GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: Scooterist007 on 12 October 2004, 20:24
-
Hi, just thought I would see what you folks would say about this, I have just been to look at a 1990 gti 8v on a H plate, the guy wants ?1000 for it, well the car is very nice, body you cant fault it, but the engine, well! I got the guy to start it up, and while at the back of the car, looking for blue smoke, everything was ok, but when I took the oil filler cap off, while the engine was runnning, it nearly stalled, and the engine revs were rising and droping until i put the cap back on, also when the cap was off, there wasnt much pressure coming from the hole. Also, in the water bottle, there is some white gungy mayoniasing, and also the red warning light is flashing, but the car didnt overheat when i took it out for a test drive, the temp guage went up and didnt go above 1/4 way, also the car drove really well, so if it is a head gasket problem, surly it would run like a tractor! so this one has stumped me, the guy selling the car is getting fed up and i said i wouldnt over him no more than ?500 for it. thanks for any advise.
-
with the oil filler cap causing the engine to rev high/low. Sounds like a digifant engine which is the later 8v engines.
any mayo on the dipstic?
the red warning light could be the water level light indicating that it is low.
for the mayo under the cap. most older cars get this on cold days/starts. how does it look with the engine up to temp?
-
well what is the problem thats causing the revs to rise and lower?
no there is no mayo on the dipstick.
The water level was ok, up to the level marks on the water bottle, and the mayo isnt just under the cap, its floating on top of the water level and when you put your finger in it, it covers your finger with quite a lot of mayo, and it is still there when the enging is up to temp.
thanks fo your responce.
-
Either it has been stood for a while and condensation has caused the gunk OR the headgasket is gone or going OR the oil cooler could be at fault. The car can run fine with a knackered Head Gasket it all depends on where it has blown.
-
mayo on the dipstick or filler cap normally means head gasket, but never seen it in the expansion tank like that. it would seem to be some kind of cross contamination. my head gasket went a short while ago and right before i noticed, i was hoofing along thinking 'my god, my cars running like a dream!!' then poof lots of white smoke and mayo in the oil filler cap. you can get a simple test done by a garage on the coolant that will tell you if there's oil in it or pay the aa for an inspection for peace of mind.
sounds a bit suspect to me.
-
sounds like head gasket to me, as for the revs going up n down, (hunting, or trotting, as its otherwise knowen,) its prob the idel v, its that round metel thing with wires 2 it on. on top of the cam cover.
-
Right thanks for all of your answers, it has stumped me because there isnt any mayo going on in the dipstick or the oil filler cap, but what does confuse me (which doesnt take a lot!) is, im not getting mayo on the cap and dipstick so where is the oil coming from in the water bottle? it has got to come from somwhere, i also dont think it couold be the oil cooler as alesg40 said, cos i didnt think the water circuit had anything to do with the oil cooler, maybe im wrong! well the guy has accepted my offer of 500 pounds for it, it has 12 months mot and taxed til the end of the year, it is very good condition with 89,000 miles on the clock, I am toying with idea of buying it! Cheers
-
I had the same problem with my last 8 valver. It was the oil cooler at the base of the oil filter, water circulates through this cooler and if it is knackered oil can force its way into the coolant. My car ran perfectly well, however, I did change the cooler, get it from euro carparts. As for the erratic idle with the oil cap removed, my last 3 cars have all done the same, you are causing a pressure drop when you remove the cap.
-
for ?500 buy it
i agree on the Oil Cooler leaking and the pressure drop when the oil cap is removed
but id get a compression test done just to make sure the head gasket is ok
all easily fixed for buttons :)
-
If you take the oil filler cap off it will create a vacuum leak so I recon that isn't a worry, and I agree that oil in the water is most likely the oil cooler. Since the oil pressure is higher than the water pressure any leaks will result in oil being forced into the water I would have thought.
Doesn't cost too much to buy new either...
-
Right thanks for all of you replys, given the answers, I am going to buy the car, I do think I would be a fool not too at this price!
-
Right dudes, I bought the car! and, there is a lot of mayo going on in the expansion bottle, but still no mayo on the dipstick or oil filler cap, the red water light on the dash is flashing like a christmas tree, and when I start the car up, it struggles when it turns over, which points to a head gasket to me, but why am I not getting mayo in my dipstick and oil cap? I was hoping that it was oil cooler! also, the car doesnt get hot, the temp guage barely moves over the first marking, I do get some warmth through the heater but I feel its not as hot as it should be, also the oil temp never goes above 75. so any ideas, I am hoping somone will tell me its not the head gasket! cheers guys
-
head gasket aint so bad, the first time i did one i stripped it, had the head skimmed and was driving around by the afternoon. its not too big of a problem and considering how much you paid for the whole car it'll be worth doing or getting someone to do it for you......word!
-
Still sounds like the oil cooler to me, exact same symptoms as I had. Why not remove it and have a look. A lot easier than stripping the head to find it as alright. A compression test would be the first thing to do though as it should identify a compression problem in a cylinder pointing to a head or gasket problem.
-
ok got myself a compression tester from halfords, what should be a good compression reading?
-
sounds like a head gasket failure to me........
one of the oil way holes has split into a water way hole, dont think its an oil cooler prob, a compression ceck may check out ok, even if an oilway has split into an waterway hole.....
if you do a compression check and all seems good this would suggest the similar....
Gaz 8)
-
now im getting really confused, so even if i do a compression test, and it reads ok, it could still be the head gasket?
-
Compression pressures are listed in spec. page of Haynes manual, basically if one cylinder is showing a significant pressure reading difference than the three others it would indicate a problem with that cylinder. I am no expert on the subject, just a self taught MkII Golf enthusiast. I have had three cylinder head problems, one Golf, one Scirocco and a Fiat Punto. All had water in the oil. I also had a damaged oil cooler in a Golf and the symptoms were the same as yours, oil in water no water in oil. However kniterider has a point. I am only giving you the benefit of my experience. Another consideration is, perhaps the head gasket has previously been replaced and what you have is residual gunk in the water bottle. Surely someone out there with a mechanical background can give a more considered response to your situation. Because to date all you are getting is opinions.
-
i would start with flushing the coolant system totally, doing an oil change, repalcing the filter, and checking oil cooler. in fact you could do this but the two hoses that go into the oil cooler could be joined together temporarily with a piece of metal pipe to remove the cooler from the equation.then see if it still does it. if it does then its head gasket. if it doesnt then its cooler. i think this would be a good way of trial and erroring it till you find the cause, this is whati would do.