GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: l1ncs on 02 May 2007, 18:11
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It sounds like the head gasket has probably gone on my mk2 8v gti. Only bought her a few weeks ago from someone on here and paid too much as it is. I should have spotted it before buying really but blindly listened to a friend of reckons he knows a bit and the sales patter of the guy selling it. Live and learn I guess. It has got me a bit down and I am tempted to just get rid and take the hit and go back to jap where I have never had any problems. My question is how much would a car with a bust head gasket fetch? The car still runs ok, has a full MOT, loads of history, no rust, cd player etc. On the same note if anyone is after a cheap project please let me know.
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8 or 16v? to be honest with a knackered head gasket you'll get sweet fanny adams, they're easy enough to fix so probably worth doing it and then flogging it if you don't want it anymore. who sold it? name and shame!!!
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yeh name and shame, i thought we were a caring bunch :angry:
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i bought the car off bluefox ran it for 4 months without any problems? only sold it cos i'd bought a TDI. sorry guy's if that makes me a bad person :sad: i wouldn't of sold it with a head gasket problem.
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to be fair though, the guy who sold it wasnt to know the head gasket was gonna go... it might have been running perfectly when it was sold, just have to take a risk, especialy with an old car like mk2's best thing to do it check reciepts and servise history etc and see if its had a new head gasket recently and wheather its a decent one at that...
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how very honest!
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Its a bad start to Golf ownership, but don't dismiss Golfs because of that. Fix the gasket and see how the car is. If it is still bad then be more carefull when buying the next one. Once you get a good one, you will enjoy driving it, and hopefully your opinion will change. :smiley:
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If its just the headgasket might as well fix it and keep it cos it'll be one less thing to worry about...(along with the timing belt cos it has to come off any way) - I just bought a Gti with a blown headgasket myself as the rest of the car is sound (and only £100) and so far doen't seem a bad job - definatley agree it worth doing cos you'll end up with a nice car(with added value of a new head gasket and timing belt!)
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maybe the guy you bought it from will help you with the headgasket? does seem a shame to write it off over a problem like that. I'm sure we all go through times when we just feel like turning our backs on these old cars! At least get the work done so you can take it for a proper drive and then make your mind up on whether or not you want to keep it? needless to say you'll get a much better return on a running car :smiley:
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fix it they are not a hard job to do unlike newer cars and if only just going and you havnt let the car overheat chances are the head will still be ok so wont need skimming,
new gasket, headbolts, tensioner and cambelt and your away although as the head is off worth replacing the valve seals etc.
we are doing a customers 1.6 cabriolet today headgasket etc £200 plus VAT and we are a garage so if you can do it yourself easily done for a lot less and the satasfaction of know its good for another 80 thousand miles
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Its my own fault really, all the signs of a gone head gasket where there I just ignored them. Ive been quoted 250-300+ VAT (including head skim and cambelt change) at a vw specialist so might as well get it done there.
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It will cost you about £100 plus time it's not a bad job I could probably get it done in half a day after doing it twice in the last month :( or take it garagewards, you can't give up on it and just sell it :)
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i bought the car off bluefox ran it for 4 months without any problems? only sold it cos i'd bought a TDI. sorry guy's if that makes me a bad person :sad: i wouldn't of sold it with a head gasket problem.
Hm. Raking over old coals here perhaps, but I've just noticed it in the for sale section.
For the record, I sold it to Leedub for about £300 with no MOT or tax. Looks like he ran it for a few months before selling it on with a fresh MOT...
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Are you sure it's definately the head gasket?
Oil coolers can fail and show similar characteristics. Oil in the water in the rad., sort of scummy deposit on the water in the header tank, but no water contamination of the oil (evidence of emulsified oil in oil filler cap) generally means oil cooler failed. Because the oil operates at a higher pressure than the water, oil leaks into the water but not the other way.
Does it overheat badly, this shows gasket problem.
Oil coolers are relatively cheap (less than £50). If it is the gasket and you do it yourself (not dead easy unless you've done quite a bit of spanner work) make sure you buy new head bolts and be scrupilously careful you torque them down exactly as it says in the manual or it'll probably go again. Good luck.