Has The Head Gasket Gone?

[2-Pugs 57]

Hi all, just after some advice. The car has been sat for approximately 6 months but has been run a couple of times during that time with no obvious issue. In that time it's had an oil and coolant change as well as a new water pump/belt etc, amongst other things. When I originally got the car, I did a compression test, which looked fine, and there has been no other sign of head gasket issues (no mayo etc). Anyway I left it ticking over on the drive yesterday for 10 or 15 minutes, to let it warm up fully. It got to what I would describe as normal working temperature (temp gauge about 3 marks up) and all of a sudden water started dripping quite fast out of the cambelt side of the engine. Upon opening the bonnet, water appeared to be coming from a small area right by the engine number plate, e.g. where the head and block meet and the engine mounting casting meets the block. It was definintly coolant coming out as it was boiling hot.

 

I don't think it's the inlet manifold gasket, becasue although the inlet manifold has been off and on and the gasket replaced, it was dry around that area.

 

And it seems to be too high up for it to be the water pump.

 

There are no other pipes in that area so the only conclusion I can come to is that the head gasket has gone between the water jacket and the outside of the block.

 

So just before I break out the T55 and crack on with it (too many puns there!), has anyone got any other thoughts or advice? Anything I have missed? Could the water be coming from somewhere else? Anything else I should check.

 

I have done a head gasket before and I'm fully expecting to snap a head bolt (again) but I'll have to deal with that if it happens

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

It isn't the important part of the head gasket (the fire rings around the bores) that has gone. Instead probably purely through old age the bit that is sealing the water from the outside world has started weeping. This happened on my Mi16 track car, it carried on running A OK for another 3 years until we got round to pulling the head and sorting it out. So really don't be in a desperate rush to rip it to pieces if it is running well. I'd even suggest some rad weld or K seal as a temp fix to stop the leak until such a time when you decide to pull the head and do it properly.

[2-Pugs 57]

Thanks Tom. Well against your advice and my better judgement I decided to take a deep breath and remove the head and get it sorted. To be honest it was leaking to much to leave and since this car will probably be sold on once it's done, my consience wouldn't let me put radweld in!

 

Amazingly, and I can still hardly believe this happened, all 10 head bolts came straight out with no bother! Gasket was a bit of a mess though, you can see where the green seal has gone letting the water out on the front corner. Mind you all the combustion seals were all fine despite the fact that there was no gasket material left around them.

 

I'll get a skim, gasket and bolts and hopefully it'll be back on and running this weekend

Edited March 30, 2010 by 2-Pugs

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

That gasket looks fine to me.