GTI blowing - help

[baseballcar]

Hello

Hi - posted this a while back but missed getting many techie responses - so trying again.

I have a 1988 mk2 GTI which, although only having covered some 75,000 miles has developed an engine problem.

It has been infrequently used for the past 2 years and has previously been regularly serviced.

i suspect a blown head gasket; though it might be something more, as it is losing water and has contaminated oil. The water is being lost through the header tank which suggests gas presurisation of the cooling system; there is the scum in the oil (evident on opening the cap and checking the dip stick) and white 'smoke' from the exhaust.

However, the white smoke only tends to start to appear after a few minutes e.g. after the block has warmed up; does this mean that the problem maybe block or head related e.g. a crack?

Money is a bit tight so I'm loathed to do the head and find out it's something more so any advice appreciated!

Alternatively - anyone out there fancy a project car?

[JC]

have to say it does sound like a cracked head / gasket failure 

[Mew]

Might be worth searching for the symptoms of a dead oil cooler?

[nealey]

Before anything, get a compression check and a block test done as that should throw up headgasket problems

[DarnPB]

Before anything, get a compression check and a block test done as that should throw up headgasket problems

Agreed. Get a compression test done, then look at the oil cooler. It works by transfer of heat from oil to water. If the matrix has perforated, you will get cross contamination of both oil and water systems.