[badgermattuk]

Just driving into town earlier, suddenly my beloved puma starts juddering, losing most of its power and starts bellowing white smoke out of the exhaust. It smelt kinda anti-freeze like, which a passer by said is a certain head gasket issue.
Managed to just make it to a nearby dodgy car garage. He took one look at it and said the dreaded 'head gasket' words.
As it was a saturday he was too busy to give it a full check-up. So i spluttered home.

How does that sound to you helpful people? Head Gasket?
How much am i looking to replace that? Is it worth it? Its a 1997 R reg. 130k miles.

Thanks

Upset Matt

[happy-kat]

sorry I can't help on prices etc.

worth checking the oil level

does it have any coolant left in it too?

[BenF]

deffo sounds like head gasket

will not be cheap

do not drive if at all possible - if you drive with no coolant or oil your engine can overheat and seize

then you would be looking for a new engine...

[myweepuma]

this is a worry of mines mines is using water no apparant leak just been topping it up

116K on my milage

[mrpike]

I had my head gasket changed due to oil finding it's way into the cooling system, it cost me £500 which included a new cam belt kit, plus a head scim, sorry to be the barer of bad news hope you get it sorted mrpike

[BenF]

this is a worry of mines mines is using water no apparant leak just been topping it up

116K on my milage

if there is no apparent leak the coolant is probably finding its way out through your exhaust and you need to have it looked at or you might be after a new engine, too...

high mileage cars might be expected to use a little oil, but not coolant

[myweepuma]

now am a worried

whats the likely cause though?

[happy-kat]

before starting to worry worry, take the plastic cover off the top (the silver plastic cover) and see if the top of your spark plugs are swimming with coolant. this would be failed core plug.

also check you oil, does it look OK or does it look like mayonaise? (this not so good)

[myweepuma]

my oils fine was changed last month and new filter and i've had this problem before that my car doesn't over heat the water just seems to disappear

[NLTUK]

You say your oil was changed last month, but have you had a look sinse the issue? If i's still clean (and not like mayo) you may be lucky on the head gasket issue. Check under the cam cover (like Happy kat says) and let us know. Good luck with it.

How is your technical knowlege/practical ability? When the cam belt went on my fiesta Si. I had to take of the head, re-grind two valves, skim the head, change the gasket and add a new cam belt. All with the use of the Haynes manual! I took bloody ages, I mean ages, but I did it and it worked. I drove it for a year with no problems and then gave it as part Ex. I still see it around so can't have been that bad! It's fairly simple if you're tecnically minded.

Lee

[myweepuma]

the oil that came out was fine and is now it isn't mayo at all

I'll check under the cam cover

and as for technical knowledge mines is limited but my partener was a mechanic he now is a hoist engineer who doesn't really like to work on cars!!

and i can't afford for the car to be off the road too long as iam a courier worse case senario i'll have to use the Ka :s

This post has been edited by myweepuma: 06 July 2008 - 12:04 PM

[NLTUK]

the oil that came out was fine and is now it isn't mayo at all

Whats it like now?!

[myweepuma]

the oils fine am gonna check under the cam cover when the rains off

[happy-kat]

careful with those bolts. they round easy

[myweepuma]

i will promise

[NLTUK]

Yeah, they do! I planned to take off the plastic cover today and polish the top of the head. What are these bolts made of? Cheese?

Lee

[myweepuma]

cam cover off this morning and no coolant to be seen topped the water up again

[m_kitty]

head gaskets have been known to weep for ages with no problems, there is a test the garage can do on the coolant to see if there are hydrocarbons in the water, get it done if it brings piece of mind.

to the op and is it worth it? how much do you like the car?

[mrpike]

head gaskets have been known to weep for ages with no problems, there is a test the garage can do on the coolant to see if there are hydrocarbons in the water, get it done if it brings piece of mind.

to the op and is it worth it? how much do you like the car?

Yes Pumabuild do it, cost £20 and you'll know there and then if it's your head gasket gone, cheer's all mrpike

[myweepuma]

too far away from me am in glasgow

need to see if i can find somewhere near