Good garages in my area

[Sgt_Lemon]

I'm biting the bullet and taking the car to a garage to do some diagnostic on the car. It has been progressively running worse and worse and with a 50 mile commute everyday I can't afford to be breaking down.
Does anyone know of any good garages that know mk2's in my area- farnborough/frimley (Hampshire/surrey)?

Depending on the info I get I will probs tackle most of it myself if possible.

[gazareth]

what do you mean by your car is getting worse? what symptoms have you got?

[Sgt_Lemon]

Lump idle, hunting, bad fuel economy, lack of power, drinking coolant, extremely high hydrocarbons, slight blue smoke when under load, won't start again if switched off soon after starting, kangaroos when cold, temp light that comes on and off on its own. There is probably some that I have forgotten about. The list keeps getting longer over time.

[Thom89]

First port of call, from what you've described, have the head gasket checked! sorting anything else first may well be a waste of time!

Thom

[gazareth]

run your engine with coolant cap off and if you see a steady stream of bubbles then your heads gona have to come off. also take out your spark plugs and check them for any variation in colour or build up of deposits.and while you have them out get your pistons to tdc and check the tops with a torch. if one or more pistons looks really clean then your gasket is likely failed. oh and did you renew the valve stem oil seals in the head before you fitted it?

[Sgt_Lemon]

I will have a look if there is a nothing in at work.

[Sgt_Lemon]

Only managed to get 3 of the plugs out. Reckon with the coolant leaking it's over heated causing the head gasket to go. Limped home as it wasn't firing on all cylinders. I'm reluctant to change the head gasket though as it was running sh!t before hand and I don't want to waste the time and money to return it to a sh!t running car.

Ignoring the current fault what else could have been causing it to run so bad? I had the timing and mix sorted, ICV had been checked, vac leaks checked, blue temp replaced, earths checked, compression even. The hydorcarbons are still really high. Could never work out how to fix the throttle closed switch on tb. And the exhaust is blowing and now rattling loads.

[Thom89]

But you have to start with the head gasket! get the last plug out, and do a compression test!

Thom

[Sgt_Lemon]

I want to find out whether the coolant leak was external and caused the head gasket to go or if the gasket went and then started to drain coolant. No point changing the gasket to then cook another with a hard to find external leak. Any tips to finding a slow external leak? It's what I initially thought as it was draining and leaving oil marks on the drive but I couldn't trace it.

Really not looking forward to timing the whole thing again, should do cam belt while it's off and water pump. All this just to return it to its former poor running self haha 

[Mr Blue]

But you have to start with the head gasket! get the last plug out, and do a compression test!

Thom

THIS.

Also check for mayo residue on the dipstick.