sorted and it did turn out to be a hgf. Last time we spoke he had just gotten the car back and was tearing up his local roads in his usual menacing way :-p