Hi everybody,

The day before yesterday I was driving along the motorway in my X reg Fabia 1.4 8.v, when Loads of smoke white smoke started billowing out of the exhaust. I kept driving for a bit but there was a very funny noise coming from it. I then saw that there was white smoke coming from the bonnet as well so I pulled over and called the AA. The AA guy said that he thought the head gasket had blown and that I should not drive it. Seen as it was late at night on a Sunday evening before a bank holiday, I got the AA to tow the car back to my house.

I have now found a suitable mechanic who will take a look at it but I need to get the car to him. He is only half a mile from my house and the mechanic told me to just put some water in it and drive it there as it will not have enough time to overheat.

My question is:

1. If the head gasket has blown, will driving the car for 10 minutes damage it more and end up costing me more to repair?

2. Where do I put the water in the car? Does he just mean coolant or is there a separate place to fill in the water.

As you have probably guessed my knowledge of cars is not very good.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

I also have to say that the AA were absolutely excellent and I am really glad that I signed up with them. They are also going to pay the first £500 of the repair which is pretty good.

Since you've admitted not knowing anything... get your car towed there, just in case!

Mmm

it was a very common failure on the early cars

Majority of them was done under warranty and was so common IIRC they was placed in to a 5th year of warranty too

Sarah

My advice.......get it towed in

fill the expansion tank up and drive it..hardly gona overheat in half a mile.

Hi guys

I'm in a similar situation. Just before Christmas. :eek:

My head-gasket's gone (water leaking between the cylinders?) and needs some kind of re-tooling. (You can tell I know little about engines... )

What kind of price would it be to perform this operation generally?

I also need new bushes on the front suspension. :confused: I don't even know why there are dead bushes inside my wheel-arches. I'm in Ireland, so it's not like they don't get watered.

Many thanks.

The AA will pay the first £500 of the repair?

My Head Gaskets gone looking at £350 + for either an engine swap or HG repair.

The 1.4 8v engine is a modified Skoda 1.3 out of the Felicia

so if the AA will pay for the first £500 its more or less covered.

I had to limp mine home with a borked HG. As I was close to home, just limped it there instead of getting it towed and examined the damage in the morning.

But mines terminal.