blown head gasket?

[bhamnz]

Hi. Im new to forums and have found them really useful in helping to diagnose my problem.
We have had a 1996 Ibiza CLS 1.4 8v for about a month now and I think the head gasket may have blown or is partially blown.
There is quite a bit of white vapour from the exhaust when started from cold and when the motor is warm. Doesnt really seem to go away! But this has only begun to happen since I cleaned out the crankcase breather tube, which was packed with oil and white emulsion, so much so that no air was coming thru the tube!
The engine doesnt appear to be getting to hot. Never goes above half way on the guage and the coolant level in the reservoir hasnt changed since we've had it.
There isnt any white gunk on the dip stick and only a very slight amount on the oil cap which I noticed when we first got the car. I wiped it off and hasnt come back.
I havent changed the oil or filter yet (planning to do so this weekend, maybe with a motor flush as well but Im scared if it is the head gasket a flush will only make it worse!) The oil appears a bit thick and the motor is a bit tappy when accelerating. (could be because of the thick oil?)
Seems to run okay at the moment, the odd missfire when idiling, but otherwise ok. Fuel economy isnt too bad from what I have read here.
The questions are: is it likely to be a stuffed head gasket? and is it a easy enough test for a mechanic to do to tell if it is the gasket? Also if it is the gasket does anyone have an idea how much to replace? and finally I am new to the UK, living in belfast, does anyone know a reliable mechanic thats not likely to try and rip off a dumb New Zealander!
Cheers

 

[ibiza_95]

doesnt sound like the head gasket to me...
You may get a bit of white gunk on the filler cap if its used mainly for just short journeys.
If you change the oil to a decent grade oil, it should reduce the tapping noise a fair bit.
does the oil level keep reducing, as if its burning oil?
If you go to any garage and ask for a compression test they wshould be able to tell you if theres something wrong with the headgsket and that shouldnt cost a fortune, 20 quid or so id guess if that.
Head gasket to have done will cost you i reckon around 3-400 pounds its happened to me if thats the issue

 

[Fl@pper]

with a lot of the old oily mayo it could be or at least worth checking but not too bad a job to do with the right tools/bits purchased

beware if its a newish car to you that it may have been cooked previously - seen warped heads in the past

if you end up with the head off can recomend local machine shop check it / skim it/pressure check it

 

[bhamnz]

Thanks for the help. You have eased my mind a bit and I think I will hold off going to a garage and will keep an eye on the water and oil for the next few weeks. It hasnt been buring oil and the oil level is constant. I did and oil and filter change which seems to have done the job with the tapping. Was still a bit tappy after the oil change (I didnt do an engine flush) but after a few days and a couple of long runs it seems to have un gummed the tappets. Still have a misfire at idle, but I suspect that the plugs or ht leads might need replacing.
Also seems to have developed what sounds like a vacuum or hissing noise, which is only noticable over about 40mph, and becomes louder with acceleration, coming from the passengers side of the engine bay. I cant see any vacuum hoses around the area, only the condenser bottle for the coolant (maybe a dodgy coolany bottle cap?) any ideas.

Cheers