Just a quick question, want some opinions / advice. My band owns a big E-reg ex-bloodmobile/ambulance transit van, its a Trasnit 190 with a big hi-top coachbuild back with the old 2litre petrol pinto.

It always used to leak coolant and a couple years ago I had to have the head gasket done. However it was parked up for a month without moving recently and had lost about half a litre out of the coolant tank. Can't see any obvious leaks, is it possible that it is the gasket again or just a simple leak somewhere? The engine seems to run fine and holds the coolant level OK after a run out.

Best to pressure test the system to check for any water leaks, also check to see if there is any water in the oil.

could be anything, as was said above best get the system pressure tested

water pump, core plugs, thermostat housing, rad, heater matrix, etc

Best to pressure test the system to check for any water leaks, also check to see if there is any water in the oil.

Call me stupid but what are the signs? The oil in dipstick is very high but looks ok. Is this the mayonaissey filler cap diagnosis trick?

Call me stupid but what are the signs? The oil in dipstick is very high but looks ok. Is this the mayonaissey filler cap diagnosis trick?

Yes, mayonaise is one sign. Dipstick level going up, muck, sludge and oil in the cooling system header tank is another.

you could also have mayo in the oil breather cap due to the engine not getting up to temperature or doing short journeys, so its not always a definite sign of head gasket failure

If the head gasket fails, what are the symptoms in terms of the engine's performance?

I only discovered the gasket had gone before after the cambelt snapped and found I had really low compression. It had been running like crap but I thought it was just the ignition timing and stuff. In fact i think we drove to scotland and back on an essentialy bad gasket?! :eek: I hope its not that, I doubt we can afford to do that again.

Loss of power, temp gauge going off the clock and starting again at the "S" in "Smith's Industries", clouds of steam...

If water has go into the sump then the oil will float on top, so you will only see a rise in the oil level. When my brother in laws Astra was loosing water the garage added something to the coolant in the expansion tank which changed colour if the head gasket was leaking. I've no idea what this was, but I guess it detected carbon monoxide in the water.

If the head gasket fails, what are the symptoms in terms of the engine's performance?

I only discovered the gasket had gone before after the cambelt snapped and found I had really low compression. It had been running like crap but I thought it was just the ignition timing and stuff. In fact i think we drove to scotland and back on an essentialy bad gasket?! :eek: I hope its not that, I doubt we can afford to do that again.

it would have had low compression due the valves being bent when the cam belt failed, nothing to do with the head gasket, its just that the head will have needed to be taken off to replace the bent valves

you really need to get the coolant system pressure tested, before worrying about the worst case scenarios that are being quoted on here

it would have had low compression due the valves being bent when the cam belt failed, nothing to do with the head gasket, its just that the head will have needed to be taken off to replace the bent valves

you really need to get the coolant system pressure tested, before worrying about the worst case scenarios that are being quoted on here

Actually the valves don't get damaged when cambelt goes on the pinto, as I understand its one of the few engines where cambelt failure isn't a massive issue

Actually the valves don't get damaged when cambelt goes on the pinto, as I understand its one of the few engines where cambelt failure isn't a massive issue

correct, the piston alignment is unusual on them that means the belt snapping doiesnt cause major damage as long as you stop the engine straght off and dont try turning it over. such a clever idea that i'm surprised nobody else followed,the Pinto is a lovely engine to work on, nice simple yet good quality engines.

The cylinder heads can crack on the 2 litre.