Suspect Head Gasket Failure? 1.9 8V

[Lukespeed 10]

I got home from a spirited drive on Friday, had a look under the bonnet to find a rusty water stain under my inlet manifold and a damp patch that had tracked along the head/block joint.

 

Instantly I jumped to the conclusion of head gasket failure and that being the reason for my slow loss of water.

 

Just now I have started to strip it down, removed the inlet manifold to find the spare stud holes filled with coolant and the inlet manifold gasket is badly damaged, with cracks and a slight rip going to what I can make out as the top of a water way?

 

I am now thinking that it is possibly this gasket at fault? As there is no loss of power, no white smoke or burning water smell and it didn't overheat at all.

 

Any opinions would be greatly received.

 

Cheers

[steve@cornwall 100]

Had this inlet gasket failure more than once. Last one revealed rusty water staining down the block and into cylinders when inlet was removed. Nice blob of instant gasket in the unused coolant exit before reassembly has it sorted.

Edited June 29, 2015 by steve@cornwall

[steve@cornwall 100]

http://s58.photobucket.com/user/pugfarmer/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150426_151458.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

I tend to tap and then thread lock in a grub screw to block it off.

 

[Anthony 1,003]

As above. M6 is the size you need from memory

[Lukespeed 10]

Grand job! Thanks for the advice! Hopefully my local factors will have a gasket in stock!

[TAG 25 1 Cars]

I've also fitted grub screws to the unused coolant holes, handy when you have to whip the inlet manifold off!