Oh NO head gasket

Hi

Really upset tonight

Been doing a fair bit of driving today, bit of a spirited run to Havant from my home location near Barnham west Sussex.

On the A27 I saw my temp gauge go up to 120' + red light and alarm went off.

Pulled over and read codes P0117 temp sens too low.

Had to carry on to dad's as was on a mercy mission.

Called AA and they came and checked it out.

Expansion tank was empty ( had been full last week)

Code confirmed.

Expansion tank cap was only hold 10psi other times more.

Everything seemed OK then he checked my coolant and declared it had lots of hydrocarbons (I think) and that meant cylinder head gasket was blown.

No oil in water, but it is brown and muddy looking now.

Recovery to home was going to take 4 hours or more and as I have work tomorrow I had to drive home, very carefully with stops and checks.

When I got home I found she had used half the water in the tank.

No more alarms however.

So tomorrow I will have to ring my local garage and see if they can fit me in, I'd prefer JKM but they are too far away if they could see me.

Really upset as I am off work after tomorrow and had loads of family visits to do etc.

If anyone has any tips etc let me know, I'll be calling the garage at 08:30 and just pray they can fit me in.

Cost anyone?

Other damage?

Seems to be on the gas side of things I would guess?

Suppose I can't blame this on the last owner then

Thanks

Mike

dan (s1 pru) said:

Sounds like the water pump has gone mate , mine done the same emptied the tank and had to keep filling it up

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Water pump was replaced a few months back.

Her temp was fine on the way home, I just found that the tank was half empty having been filled up just 20 miles back.
That and the brown muck in it, the AA chaps test and advice that the gasket has gone.

Just dreading the phone call shortly.

OH and the AA chap said that the tank lid could be playing up as its been trying to hold back the extra pressure.

OK she is at the local garage now, they are investigating.
Told me that if it is the head gasket I could be looking at £1000

I don't know how I can afford that, but then how can I not?

Really am wondering if I am wating my time and money on this car?

dan (s1 pru) said:

New engine will be loads cheaper , or drive the car home make it get borrowed and set on fire then job done make sure your insured lol

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Really a new engine would be cheaper?

ibizacupra said:

Headgasket is'nt a £1000 job...

I thought I was expensive at times.. clearly not!

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I am still waiting for the call to confirm.

Said the head has to go to be skimmed? (feels like its me being skimmed) this is where I am snookered, if they say it costs 'X' amount what do I do?

If its a grand, am I better keeping that grand towards a reliable car or sinking yet more into this one.
Its had so much work done now, I really thought there was nothing else to go wrong.

I am just scared they will call and say its a cracked head or something!!!!!!!!!!


FFFFF FFFFFF SSSSSS

OK confirmed head gasket, most unusual apparently 1K confirmed as well. I said go ahead just got to pray they don't find anything else.
Once its back and running I need to make a serious choice about what I do! Do I sell it off and try and buy something more reliable? do I keep it and try and recover the nearly 2K I have spent on it since I got it?

Or what, open to suggestions.

dan (s1 pru) said:

Lol I would have told them go do one , could have done it alot cheaper

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I did ask around.

Most were saying around the £700 mark but with possible add ons.
And the big problem was how to get the car to the garage that was going to do the work.
JKM for example is about 40 miles from me and the car barley made it 4 to the garage that has it now.
So I would have had to add transport costs a well.

I agree, I don't have 1K spare but like you say I need the car back asap.

cocadave said:

I'd be ringing them up sharpish and try to negotiate a better price, say that you've had a few second quotes and that they're quoting in the region of 700 notes, possibly offer a midway price if 850? Sounds better than a grand to me, also ask how much they are paying for parts, some places I know get massive discount for parts but still charge more for them than it would have been to buy them yourself,
I know they have you over a barrel at the moment but a saving is a saving no matter how small.

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Yep I agree, before the Leon we used this garage for years and years they have a very good reputation for not frigging things up.
They are not the cheapest either.
The price they have given is to strip down, send off for skimming, new gasket, new bolts, new oil and filter, new expansion tank, sensor and cap, flush water system and re fill with VW approved coolant and there was some other bits but I can't recall as I was in shock at the time.
They are going to try and get the car back to me for this Friday.

The other places I called said I would not see the car this side of Xmas.

cryingfreeman said:

I'd skim the head for you mate for £30! I'm in Gosport but suppose its a bit far. If you take it to jkm give me a pm I'll do it!

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Hi

Most kind of you but I think its all too late, mine has been sent to be skimmed already.

My big question is, once this is done should I keep the car?

On the plus side.

I do like it.
I have now invested a considerable amount of time and money in it.
Its a five year old with 64000.
From memory since I bought it in April 10 I have had the following done:

Discs and brakes all round.
New front calipers.
New clutch.
New radiator.
New water pump.
New lambda sensor (pre cat)
New cam belt set
New ABS sensors front

Now, new head gasket

Done myself:

Door seals.
Air filter seal
Speakers replace and fit
LED side lights

So I wonder what else she can throw up having had that lot done?

On the negative side:

What else can she throw up.
High cost of road tax
Drinks petrol
parts cost loads
Insurance cost


Also I wonder what I would get for her if I did sell.
Part X would be crap no doubt.

Don't think I'd ever trust a Seat again sadly

LEE69 said:

I hope they do check the head before skimming it, might not need it.
And 1K ouch

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Hi Lee

Ah mate, its one thing after another isn't it.
She seemd to be going so well recenlty as well

He explained about the skimming, said something like we have to make sure its perfect otherwise it might not seal properly??

Just wish I could do all this myself