Car problem - head gasket!

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Can anyone name a garage in or around Leicester that will give a good quote for changing a head gasket (Fiat Punto)? Or are you a mechanic who can look at the car for "Fellow Fox" rates?

Basically my girlfriend's Punto is kaput (pretty much certain it's the head gasket gone) and we are currently very skint, as are buying a new house - so this couldn't have happened at a worse time. To make things worse, it's literally been a week since it had other work done, a new MOT and new tax put on it, so scrapping it would be a shame as it's otherwise running ok

I know places will give massively different estimates for this kind of work so any help will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers

[Rocket-Ron]

Is it just overheating?? If so try something called K seal available from most motor spares gosts about a Tenner.

Luckily worked for mine

[JadeFalcon]

what makes you say its the head gasket ? also what was the other work that was done the other week ?

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

The other work done was minimal, just general bits and bobs because it has been otherwise running fine.

Almost certain it is the head gasket - my dad had a look over it yesterday (a former mechanic of about 30 years) and there is the usual massive oil loss, coolant leaking into the cylinders, only running on 3 cylinders - further research looks like it's almost certain the head gasket has blown.

Rocket-Ron - cheers for the advice, I had recently put in a can of Stop-Leak (it had a small oil leak which was stemmed by this) but I think the damage done is greater than a product like this could paper over

[JadeFalcon]

i know a mobile mechanic who is quite cheap, and reliable, has done work for me before. number is in PM to you,

[Jace]

The other work done was minimal, just general bits and bobs because it has been otherwise running fine.

Almost certain it is the head gasket - my dad had a look over it yesterday (a former mechanic of about 30 years) and there is the usual massive oil loss, coolant leaking into the cylinders, only running on 3 cylinders - further research looks like it's almost certain the head gasket has blown.

Rocket-Ron - cheers for the advice, I had recently put in a can of Stop-Leak (it had a small oil leak which was stemmed by this) but I think the damage done is greater than a product like this could paper over

Sounds like it to me Fiat Puntos are incredibly prone for head gaskets going too had a couple of them years ago myself

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Yep, it was bought as a disposable car though (£500) and has done well to last a year with no other problems!

JadeFalcon - cheers, I've replied

[JadeFalcon]

it will end up costing you a bit head will need to come off, new gasket and more than likely a head skim

[stix]

I would imagine it is going to cost in the region of £500 if its actually gone anyway as it may have damaged other parts of the engine depending on how long the car was ran after the gasket went. May be a good idea to start looking around for another £500 runabout bud.

Whilst getting a few quotes obviously.

[Fox92]

My head gasket has gone as well. Took my Corsa to the garage because it was leaking oil. They found the problem, which they replaced, so it doesn't leak oil anymore. However, they said I needed a new head gasket and quoted me at £700 - I basically said no thanks, considering that is worth more than the actual car (I brought it for less than £700!)... Eventually it will basically die, so I'm keeping a look out for a new vehicle instead of paying £700 just to repair one part.

[tylesta]

Can anyone name a garage in or around Leicester that will give a good quote for changing a head gasket (Fiat Punto)? Or are you a mechanic who can look at the car for "Fellow Fox" rates?

Basically my girlfriend's Punto is kaput (pretty much certain it's the head gasket gone) and we are currently very skint, as are buying a new house - so this couldn't have happened at a worse time. To make things worse, it's literally been a week since it had other work done, a new MOT and new tax put on it, so scrapping it would be a shame as it's otherwise running ok

I know places will give massively different estimates for this kind of work so any help will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers

264a Tudor Road

264 Tudor Road

Leicester LE3 5HW

0116 233 8007

ask for bob crewe

[Saxondale]

The cost could vary depending on how bad the subsequent damage is. As Jade says, the head may need a skim. Plus, if water is in the cylinders, this can cause piston damage. Also, the overheating can cause yet more damage.

Might even be worth looking at a new block and head from a scrappy?

[The Year Of The Fox]

Crash it n claim on the insurance. Easy

[Nick]

Look for an entire engine for sale and drop that in. Won't be too much different in cost.......

[JadeFalcon]

i had just spent 10 minutes writing out what kinda of damage can be done with a blown head gasket but my almost 3 year old ran in and closed the ****ing browser window for me.. thanks you little shite... as your PM said... ask your dad about blown head gaskets and the damage it can do... most people just think its water and oil mixing together but there are tons of things that can be damaged because of it happening.

engine swap might be cheaper

[FoxesAreBlue]

My Head Gaskets gone too, no hot air coming from the vents, huge loss of water, engine temp high, I'm just running it into the ground before replacing it now, I also drive a £400 rusty old carrot

[JadeFalcon]

andy: could be a split hose somewhere fill it with water, start the engine and go looking around under it, my old escort its water pump wore out n was pissing out the side. if it were the head gasket i would have thought the vent air would still have gotten hot as i wouldnt have thought a gasket would let through that much volume of water in the little amount of time before the vents get a chance to heat up.... also you could have an airlock.. dribble the water into the wherever its required in your engine as if you try and pour it all in in one go you run the risk of pushing an air bubble around

[Guest]

Easiest way to check if it's the head gasket is to look for emulsification on your dipstick.

[Haydos]

Easiest way to check if it's the head gasket is to look for emulsification on your dipstick.

Kinky

[Salieri]

Easiest way to check if it's the head gasket is to look for emulsification on your dipstick.

[Guest]

What?

[FoxesAreBlue]

Oh it is definitely the head gasket, me old dears partner is a mechanic and had a more detailed look, I only listed the things I can remember about it! Apparently it's not quite 'gone' yet but it won't be long. Something about exhaust fumes getting into the cooling system or vice versa, it was the rarer permeatations of the two.

[Guest Col city fan]

Oh it is definitely the head gasket, me old dears partner is a mechanic and had a more detailed look, I only listed the things I can remember about it! Apparently it's not quite 'gone' yet but it won't be long. Something about exhaust fumes getting into the cooling system or vice versa, it was the rarer permeatations of the two.

Never buy a rover with a 1.8 engine

Massively prone to HGF unless they are multi-layered.

I found this out to my cost a couple of years ago.

Bought a Rover 45, little run around, for a grand. Nice little car to be fair. However, I had for a month or so before the dreaded sludge started to appear on the oil dipstick.

The thing drank water quicker than I can drink Theakstons Old Peculiar.

[Saxondale]

Never buy a rover with a 1.8 engine

Massively prone to HGF unless they are multi-layered.

I found this out to my cost a couple of years ago.

Bought a Rover 45, little run around, for a grand. Nice little car to be fair. However, I had for a month or so before the dreaded sludge started to appear on the oil dipstick.

The thing drank water quicker than I can drink Theakstons Old Peculiar.

Not just the 1.8, all of the K-series engines. Good motors but blow their head gaskets every 40k miles like clockwork.

[FoxesAreBlue]

Mines a 25 1.4 (possibly 1.3 I forget) anyway its lost so much power now it's irrelevant! When I stop at the lights obviously I take it out of gear and the revs don't hold steady, it has started to keep jumping up to about 2000 then back down and up again, weird.