head gasket gone/on way out

[chris285]

had problems with having no heat on my 1.4, took to the garage yesterday and changed the thermostat and couldn't find anything wrong

took back today and flushed heater matrix out and was fine, revved engine with water bottle top off and was chucking water out the top so air in the system

looks like head gasket so looks like i am on the lookout for a new motor now, which is a pain as i was waiting until next year before i got a new one

 

[Wilson]

My engine doesnt heat up either that much, ever since the first thermostat went. Still going ok but sounds like a tractor for the first minute of running!

 

[chris285]

oh the engine runs fine never had a problem really apart from an electrical one, just get not heat which coming up to winter is not good

need to decide what car to get next as well as i can't afford much as i am buying a house next year

 

[Krishen]

oh the engine runs fine never had a problem really apart from an electrical one, just get not heat which coming up to winter is not good

need to decide what car to get next as well as i can't afford much as i am buying a house next year

Is it definitely the head gasket? Its abit of a much selling your car for a heating problem. HAve you checked all the switches? Ie when you turn the heater to hot it changes at the back too?

 

[chris285]

yeah switches all working ok and changing air flow, guy i took it too checked it all out and head gasket was the only thing he could think of left

 

[CARL BRIGHTON]

had problems with having no heat on my 1.4, took to the garage yesterday and changed the thermostat and couldn't find anything wrong

took back today and flushed heater matrix out and was fine, revved engine with water bottle top off and was chucking water out the top so air in the system

looks like head gasket so looks like i am on the lookout for a new motor now, which is a pain as i was waiting until next year before i got a new one

wont it chuck the water out anyway?

if theres a while "paste" in the water and oil thatll be the head gasket

i take it you mean no water heat?
if its no blower heat have you checked the board that plugs into the blower?

 

[chris285]

no white residue on oil cap, temp gauge seems fine

just getting no hot air outta the vents, when you say the board where is this?

 

[Cupra Kid]

No blower heat could simply mean that your heater matrix is buggered or that the heater control valve has failed. If its the matrix its a little expensive, but not terminal to the mechanics of the car.

I would expect a car with a failed head gasket to be running quite badly, my girlfriends seicento kept stalling and dieing for no apparent reason.

Warm the engine up and feel the inlets for the coolant into the engine, if one of them isnt hot then you may have a blockage.

 

[chris285]

well apparently he checked all the pipes and said there was air in there, water is freely flowing to the matrix but coming back cold apparently

engine is running fine and has done for 30k so far never had a mechanical problem with it, although i have noticed it seems to be loosing water as i am having to top the radiator bottle up fairly often. and i know there is currently no anti freeze in the system either

 

[Cupra Kid]

well apparently he checked all the pipes and said there was air in there, water is freely flowing to the matrix but coming back cold apparently

engine is running fine and has done for 30k so far never had a mechanical problem with it, although i have noticed it seems to be loosing water as i am having to top the radiator bottle up fairly often. and i know there is currently no anti freeze in the system either

I'd be having a good hunt for where that coolants going, look for crystal effects around the joins on the cooling system, now you've said that it does sound a little more like a head gasket issue.

What've they quoted you to fix it? Might just be worth having it repaired than buying a new car, unless there's anything else wrong with it.

 

[chris285]

well i have had to replace the cat again this year for mot, replaced under warrenty for the second time in 2 years. i know that can be a head gasket related issue in terms of it needing to be replaced so soon

i have seen a gti 16v fairly close, i am tempted to go and have a look at it but its done 96k which is a bit off putting

other problem is my current insurer are basiacly not allowing insurance on a car over about group 9 for me, which would mean cancelling my current policy and starting a new one and i would not get it all back as i have had my current one for 2 months

 

[CARL BRIGHTON]

the board is in the passenger footwell under the dash

 

[chris285]

thanks for the advice, will have a look at the board and see if its loose later on this evening after work