Station Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 C20XE Astra GSiLooking at MOTing and selling the car this week.These engine are absolutely unbreakable and never had HGF on one.Oil full of mayonnaise, temp shoots up, coolant reservoir explodes when opened.No warning, it's been fine but today started up for the first time in about 6 weeks it goes. Last drive was to Derby on AS scrapyard run, which was ages ago and it was fine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 19, 2016 Author Share Posted April 19, 2016 Fucker! I bet it would soldier on anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Fraud Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Hmmm... Doesn't look good. I thought there were two versions of the C20XE head, only one of which is indestructible ? Time for a compression test, perhaps ? Or start looking at SAAB engines on ebay ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 19, 2016 Author Share Posted April 19, 2016 'COSCAST' from 87 - 89 or so and then the GM ones. They only supposedly go porous around water gallery. Not this bad! LolThe blocks went the other way, better/'stronger' casing and internals through years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 C20XE cylinder head gaskets have been known to blow, although they are a tough engine. Yours looks like it has blown. The two heads are Coscast and GM... the Coscast ones are the tougher ones IIRC, identified by "Coscast" on the casting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inconsistant Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 privatewire 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dome Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Sounds like head gasket. I have the same engine in my Locost and its got the porous head thing-only symptom is oil in the coolant reservoir. Exploding coolant is not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stixy Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COMBUSTION-LEAK-TESTER-KIT-PETROL-DIESEL-HEAD-GASKET-BLOCK-FX-53-100ml-FLUID-/272121784472?hash=item3f5bb8e898:g:PlAAAOSwJQdXAq3f http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K-Seal-Permanent-Coolant-Leak-Repair-K5501-Seals-Head-Gaskets-Radiators-More-/291614091975?hash=item43e58deac7:g:CXcAAOSw5VFWQ1Zs ShiteRider 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordperv Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 K seal is a bit crap to be fair stixy, steel seal is better http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steel-Seal-Head-Gasket-Repair-cylinder-block-/291737879274?hash=item43eceec2ea:g:VagAAOSwq7JT27qp A mate of mines hg failed on his ecowreck and he didn't have the cash to have it repaired, i suggested he put a bottle in and it sorted it right out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stixy Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 K seal is a bit crap to be fair stixy, steel seal is better Never used it tbh but when i get more time i want to test some on a Twincam that blows a lot of bubbles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny69 Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Is it just overheating? Could just be a stuck thermostat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexg Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Coolant reservoir will explode when opened whatever the case if it's hot, but that looks like a lot of mayo to me. Was it noticeably losing coolant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 Not too sure, there is salad cream everywhere! Starting to make me hungry to be honest. There's no turning back now! Sigmund Fraud and DavidB 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 Head gasket looks fine - it may be a stuck thermostat. Sigmund Fraud 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 Have bought all gaskets, belt, tensioner, two pulleys and water and oil pump - I reckon I could get more for it by doing all this, it didn't cost much and took a couple of hours taking everything off. oldcars, Rusty_Rocket, Sigmund Fraud and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_Rocket Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Lovely engines to work on.. It's definitely adding value/ saleability but I'm not sure a stuck 'stat would cause that much mayo at this time of year?Are you going to have the head pressure tested? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Thats a good idea, I'd defo get a pressure test done before putting it back together. Doesnt cost very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 What would the pressure test do - the block or head, and for what, cracks? It was nice doing this in the sun on the driveway, onto two small torx bolts stripped but came out with a light tap with a chisel. And going against the norm of not spelling any oil any where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Fraud Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Usual practice is to pressure test the waterways in the cylinder head - this would show any cracks that could lead to HGF symptoms ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I guess it would also highlight if your head has gone porous. Sigmund Fraud 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_Rocket Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Yes, as above- the head is tested for internal cracks, which can resemble OMGHGF as the results are similar, mixing of the oil & coolant. Is it a KS head? They did used to go porous due to an incorrect alloy mix as you know.. I would be suprised if it had taken this long to fail though ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the judge Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Correct^^. Saves wasting your time. I would be surprised if it is cracked tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 The gasket looks original, I had previous troubles with this, rad was leaking, pipes leaked, it overheated a few times (with steam) because it ran nearly dry. Fixed leaks and it was fine without obvious signs, until the other day. I think it just gave up in the end.I've had one have a pipe explode on NYE in London, I've honestly never had a broken engine, owned seven of these. Watching some ghetto DIY pressure testing on YouTube, think I'll get it checked and possibly skimmed. Rusty_Rocket, Sigmund Fraud and Coprolalia 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 27, 2016 Author Share Posted April 27, 2016 Deereeeelcious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 27, 2016 Author Share Posted April 27, 2016 I rebuilt the head with new cam seals and valve stem seals. Hopefully get it back together tomorrow and then MOTd. Christine, Dick Longbridge, M'coli and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bren Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Rover V8 engines (especially the bigger ones) sometimes have porosity in the blocks that causes overheating. A pressure test is money well spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3VOM Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Parky, Cavcraft, nacho man and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 30, 2016 Author Share Posted April 30, 2016 Ayyyy, this is more like it. Thanks to the non-raining and not 4 degrees weather today, I continued my lil rebuild of the GSi engine.So with my snooker chalk in my pocket, I torqued the head down ,made a gasket for the inlet, and set the tension on the cam belt. I was sent the wrong belt but the old one looks new, which is a bit of a blow out after all the new stuff bought, but after spending 2 hours setting the tension, I think I'll be happy with it. Everything is spotless all cruddy oil on the head, block and crevices is gone and cleaned out. I set the cam cover on fire for 5 minutes which made it easier. Newly painted cam and belt covers make the whole engine bay look superb.Only thing left now is flush through with cheap oil, fix the wiring loom, fit the new ECU, fit new sump, repair the mess up on the interior computer (speed sensor and fuel computer is random which I think is a wiring problem), and find half of the nuts/bolts I've mislaid and then MOT it and sell it. dave21478, egg, cort16 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegod Posted May 1, 2016 Share Posted May 1, 2016 Did you get it pressure tested or skimmed station? whats the cost of that these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_Rocket Posted May 1, 2016 Share Posted May 1, 2016 Nice work! But unless you've found a very obvious breach in the head gasket between an oilway and a water jacket, I think you may be disappointed after an hour of it running? billyboy406v6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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