Anyone want to fix my car? Cash waiting.

[Cavcraft]

I suppose it had to happen one day but finally after fucking years of owning various crap old Vauxhalls I've just had my first head gasket failure. The Mk4 Astra is showing signs of mayonnaise in the oil and the temperature gauge only works when it feels like it.Doesn't overheat and no sign of oil in the water but after an oil flush and new oil plus filter plus a good ragging here and the mayo is back.It *could* be condensation but I reckon it's h.g FAIL though it still drives fine.So more than twenty years after I started my (sad) love affair with 'em, and fuck knows how many miles in how many different models, it's finally happened.I should probably be pissed off or something but in a weird sort of way I'm pretty chuffed. So.......anyone available to fix it for me if I get all the bits inc. cam belt kit etc?I'd rather pay someone on here than a garage and will lend a hand, make tea, point at things and swear a lot.It's a 1.6 8 valve engine by the way.

[pogweasel]

Hey, those 8v vauxhall jobs are dead easy to do, even a hamfisted moron like me can do it.

[Lankytim]

Is it using water? I was sure the Audi had popped its HG but it hadnt. It was just mayo that wouldnt go away. It takes several long journeys to get rid of it completely.

[warren t claim]

Does the heater work ok? Is K-Seal worth a try?

[Albert Ross]

These normally go at number 4 end as a regular service item. Happy to give it the attention it needs for you, but I'm a goodly distance away.... with other bookings to clear first I reckon. Is it a Z16SE/X16SZR unit? How desperate are you to get it sorted timewise?

[Tayne]

.

[pogweasel]

Oh, hang on, is it some new thing then?I've only dealt with MK2 Astra/Cavaliers with carbs and no gubbins, so may have to retract the previous. Though on those we used to reckon in and out in a morning.

[Albert Ross]

I used to get the 16SH out of a Mk2 Cav, steamed, drained, stripped, graded, bored, ground, head faced, new pistons fitted, new camshaft, hydraulics and followers, all back together with new oil pump, water pump, belt, and clutch, starting at 8am, and driving away with the cash in my pocket at 5:30. (There were 2 of us doing the work, and we had ground cranks on the shelf, but used all original blocks, rods and heads etc) When the slightly fragile small block SV unit became more popular, the heads were noted for gasket failure.... that and belt failure.

[Cavcraft]

Cheers fellas.Warren: Heater works fine (proper blast furnace job like previous Mk4 Astras I've owned), and I lobbed some K-seal in t'other day.Tim: no sign of any water use.Tayne: good thinking, cheers.Albert: not entirely sure which engine code it is sorry but is has the dual electrode type spark plugs as opposed to the four electrode type ones if that helps?Not averse to re-flushing engine and trying new oil/filter again by the way. Incidentally I omitted to mention before that when warm there is a slight flat spot/hesitation but I considered this may be the EGR before I spotted the mayonnaise.I'd get rid of it but I like the car and if I get another car it could have more problems and as it is it's still driveable and still reliable.Pog: It's almost certainly similar to the carb'd engines you mention and seems far more 'clueless wanker like me' friendly than the Ecotech engined ones.

[Station]

Could be a leak somewhere, maybe leaking inlet manifold.My mate is actively looking for work as he's just starting out as a mechanic, I'll get his number if you want? He's done loads of K-series HG's.

[Minimad5]

I suspect if you chucked some pennies at MM5* he would do and then spend the money on Rebel/Fiesty bits.Win all round I'd say.*I am just guessing though...

Tayne sir you are a winner Yeah cavette i would have no problem doing it buddyBut if you feel more confident with someone else doing it then no problem.I think Warren wants me to do his Rover in 2 weeks, so before or after that is fine for me.Aslong as it is not a Friday

[dollywobbler]

If your temp gauge doesn't often rise, and you're getting mayo, that sounds more like 'stat failure. If the engine can't warm up properly, mayo is a certainty. It'll still get up to temp if you're queuing in traffic.

[Cavcraft]

Interesting, cheers DW. Fair to assume that temp will rise but not neccessarily show on the guage if stat is knackered?MM: Thanks, will let you know.

[dollywobbler]

Interesting, cheers DW. Fair to assume that temp will rise but not neccessarily show on the guage if stat is knackered?MM: Thanks, will let you know.

Usually, the gauge would stay low if the stat is knackered. Just seen your 'furnance' heater comment, so it could well not be 'stat.

[pogweasel]

If your temp gauge doesn't often rise, and you're getting mayo, that sounds more like 'stat failure. If the engine can't warm up properly, mayo is a certainty. It'll still get up to temp if you're queuing in traffic.

Hey, that rings a bell - I've had 5 or 6 cars with a derivative of that engine, and every single one of the fuggas arrived with a kippered stat, low running temp & crap heater as symptoms, though don't recall one with significant spunk in the oil.

[meggersdog]

No significant water loss.Hmm,does the engine have a modene*, a device the oil filter screws onto as opposed to directly on the engine block ? These have water running through them and a slight weep from the steel housing will go directly into the oilways.* not sure of correct spelling.

[Cavcraft]

Not heard of one of those but will certainly have a look, cheers.Albert will know better but I'm pretty sure this engine is based on the ye olde 8V engines and as if to piss on my chips I'm always extolling the virtues of them.

[meggersdog]

If the oil filter is at the back near the crank pulley then probably not as there isn't the room to fit one.It's about an inch and a half in depth with two water hoses and the filter screws onto it.Usually it corrodes internally giving the same symptoms you describe.If a modene is fitted you need to unscrew the filter, remove the water hoses then pressure test it somehow.With the hoses off most unscrew the same as an oil filter.

[Slaighty]

I,ve got a Mk4 with the same engine and had (some) mayo under the filler cap and in the rocker cover for thousands of miles. Just gonna keep driving it till it goes pop, its on a S plate with 135k up so its not worth fixing. How much mayo are you getting?

[Lankytim]

Maybe its worth unplugging the fan and letting it idle for a bit to let it get hot and see if the mayo burns off.

[Minimad5]

Maybe its worth unplugging the fan and letting it idle for a bit to let it get hot and see if the mayo burns off.

Is that really a good idea ?Surely this would just make things worse ?I could be wrong, i'm just going off past experience (Nissan Micra + Foobared fan + Crud = head skim and new Headgasket)

[Lankytim]

Its worked for me a couple of times on motors that run cool and have a build up of mayo under the cap. I dont mean take it for a drive around without the fan, just let it idle with the bonnet up until the temp gauge gets up towards the red, dont let it actually overheat. Often a load of steam will come from the filler cap as the mayo evaporates.

[Minimad5]

Aah okay, have never tried that - Learn something new everyday -

[Slaighty]

I might try that!!With filler cap on or off?

[Lankytim]

With the cap on, but you have to take it off when it gets hot to see if any moisture is being evaporated away or not and how much is left. With the cap on it will escape down the breather anyway.*N.B* DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

[Cavcraft]

I,ve got a Mk4 with the same engine and had (some) mayo under the filler cap and in the rocker cover for thousands of miles. Just gonna keep driving it till it goes pop, its on a S plate with 135k up so its not worth fixing. How much mayo are you getting?

Tbh that sounds like a plan. I'm getting a reasonable amount of mayo, will check again later and see how bad it is.Tim: Thanks for the advice, might try that. My lad said he was taught at work (or college) to only just crack the sump plug slightly when draining oil in situations like this as the water will run down before the oil.

[Cavcraft]

If your temp gauge doesn't often rise, and you're getting mayo, that sounds more like 'stat failure. If the engine can't warm up properly, mayo is a certainty. It'll still get up to temp if you're queuing in traffic.

Which it did this morning! Only stuck in slow traffic for about ten minutes but the gauge started working and crept slowly to just under half way-ish. It's a shame I wasn't stuck a bit longer as I could have done with seeing if it'd over-heat an/or the fan would kick in.Possibly best plan is to leave it out the back running for ages and see if the fan kicks in etc and keep an eye on the temp. gauge.

[garbaldy]

If your temp gauge doesn't often rise, and you're getting mayo, that sounds more like 'stat failure. If the engine can't warm up properly, mayo is a certainty. It'll still get up to temp if you're queuing in traffic.

ive had that problem on an astra too and the garage put it on the computer and couldnt find any faults but because it didnt get up to temp untill it had sat running for some time it drank flowgo like an alcoholic and the mayo was more like butter it was that thick, a new thermostat and a boody good flush fixed it then it was very good on fuel

[Cavcraft]

Hey brilliant, cheers. It's been a bit (lot) shite on motion lotion recently so I now have new hope it's the thermostat.