headgasket

[novice1976]

Hi all
Have a water loss issue with vr6 4 motion bde .Car has done 77000 and I did compression test and cylinder compression was low on all cylinders but more so on 3 and 5 which was less than half psi of other 4.Car didn't run bad apart from water loss and a horrible smell of petrol smell in expansion tank.Oil clear so is water and runs to temp so would strong smell of petrol rule out valves /injectors and be defo headgasket issue.
cheers rob

[lemski]

Sounds like head. Has water sytem been tested? Put under pressure if there's a leak itll be found.
Is it smoking white out the exhaust.

[novice1976]

Hi
No white smoke .I think slight leak from thermostat housing but not massive but coolant pipes seem too hard when running and up to temp making me thing its pressurising to much and couple that with compresstion test I don't know what else it could be

[lemski]

Sounding more like head gasket.
Personally ide put a 1.8t in there instead...

The silver lining is atleast its not a v engine. Shouldnt take too long for a competent mechanic tl strip down and do though.

Other option find another engine.
Maybecsort water leak you know of and see if water stil drops.

[novice1976]

Lol son in law keeps on at me to put 1.8t in and there's loads about and not too expensive but I love v6 sound. 4 motion Engine is going in 1 of 2 mk 2 I have or that's plan when I fix. Gunna strip head and see condition of engine as its only done 77000 backed up by mot history but concerns me head gasket gone so it may of had a hard life.I haven't got much to do in spare time so this will cheer me up and give me summat to do lol

[lemski]

See they make sence. Put vr in mk2 and 1.8t in 4motion. Done...