Head gasket failure

[Mattd938]

Hey everyone, got an issue with my CR 170, car was in garage last week and had an engine hose and the aux coolant pump changed among other things. Took it to work the next day and the heaters were blowing cold and the temp needle went upto just below red like a rocket but I eased off and quickly dropped back to normal. Thought air lock in coolant system so burped the car and now stays at bang on 90°

coolant level has still been dropping (thought it might have just been settling down) and I’m sure I can smell exhaust gas in the header tank - I have purchased one of those test things just not arrived yet.

also the heater when set to full and hot changes temp depending on revs.

Some points to mention -

temp stays on 90
Coolant going down
No steam from back as far as I can tell
Very slight whiteness on oil filler cap
Heater changes temp from hot to cold
Starts fine, ticks over fine and runs fine
Mpg seems like it’s gone down a bit too
Been fitted with dtuk unit for last 2 years.

to me I think head gasket but I have read other places it could be egr valve, heater matrix, egr cooler.

how much roughly is a head gasket change costing? have also read you’re not supposed to skim diesel heads.

cheers everyone.

 

[Legojon]

I didn't have this issue with my CR170. But have had the head gasket go on my MK2 Cupra. It was actually an external crack - so the coolant was running down the back of the engine block. Cost me just under £600 (mostly labour) to get it fixed. I guess it depends on the condition when it's stripped down. But my head wasn't skimmed, new gasket and away I went.

 

[R3k1355]

Get a sniff test done on the header tank to check for exhaust gasses in there and go a really thorough check of the engine to see if it's leaking coolant out.

 

[Slappi]

I didn't have this issue with my CR170. But have had the head gasket go on my MK2 Cupra. It was actually an external crack - so the coolant was running down the back of the engine block. Cost me just under £600 (mostly labour) to get it fixed. I guess it depends on the condition when it's stripped down. But my head wasn't skimmed, new gasket and away I went.

My 2010 Cupra has just been diagnosed with this same fault today. External leak of coolant down back of engine and turns out to he head gasket.

This is actually the second time it has happened to me too as the exact same thing happened on my 2008 Cupra a few years ago, but I just blamed that on it being stage 2+ and being 10 years old at the time etc. That cost me just under £600 too at the time lol.

 

[andylong]

Since the work you had done was on the coolant system and I am presuming it was not exhibiting the same problems as now, I would suggest the cooling system needs bleeding to remove air introduced during the work just performed.
Air in the system will gradually be replaced by coolant reducing the level in the tank.

There's more air in the system and I would suggest you bleed the heater in particular and the system generally before you go for the worst case.