Can The Head Gasket Be Fitted Wrong?

[c_r_thomson 0]

Hi all,

 

Completed my carb conversion after my HG blew and she's running lovely......... or so i thought

 

I changed the oil today after 100 miles of the conversion and the oil was black! I looked at the coolant and it doesn't look so new either.

 

I ran the car for a few minutes then took the coolant expansion cap off and fumes/ steam was coming out. could this be combustion gases? couldn't really smell petrol but it didn't smell of coolant.

 

The diptsick had a bit of mayo on it but could this be left over stuff from when the HG blew before? (which id did do pretty badly, causing a misfire.)

 

Before the oil change, when the engine revved high, the coolant would spray out the vent at the top of the expansion bottle. My mate reckons this was due to a faulty cap but should the coolant system pressurise that much?

 

Please help, Craig

[Richie-Van-GTi 71 2 Cars]

sure itys not just steam? the head gasket can be put on wrong one way but it wouldnt cause a blow, it will just restrict oil flow in the head but not catastrophic unless its on a track day. Id expect at the least a pressurised coolant system with a blown HG. The black oil could just be contamination from last time. Did you flush it?

[c_r_thomson 0]

That oil change was me flushing it. I used cheap oil and ran around 100miles then changed it tonight so it could be left over stuff.

 

The mayo and coolant oressure, Old mayo? The coolant system should pressurise anyway shouldn't it?

[welshpug 1,657]

IIRC the cooling system runs at up to 1 bar/14odd PSi, try a new cap (£350 from GSF or £6.50 from the stealers)

[Jer309GTi 3]

IIRC the cooling system runs at up to 1 bar/14odd PSi, try a new cap (£350 from GSF or £6.50 from the stealers)

 

Christ GSF have upped their prices a bit! (hope you meant £3.50)

[c_r_thomson 0]

£350

 

I picked up a cap from my local scrappies for a quid today so i'll give that a go.

 

Unlikely to be the head gasket then! phew

[jackherer 543]

did you have the head checked for flatness and skimmed after the gasket went? or was it a different head?

[TEKNOPUG 3]

My expansion capped failed and gave all the symptoms of a blown head gasket. It was by pure chance that I fitted the cap from my other 205 in error and discovered that the HG had mysteriously fixed itself!

 

I was very relieved!