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Model specific boards => Golf mk4 => Topic started by: Decepticons on 13 February 2013, 16:00
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Hi
I recently opened my oil filler cap as the oil just needed a touch off a top up and was shocked to see the dreaded mayo substance. I then checked the water reservoir the level looked ok but looked like a bit of froth.
By this time I was pretty pissed off couldn't believe my luck, I started the car and there was slight smoke but it was cold and wasn't excessive and cleared. I took the car for a drive and it went to 90 ok heaters hot, no performance lose no smoke at all when floored. I looked online and the mayo could be the short journey thing and I rarely drive car when i do its like a 2 mile trip. The froth thing though make me believe its the head gasket.
Is there anyway to test using VAG COM or best to get a sniff test. Bloody ill in bed so cant do much at the moment :(
Any advice or tips guys? Got such a bad feeling its the bloody head gasket :sick:
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Find out if any local garages do a compression test.
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Ok would I lose performance though is the compression is bad? Ill ring about once this man flu buggers off
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That depends how bad, typically it would have to be pretty severe for the average driver to notice a loss of performance. That is not to say there isn't a performance loss. This is something which should be seen to and I would advise against driving the car until it is diagnosed. You might well be lucky and just have a leaking oil cooler - allowing the oil and water to mix.
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Yeah I read about oil coolers but dont think thats it. Yeah car doesnt get driven much and the garage it like a 5 min drive so Ill ring them and see of they can do a compression test cheers for advice mate
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the nayo looking stuff might be where it rarely gets used. does it use water atall or blow it out the overflow in the head tank? other thing to look for is if the heaters go cold when you put your foot down the gasket may be leaking. best thing is have a sniff test as this will tell you if theres exhaust funes in the coolant. what engine?
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Also wouldn't there be blue smoke coming out the back when he floors it?
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the nayo looking stuff might be where it rarely gets used. does it use water atall or blow it out the overflow in the head tank? other thing to look for is if the heaters go cold when you put your foot down the gasket may be leaking. best thing is have a sniff test as this will tell you if theres exhaust funes in the coolant. what engine?
Water level seemed the same but keeping eye on it, the heaters seemed fine when I did boot it. Yeah mate think sniff test and compression test is on the cards. It an AUM 1.8T
Cheers
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Headgasket failure might produce blue or/and white smoke, but a glazed bore and poor piston rings could also produce blue smoke as could leaking valve stem seals or a leaking oil cooler. It might not smoke much if the headgasket isn't too bad either. The sniff and compression tests are more sensitive and serve as a better means to diagnose headgasket problems.
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Deffo no blue smoke, bit smoke when its started but normal I think doesnt spray water from exhaust when reved. I think the only way is by biting the bullet and getting the test done. If it is the head gasket i am doomed :( I wouldnt know where to go from there I wont be able to afford to fix it
Cheers for all your advice chaps Ill keep you posted when I get the tests done :sad:
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Ok thought I would change the Thermostat and voila! Things seems better! The mayo may be the short journey thingy so going to check in the morning what its like. This morning there was mayo again so :/ No froth though no loss of coolant. Though once I was topping the coolant up I did panic as it took a while to settle
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What engine? AJM 115 diesels are common for gaskets going.
Compression test wont always indicate a headgasket failure. Only way a compression test would show a drop in readings would be if the gasket had blown between the cylinders, or you had a cracked head somewhere...but then you would probably have a very lumpy idle and a misfire.
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A compression test is readily available at most garages and will suffice, so long as the operator is competent in diagnosing headgasket failure. In the past I've had to make do with some 3/8" long extensions as my only diagnostic equipment in diagnosing headgasket problems for a while :grin: now there are a whole array of instruments available.
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How does a compression test find a fault between the oil galleries and water ones?
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It doesn't any more than a sniff test if that's what you're asking. When the headgasket's integrity is compromised it will get worse and start leaking elsewhere with each heat cycle, making it's way into the bore. The best method of ascertaining with absolute certainty whether the headgasket has failed is by removing it. Leak down test, sniff test, compression test and water vapour test are only methods of diagnosis and not full proof.
For the purpose of general motorists a compression test, sniff test or leak down test will suffice. While none of them are 100% they have been used successfully in the industry with great success. A competent mechanic would be able to eliminate probable causes to derive at an ultimate probable cause.
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What im trying to say is a compression test wouldnt show anything as being 'wrong' if the gasket had gone between the cylinders.
A sniff test would indicate oil/water contaminiation, however that is clearly visible by the mayo thats been said in the coolant or dipstick.
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You have been misinformed, a sniff test detects the presence of combustion gases in the coolant, not oil.
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A simple test for oil in the coolant would be to look for separation in a sample mixture obtained from the cooling system. Oil and water are immiscible, the organic solvent will be ontop of the aqueous layer. It reminds me of an old secondary school science demonstration I used to show year 7 pupils, only with the addition of a suspension agent like methylcarboxycellulose or tragacanth.
For completeness the above does not conclusively indicate the presence of 'engine oil' but it will suffice for most, but if you was concerned with absolute certainty I would suggest the use of high performance liquid chromatography.
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BUt theres oil water contamination. Not combustion gas/oil contimation.
I think its fair to say his headgasket has gone. You dont need any special tests to work out why there is oil in the waterways.
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BUt theres oil water contamination. Not combustion gas/oil contimation.
I think its fair to say his headgasket has gone. You dont need any special tests to work out why there is oil in the waterways.
Oil and water contamination are often found with combustion gas in the coolant. The latter case would be something a sniff test would be able to detect. As previously mentioned a sniff test does not detect oil in coolant as you suggested.
Oil and coolant contamination doesn't always mean headgasket failure, it is quite possible for this to be the result of a leaking oil cooler. It's crucial not to jump to conclusions with costly expenses so soon. All the tests mentioned are used in the industry with proven success, it provides the technician with a means of diagnostics and I would advise the OP to get it diagnosed before scrapping the car or paying for the engine to be taken apart. These tests are readily available, quick and cheap to perform.
The OP may or may not have a headgasket problem, it's important that the OP is able to make a well informed decision.