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[dippydave]

Went to see my car at my friendly garage yesterday for an update in its state.

Found the head on the bench the coolant tank in the boot  :-? and a heck of a lot of wires and pipes sticking out the engine bay like spaghetti junction.  Thank gawd for coloured cable ties 

This all after i'd left the car with them for only a crank sensor change last Monday!    This turned into a mission as I'd got the wrong part as I wrote elsewhere but hey.

As time was running short I also asked them to do the little job of replacing the exhaust manifold gaskets. Thanks to all that offered to help with this before, but it was a good job the garage had it as the manifold had warped. After skimming it went on nice and tight and flat  Oh and no stud bolts broke but all were replaced

Sadly the engine was then misfiring. A leakdown test and compression test later told them there was a big problem between cylinders 2 and 3 . Lots of evidence of overheating 

So that's why the head's orf. It's getting a skim today as where the gasket had blown through there's wear in the head> This might possibly a crack but won't be sure until after the skimming. The gasket was also leaking and nearly blown between all the other cylinders too. 

Suffice to say when it all goes back together, with valves cleaned and relapped etc, the engine should be firing better than ever! 

All this overheating might have been from a pinhole in the radiator.....I know to change things faster in future!

TTFN

[JamesV6CDX]

Bloody hell Dave - Markie and I (with TB taking the piss nearby) changed the HG (and probably manifold gasket) shortly before you had this car.

I'd have thought if it had overheated that badly - you'd know about it  :-?

Can you get the garage to confirm the exact compression readings and their reasons for diagnosis?

I wouldn't be so sure myself...

[Lizzie_Zoom]

That all sounds very expensive Dave with a garage doing all that!!

[Debs.]

Don`t know about having your 'head orf'; it must be doing it in too!

Hope all`s soon well Dave and `not too expensive. :-/

[JamesV6CDX]

Still not personally convinced - I'd like to know the compression readings...

[Jimbob]

Hope it all works out for you 

[dippydave]

Bloody hell Dave - Markie and I (with TB taking the piss nearby) changed the HG (and probably manifold gasket) shortly before you had this car.

I'd have thought if it had overheated that badly - you'd know about it  :-?

Can you get the garage to confirm the exact compression readings and their reasons for diagnosis?

I wouldn't be so sure myself...

One thing that hasn't helped me know about overheating is the temp gauge didn't work for ages.  Discovered late on that it was only because the spade connector had come off! 
I think that, coupled with the fact i've only really done city driving means the engine hasn't worked very hard this year. The trip to London/Leicester last weekend was a slog on the motorways and I think it was the last straw. The wiring on the crank sensor was apparently all mangled up and may have thrown things off too? The pinhole on the top of the radiator plastic has leaked on and off ever since I had the car but I had thought I was keeping of top of repairing it & topping it up. obviously not well enough 

In all this I have kept telling myself, this shouldn't be happening to a car that was maintained/rebuilt by OOFers little more than a year ago. Maybe the law of Sod is against me!

I can ask about compression readings, but they did mention that when they stuck pressure down one cylinder, it came up the other, and that was with all valves closed. I'm really not aufait with these testing techniques. But I recognise a broken gasket when I see one! I think the exhaust gasket only went as the manifold had warped slightly due to the heat.... :-/

That all sounds very expensive Dave with a garage doing all that!!

I don't have the final bill yet, and yes it will tot up to a fair whack. Amazing how little somethings add up, I'll post me costs when it's all sorted 

They did mention about £150 labour for taking the head off, skimming, 'doing' the valves and reassembly.

It's a father & son team in a double garage in their yard at the back of their house so they have lots of time and a great willingness to attempt slow jobs. I think the costs go up if you're in a hurry! They're professional but sometimes in an old school quirky manner. Our family's been dealing with them for twenty years so it's a good relationship and they live less than 2 miles away 

They've even started to accommodate me getting cheap (TC) parts from Vx with them fitting them, or cleaning up jobs after I've got me hands dirty starting them! Like when I changed the wishbones and tierods and they did the pig of a rear bearing 

Don`t know about having your 'head orf'; it must be doing it in too!

Hope all`s soon well Dave and `not too expensive. :-/

Thanks for the wishes I think the trip to Newquay has helped me chill out over it, but yes stressing was very much on the menu. I think it came through some posts last Monday morning!

Anyway, I don't know the full costs as yet but overall I don't think it'll be too huge for consumables and a running repair to keep the gas beast going for another year.

Sorry James, but I think for now I'm keeping her! And yes I'll pass on any data I get 

TTFN.

[TheBoy]

Bloody hell Dave - Markie and I (with TB taking the piss nearby) changed the HG (and probably manifold gasket) shortly before you had this car.

I'd have thought if it had overheated that badly - you'd know about it  :-?

Can you get the garage to confirm the exact compression readings and their reasons for diagnosis?

I wouldn't be so sure myself...

Ah, I know that car, that was the one I towed from Thame one evening before the HG was replaced?

[JamesV6CDX]

Bloody hell Dave - Markie and I (with TB taking the piss nearby) changed the HG (and probably manifold gasket) shortly before you had this car.

I'd have thought if it had overheated that badly - you'd know about it  :-?

Can you get the garage to confirm the exact compression readings and their reasons for diagnosis?

I wouldn't be so sure myself...

Ah, I know that car, that was the one I towed from Thame one evening before the HG was replaced?

That's the kiddie - you were with us for the rebuild

Unfortunately, it's 10 years old and around 180kup IIRC, so while unfortunate, I guess things like pinholes in rads, loose spade connector etc are inevitable, although, if driven without a temp gauge, I guess the potential for overheating to a dangerous extent, with no warning, exists..

[JamesV6CDX]

they did mention that when they stuck pressure down one cylinder, it came up the other, and that was with all valves closed.

Did the remove the cams before the test then?  :-/

[dippydave]

they did mention that when they stuck pressure down one cylinder, it came up the other, and that was with all valves closed.

Did the remove the cams before the test then?  :-/

um i don't know. sorry.   :-/ i'll find out tomorrow - got a meeting with Harry Potter tonight!

I feel bad for wrecking the work you did last year 

[JamesV6CDX]

Mate don't feel bad, you have had a years use out of a cheap and cheerful car - that's great going, and once this job's done you'll probably have a lot more

[dippydave]

I hope so! As you said last year, it'll never be a show car but it is solid. And importantly has never let me down at any important stage. I don't class a holiday as that important when there were 8 of us, and many vehicle options. In fact going in a diesel focus probably worked out cheaper!

When I get it back there's a few cosmetic jobs to attend to (maybe even putting in cdx extras), the vacuum air control thingy under the skuttle to sort the vents out, and the LPG filter might need changing? I'm getting mixed info as to whether it's a date or mileage change item. It's been on over 12 months, but not done more than 6000 miles...  :-/ whatdya reckon?

[JamesV6CDX]

I hope so! As you said last year, it'll never be a show car but it is solid. And importantly has never let me down at any important stage. I don't class a holiday as that important when there were 8 of us, and many vehicle options. In fact going in a diesel focus probably worked out cheaper!

When I get it back there's a few cosmetic jobs to attend to (maybe even putting in cdx extras), the vacuum air control thingy under the skuttle to sort the vents out, and the LPG filter might need changing? I'm getting mixed info as to whether it's a date or mileage change item. It's been on over 12 months, but not done more than 6000 miles...  :-/ whatdya reckon?

LPG filter is probably good for another 4k

[dippydave]

HEADS BACK ON!! 

woopee!

Just over two weeks at the workshop but now it's all back together . MOT passed today as well so driving it lovely now  8-)

Extent of work was:
New Oil Pressure Switch supplied & fitted
New Crank Sensor fitted then removed and correct one supplied & fitted (photos to be on here soon to show difference!)
Exhaust Manifold removed, skimmed as it had warped, then fitted with new studs, nuts, and gaskets.
Compression and leak tests done due to misfire that then started!
Head Gasket failed so Cylinder Head removed, skimmed, painted and refitted with new gaskets. Thankfully no cracks!
All valves lapped in, one replaced as it was bent.
Compression test with cams off done, showed further problem with one cylinder so-
Some hydraulic lifters replaced, a stem seal or two
General clean up and overhaul of tappets/whole top end it seems!
Various additives, fluids etc
New (s/h) Radiator fitted

think that's it. 

including vat 

came to   

£650 

gonna make that motor earn it's keep now!

(specially as the MOT work/bits was separate and cost best part of £350  )