Just when I sell my A4 and decide to run the Felly for a bit, I find that the head gasket is leaking coolant to atmosphere :(

So, what do I need to replace it. I'm assuming just new head bolts and a gasket ? Anything else ?

Anyone got any tips for doing the job ?

It' a 98 1.3 Mpi by the way

You may as well do the timing belt while you're at it, seeing as you will have done half the job already...

Same for the waterpump, too....

Don't forget the gaskets for the manifolds

top end set, you need inlet and exhaust gaskets as well

oh bo**ocks!

Think you just need head bolts.

You got a Haynes?

I could give you a hand if you want... will give me some practice doing it for when mine goes at some point!

Phil

Ah yeh... have done the inlet/exhaust gaskets before and that was a pain the a**!

Phil

Cheers guys, No need for belt change as it's chain driven.

So my list so far is;

Bolts, head, inlet and exhaust gaskets.

Phil... Looking to do it on Sat if i can. Hope fully I can get my father over from bradford as he's changed more gaskets over the years than I've had hot dinners. So if your around your more than welcome to pop down.

We're viewing houses on Sat but should be done by about 2ish

Don;t know if you will still be at it or starting fairly late by then but if you are PM me your whereabouts and I will pop down no probs.

Phil

No problem, just pm'd you Phil.

I've manage to order a top end set from my local motor factors, and Jorily are just checking if they have the head bolts in stock... so fingers crossed I'll have it fixed on Sat.

Jorliy don't have a full set of bolts..... but turns out there not stretch bolts, so I can get away with re-using them.

make sure you have a decent scraper handy , getting the old gasket off is the worst bit i think.

and something to catch the water in, may as well replace the anti freeze as your heading towards the "cold rain " part of the year , used to be known as winter , when i was a kid, now its just warm rain and cold rain

Thought they were stretch bolts on these engines?

Obviously not :confused:

Phil

I'm going to double check on the bolt front...

edit... just phone'd Skoda, yup defo not stretch on the 1.3 Mpi

make sure you have a decent scraper handy , getting the old gasket off is the worst bit i think.

and something to catch the water in, may as well replace the anti freeze as your heading towards the "cold rain " part of the year , used to be known as winter , when i was a kid, now its just warm rain and cold rain

Got the G12+ line'd up and waiting

Some conflicting info here:

http://briskoda.net/favorit-felicia-fun-forman/1-3-head-bolts-re-useable/142541/

You got a torque wrench btw?

Yeah I think it'sa case of the internet bandwagon regarding the bolts. Jorily, Skoda and York Motor factors all say there NOT stretch on the 135 Mpi

Torque wrench ? Yeah I bloody big one as long as my lower arm.

I'd go along with that then!

Don't think it will be long before mine goes... I've just got a feeling...

Phil

Well the top end kit from York Factors is £29.19 all in. And if all goes well with my change, we can look at sorting your's another weekend.

Have a straight edge for checking head warp Danny

All the best

Should have it all done and dusted within the day mate

Cheers Len , I'm loosing a 1/4 tank of coolant every 100 miles, no oil in coolant or gunk in filler cap, so I'm hopeful thats it's just the outside edge thats gone rather than an internal section. Will get metal ruler ready to check though.

I'm now going to be cycling the 16 miles too work for two days now. Oh well, more training for the Great North Run.

I would almost definitely get the head skimmed. And Danny, don't you trust me when I said they weren't stretch bolts ?;) I personally have been involved with Skoda's for 20 years and were dealer trained. By the way our Head Gasket Sets (Original) are £23-99 delivered.

Cheers Graham, just wanted to double double check, as you've seen other's seem to think other wise.

Wish I'd phoned you first on the gasket set though. I'd all ready ordered and paid for the other kit, when I phoned about the bolts.

If i had the time and a spare car I'd get the head skimmed as a matter of course, but if it's not needed when I strip it down on Sat then I'll leave it. If it does need it, then I'll let my Dad take it back with him to work (he's an engineer) and I'll hire a cheapo hire car until I can get the head back from Bradford.

Don't know about these engines in particular, but if it's a chain driven cam, then it may be worth changing guides and tensioner...If it's a simplex (single row) chain, worth changing that, too...

Engine has done 76K miles, and only needs to last me till the new year, so just going to concentrate on the head gasket for now. Although this may change depending on what I find on Saturday