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Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: benji mk2 on 28 November 2007, 12:00

Title: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: benji mk2 on 28 November 2007, 12:00
my lovely lady wifes driver is poorly!!!  it's a j reg 1.8 on a pierburg carb and yesterday it started belching out LOTS of steam from the exhaust. checked the coolant and it was kinda low. No signs of oil in the water and no water in the oil. Ive done a sniff test which was fine, compression test was also ok. I've removed the intake manifold and the rubber o ring wasn't totally blocked (the bottom half was a bit gummed up but not bolcked). The base plate of the carb is pretty shot tho, also the plugs were very black and sooty. She has said that the car has been reving up a bit of its own accord when cold. Is it possible that its running really rich and this is causing all the steam???? I'm a bit stuck as i was hoping the o ring would be totally blocked and replacing it would sort it out. 

  Anyone got any ideas??? Need to get the car back up and running asap.
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: benji mk2 on 28 November 2007, 17:58
managed to source a new base plate for £18 = result!!!   Starting to think i'll just take the head off and do the lot. Anyone know if there is a head "how to" any where???
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: bobbymk11 on 28 November 2007, 19:02
if ur doing head gasket ur self mind you will need to get head skimmed ..if you dont not worth doing as will go again in near future
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: benji mk2 on 28 November 2007, 19:42
thankfully i know a very helpful engine builder who'll hope fully do it for a few squid!   Still not 100% sure its the head gasket tho?????
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: JimR on 28 November 2007, 20:34
if ur doing head gasket ur self mind you will need to get head skimmed ..if you dont not worth doing as will go again in near future

Not strictly true, if the mating face is still flat and true then skimming the head is acheiving nothing. I'm halfway through mine at the moment, think its still the original gasket that has just perished over time and the head is in a great condition so won't be skimming it.
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: monzablue16v on 28 November 2007, 20:50
More than likely will be, you don't always get oil in the water. I had the same thing with the polo and the head gasket was boogerised!
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: benji mk2 on 28 November 2007, 21:45
boogerised!       i like that one!!! permission to use it monza?????!!!!!
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: monzablue16v on 28 November 2007, 21:58
Granted :laugh:
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: Village Idiots on 29 November 2007, 10:18
To be sure it's a head gasket....Good garages have a testing system to check the presence of combustion products in the water. This involves some special chemical into which they introduce coolant via the expansion tank with the engine running. They should do this for you for a few quid, particularly if they think they might get the work. It would be a real pain to do the head gasket only top find this wasn't the problem.
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: rubjonny on 29 November 2007, 13:40
if the sniff test & compression test are ok, it aint the head gasket.  You probably just got 2e2 issues, its the right time o year for em to start playin up, check out my 2e2 FAQ ;)
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: benji mk2 on 29 November 2007, 19:21
if the sniff test & compression test are ok, it aint the head gasket.  You probably just got 2e2 issues, its the right time o year for em to start playin up, check out my 2e2 FAQ ;)


  whoops, bit late now!!!  Heads just about ready to come off, just gotta get the right spline tool! Was thinking that as it was using water it must be the head. Guess i'll find out tomorrow!  In a way i kinda hope it is the head now..............   joy
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: rubjonny on 30 November 2007, 10:02
ah well never mind!  You'll probablyt find all the coolant channels caked in crap anyway, mine were in a bad way.  Do the inlet o'ring at the same time, and if you can stretch to it fit a full GTI exhaust system from the manifold back, trust me its worth it :)
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: benji mk2 on 30 November 2007, 16:48
well i got the head off this morning and it is shot, just the smallest of cracks but its enough! The combustion chamber on number 1 is almost spotless, good old bit of steam cleaning i guess  :grin:   Off to get it skimmed tomorrow morning!
Title: Re: is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a head gasket??????
Post by: rubjonny on 30 November 2007, 16:50
get em to check it for flatness before skimming, if the engine hasn't overheated the head probably hasn't warped and so wont need to be skimmed ;)