Head gasket

[stu40]

Hi folks need help got to change my daughters head gasket on her corsa got the mayos on oil cap and dip stick . What I need to now is can I put a engine flush through it to clean it out put clean oil in it .

[RobClubley]

Moved to General forum

[Guest]

The mayo may just be due to short journeys and short shifting driving style with typical female high heater setting, the engine never gets hot enough for long enough to drive off internal moisture.

[Toxicvrs]

If it's a corsa 1.2 or a small engined corsa it is not a head gasket been through this on my mums! Top right of engine there's 2 pipes coming off rocker cover one fat that goes up to top air box one thin that drops below pull em off (thin one only comes off at rocker cover end without doing too much) and check if a yellow gunk inside if so clean them out then clean oil cap! Now it's your choice to remove rocker cover and clean or not but IMO just give it a good Italian tune up on a nearby motorway as this is usually condensation as a result of many short journeys!

[KenONeill]

Having a "calibrated wallet", I'd do a combustion gas test before taking any of this advice. It's probably right, but if it's wrong the Italian tuneup will warp the cylinder head.

[BrownBarge]

Vauxhalls are well known to get mayo if not driven great distances

[Ootohere]

As to the engine flush if its to get H20/Condensation out of an engine, 

i like to use Old/Used but good oil i have drained previously from another engine or just a cheap 5 litre of oil from a factors.

(only put the correct quantity in the engine.)

 

Get the Bad Oil warm, Drain & Change the oil filter,  put in the Cheap Oil, get it all up to temperature,

Drain & Dispose of it.

Fitting another new oil filter depends on the circumstances. But is going to be worth the money,

unless it is a scrapper you are dealing with.

 

But that not to 'Fix' and engine, just how i flush.

[stu40]

sorry meant to mention that it is going through a lot of anti frezze  daughter has to fill it up every day

 

cheers

 

stuart

[Toxicvrs]

Ohh now that does sound like it!

[giandougl]

Suggest give the car a good run, I don't mean flat-out, nice gentle drive with a good few rev's, for 50-60 miles.

Keep an eye on water-temperature gauge for climbing excessively.

Then come back and do all the things you intend to do, oil flush,change and new oil filter.

Clean tappet cover, inside rubber breather pipes etc etc.

[stu40]

It's got a new radiator ,water pump and thermostat all the sign say head gasket don't want to hydro lock it as it is a low mileage engine

[cheezemonkhai]

If it's losing coolant it sounds like you are right first off.

Get a £5 single use test kit and test the coolant to see if there are combustion gases in the coolant.

If yes it's a head gasket most likely, if no check the pipes, water pump and stat areas for leaks. Also on old fiesta engines a blocked breather could cause these issues, but not usually with coolant use.

I'd be looking at at the coolant test kit first as it will be £5 well spent.

[stu40]

Where can I get the kit from

cheers

[cheezemonkhai]

A local motor factor or if you have a local garage they'll probably charge £25ish to do it.

[stu40]

Ok cheers for that

Stuart

[Soot1e]

I think it' s time to get out yer socket set Stuart.

[Maieth]

I'd not read about the coolant tests before. That's worht knowing. I agre with an earlier post as well though - running a compression test will give you a clear idea if the head gasket has blown. I'm not familiar with the bauxhall engines, but this should be relatively easy to carry out yourself if you can borrow a guage from someone, or should be a very cheap job from a garage.

[cheezemonkhai]

The coolant tests are easier and cheaper though, as they basically react to CO in the coolant. Combustion gases should never get into the coolant, so if they do, your HG or another part that prevents coolant/combustion mixing is gone.

[Maieth]

The coolant tests are easier and cheaper though, as they basically react to CO in the coolant. Combustion gases should never get into the coolant, so if they do, your HG or another part that prevents coolant/combustion mixing is gone.

 

Agreed. Perhaps my advice would be better as  - get a compression test done if the coolant test proves there is contamination. That way you can quickly eliminate or isolate the problem to the HG or cylinders.

[cheezemonkhai]

Agreed. Perhaps my advice would be better as  - get a compression test done if the coolant test proves there is contamination. That way you can quickly eliminate or isolate the problem to the HG or cylinders.

Yeah, I agree. No point going all out on compression test and no point in replacing a head gasket if it's an oil cooler etc.

[stu40]

Garage down the road from me charges £25.00 to do a sniff test you can buy a kit but seen it priced at about £34.00 but it is still going through anti frezzes

Stuart

[cheezemonkhai]

If the kits are that expensive these days it sounds like the garage then.

[stu40]

Just a update on the cylinder head got it off gave it clean and there was some pitting on it so toke it to get skimmed to much welding needed on it so the guy offered me another one for £40 bucks will put up some pictures later

Cheers

Stuart