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General => The garage => Topic started by: Blue MK2 on 12 December 2003, 15:32
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I just done an engine check (as you do). I looked under the oil cap and i saw some yellow stuff which to me indicates a head gasket problem :'(
I could not find any yellow stuff anywhere else but just a small bit on the cap.
Im doing a full flush/oil change tomorow as its a nice day.
Any ideas peeps? is this ok?
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Creamy beige color? Yep head gasket on the way out. If you catch it quick the damage on your wallet won't be so bad. Left to long and your looking at headskim, gasket, labour etc... as opposed to the h/gasket and labour. :o
Do you do small start/stop journeys because that can cause a similar build up under the cap. Solution: clean the cap then take it for a long blast.
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If the car hasn't done a long run recently or its been sat around for a few days then you may be lucky and it could just be a little damp has got in there and hasn't burnt off.
Obviously if its not that then it does look like your head gasket. Are you losing coolant?
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ohh damn! i think it is a head gasket problem. I am loosing collant through the 'o' ring part that is leaking. Ohh no plz for the love of God! :-\
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Ive also noticed the loss of power. When i put my foot down the car does not perform as good as a GTi should. Had a feeling it would be the gasket but ill have a look after ive done an oil change.
Compression test hows this done and by who?
Thanx 4 the input peeps
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get it looked at or get a compression test done before it goes totally
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Gambit,
Where can i get it done and how is it done exactly?
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You should be able to buy a compression tester from any car accessory shop or halfords. They are cheap and easy to use, just follow the instructions.
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Dont always assume the worse (although it normally is with my cars). Check as they say lost coolant, also smell expansion tank see if smells of oil/has oil in water.
What a bumber if it has gone, how many miles on car ?
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it reached 127,000 miles last week. My dad had a look at it and told me its a sign of the gasket failure.
Just changed the oil (full flush) gonna see if it comes back.
How much does a gasket cost? Fitting it isnt a problem.
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rocker gasket was ?3 from VW so the headgasket can't be much more.
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rocker gasket was ?3 from VW so the headgasket can't be much more.
Head gasket will be more, probably ?10 to ?15. You should buy new bolts too as they are stretch bolts and shouldn't be re-used. They're about ?1 each.
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ALWAYS buy genuine parts when doing a headgasket. Make sure you have a good torque wrench too.
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Cheerz for that. ill take the car for a good spin later on.
Tools are no problem. We get mechanics nocking on our door 8)
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Nice and tidy your motor :-*
Are you gonna do the work yourself if it needs doing?
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thanx :-*
If the results are bad then my dad will sort it out next weekend. Hes done loads of engine conversions, shortened axels, head gaskets etc so it should be in good hands.
Worth me watching it being done and learning something.
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Take loads of pics if you can. 8v head gasket is a piece of piss, try doing it on a vr6 ;) :D
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lol i was about to mention that!
Were you changing the gasket in your gallery pics?
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Yep, it took about a day and a half as one of the guide rails for the chain broke. I done the job with Modulator outside my house.
It had a slow leak between the cylinder and the water jacket, this was pressurising the coolant and leaving a nice mess around the coolant tank vent. Compression test came out fine and the engines performance was fine. All it did was run very slightly hotter than usual.
If you got a problem with the gasket just don't leave it as it can do all sorts of damage. There was a bit of a nick on my head where it was starting to corrode. Just caught it in the nick of time.
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Yep, it took about a day and a half as one of the guide rails for the chain broke. I done the job with Modulator outside my house.
It had a slow leak between the cylinder and the water jacket, this was pressurising the coolant and leaving a nice mess around the coolant tank vent. Compression test came out fine and the engines performance was fine. All it did was run very slightly hotter than usual.
If you got a problem with the gasket just don't leave it as it can do all sorts of damage. There was a bit of a nick on my head where it was starting to corrode. Just caught it in the nick of time.
Sounds a bit like when my head gasket went, no signs at all, but kept bursting cooling system hoses. Only realised what it was when I removed the coolant filler cap when the engine was cold and it was pressurised.
I got it done in a VW specialist for ?135.
Been no probs since.
Regards.
Dean.
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?135 for the gasket change and skimmed from a specialist?
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Sounds cheap, is that with oe parts?
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Found the problem.
The part where the coolant pipes attach to the head have hairline cracks causing the water to run down and sink into the head gasket.
Im going to order the part 2moro from VAG and see if that solves the problem. Think its something like ?13.
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If i fix the small water leak and stop the water soaking into the gasket, can the gasket be saved?
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I'm not sure what you mean. Water shouldn't leak on to the gasket. Can you post a pic.
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To me it looks like the water has soaked into the gasket. I ony noticed the yellow stuff when the leak occured.
ill post a pic 2moro. :-\
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Ok, i'm sure it will be ok as long as you get it sorted straight away.
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If you want your headgasket done then you should talk to this geezer on clubgti. He reckons he can do a headgasket on a vr6 in 2.5 hours. He could probably do yours in 20 mins :o
cowboys ::)
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Sounds cheap, is that with oe parts?
As far as I know, the garage only deal with VW / Audi motors.
Regards.
Dean.