review: coolant loss

[JMallows]

Hi, i posted a while back about losing water, and suspected the lid. The problem has now got a lot worse, about half a litre every day or sdo (about 15 miles). There is a large amount of exhaust, which sometimes looks white, sometimes blue. Mayo under oil filler lid, but no oil/mayo in bottle, and oil on dipstick is clean. It also runss very rough when first starting, in fact does settle, but if you drive at a steady rate, vibrates/fluctuates a bit.

I have been told this is the head gasket... which gives me 3 questions

1 Is it easy to diagnose this without taking head off?
2 Can it damage the engine if i keep driving it, as long as i check water often?
3 Can i fix it myself?

1.3 Golf,

thanks

[Lewy]

1 & 3 depend on how good you are with spanners, and 2 yes if it actually is the H/G.

On a side note I do have a 90k old 1.3 lump hooked up to a 5spd box just in case it is the head gasket.

[Agreeable Slick]

4) cracked water way leaking in to cylinder.

This would explain why it settles a bit after it's warm.

[SoundillusioN]

Had the same in a 1.5 mk1 cabby.... later it started blowing hoses as it was also sending exhaust gasses into the cooling system and over pressurising it.

Best way to test is with a compression tester but to be honest with your symptoms I'd probably just go ahead and change the gasket.  Not a hard job on these if you take your time.

[JMallows]

Thanks, chap in the garage said it seemed likely it was on its way, lots of sludge in the oil, lots of pressure in the system, and water in the exhaust.

Also, the tappets were ticking away when i got home (7miles so hot) when they normally only make a noise for the first 10 seconds, is this related?


Thanks