Head Gasket Failure - What Now?

[fazedesign 0]

Hi All,

 

Looking for a bit of advice from you knowledgeable chaps!

 

Last year the head gasket went quite comprehensively on my 1.6 and so far I have done little more than take off a few ancilliaries in my efforts to fix it. The car did not overheat at all during the failure.

 

Since I'm not getting the opportunity to fix it myself I'm looking to perhaps get the car to a garage to be fixed. What kind of price can I expect to pay?

 

The car is located in Solihull near Birmingham, but I live in Banbury, Oxon so potentially a garage near either oft these places would be ok. Does anyone have any recommendations (or warnings) about garages in these areas to get the work done? (PM me if more appropriate than posting)

 

What other work should I look at having done while the head is off?

 

Cheers,

Steve

[Guest lombardo]

Id just do it myself mate. Ring GSF get a headset kit replace all the bolts, do the oil steam seals Job Done

[fazedesign 0]

I would do it myself but I'm not getting the time at the moment. I know it's not a big job but it would take me about 3 times as long having not done engine work before.

 

Long term plan would be to buy another engine (maybe an mi16) and build it up out of the car and do a swap if I manage to get a bit of space.

 

Aside from getting the valve stem seals done (I think they were a little tired anyway) would there be other parts prudent to replace at the same time? Water pump perhaps?

[pug_life 0]

i'd replace:

headgasket, bolts, water pump, stem, seals, cambelt and tensioners

[jshep205gti 3]

Just get the stem seals and new head gasket done. £160 would be a fair price.

Do you have history on the car as regards cambelt etc?

[fazedesign 0]

I have no history for the car before myself although it appears to be pretty well looked after (well it survived me caning it for 4 years!!)

 

I have given it regular oil changes etc myself and made sure it was suitably warmed etc since I've owned it. It's definitely due a cambelt now with the miles I've put on it although on the whole the belt looks to be in decent condition (although you never can tell!)

 

I actually have a gasket and bolts (assuming these didn't change over the years?) so a few quid can be saved there. Puglife - I guess for the price of the parts it would be worth doing the tensioners and water pump if only to prevent me getting the lot done again when something fails!

 

Can anyone recommend/warn about suitable local garages (by PM if necessary)

 

Cheers,

Steve

[Guest puglet]

I have no history for the car before myself although it appears to be pretty well looked after (well it survived me caning it for 4 years!!)

 

I have given it regular oil changes etc myself and made sure it was suitably warmed etc since I've owned it. It's definitely due a cambelt now with the miles I've put on it although on the whole the belt looks to be in decent condition (although you never can tell!)

 

I actually have a gasket and bolts (assuming these didn't change over the years?) so a few quid can be saved there. Puglife - I guess for the price of the parts it would be worth doing the tensioners and water pump if only to prevent me getting the lot done again when something fails!

 

Can anyone recommend/warn about suitable local garages (by PM if necessary)

 

Cheers,

Steve

 

always replace the cam belt, no matter how new the current one is, as if its streched in anyway it can seriously fcuk ur engine up, and you wouldn't be to happy if that happened now. Pullies i personally wouldn't bother with, possibly not even the water pump but it wouldn't do any harm.

 

 

def put new headbolts in, if you buy a head gasket set should come with most of the stuff you need minus the cam belt.

[SPGTi 2]

A garage will quote something like 8 hours labour for this job. So it becomes expensive. If you are looking to swap engines get one now and do it. It won't cost much more to do this than get a garage to do the headgasket.

Remember the back of Motorsport News is a good place 2 look as fresh engines can be picked up for around £500.

 

Steve