well my first month of ownership is up....
1st day started with me cleaning out scuttle drains as i had a swimming pool in the pass footwells.
had cambelt and water pump changed for piece of mind
then the oil light came on, changed oil and filter and oil pressure switch. light went out and the engine run nice and quiet.
then it started loosing coolant, oh nooo, oil went like milk... headgasket maybe but didnt want to believe it was that, hbv was dry and no leaks anywhere.
engine was really loud at top end so i decided to drop the sump and clean all breathers inc metal pipe that returns to sump,pickup pipe and sump. the metal return pipe and pick up pipe was blocked solid with dry oil and gunge, so all cleaned and put back together with more new oil and filter, the car run great and i checked the water after a day of using to go to work and back...... shit wheres the coolant gone??? into the oil again, i was gutted..
so a bit scared and nervous i decided to do the headgasket myself(never done it before), i took my time taking it to bits trying to remember where it all went.
found a snapped bolt in the exhaust side of the head which i had taken out and replaced when the head was skimmed.
anyway i put it all back together and it started basically straight away, no nasty noises,no warning lights, no leaks.
heres a breakdown of cost for doing the headgasket on my 20.16v
headgasket kit inc. new head bolts 29 pound (andrew page)
oil filter 1.24 from VX
oil 15/40 free from work
antifreeze free from work
head skimmed and tested 30 pound
so for just over 60 quid its finished, swore loads, cut my hands to bits, threw things around the garage, drunk far too much coffee but............
I DONE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lee