Over the last few weeks the Coolant Temperature/Level Warning Light has been staying on. I've decided to replace the expansion tank but thought I'd check the old one first. When I removed the cap there was what looks like the start of the dreaded 'mayo' stuff.

 

Looking into the expansion tank from the top all looks pretty murky, but from the outside the fluid looks quite bright.

I've posted a few pics below. Can anyone tell me if this is the beginning of a big problem, or nothing to worry about? Obviously I don't want to buy a new tank and fluid etc. if there is a bigger problem building up.

Any advice / help appreciated

 

 

 

 

  I know, not that much there really.

 

 

 

Here's one of the engine through where you top off with oil. That seems clean enough. Checked the dipstick too, that just had dark oil on it with no white creamy stuff.

 

 

If you've got mayo in the expansion bottle, it's time to start getting worried. I strongly recommend getting a coolant gas test since it suggests head gasket failure.

 

Mayo in the cam cover is usually a sign of the engine not getting warmed up very often.

Or, as it was in my case, it is the Oil Cooler.

 

DB.

Or, as it was in my case, it is the Oil Cooler.

 

DB.

An oil cooler on a cooking 1.4 petrol?

Okay, Okay, I stand corrected.

 

DB

The top half of coolant bottle looks to have a film of oil all over it, its got a dark tint to it.

As above get some tests done before buying a new bottle. :(

I have the exact same model & year as you and my head gasket let go last September, I didn't have any mayo in my expansion tank (infact it looked fine) but there was on the oil filler cap. But yeah, any water/oil mix is not a good sign. Apparently the early models of our engine had a flawed head gasket design that was quickly changed and supposed to be re-done, but mine never got the new one fitted back then. It finally failed last year after 80,000 miles so it didn't do too bad. If yours doesn't have TEMAC written on the bottom right hand side bit of gasket that pops out underneath the cylinder head, then you may also still have the flawed original gasket and may well be in trouble with it

 

On the plus side, I managed to do the job myself with a total cost of about £120 in cylinder head resurfacing, and new genuine gasket and head bolts and a torque angle gauge, and only took about 8 hours all in (first head gasket job)

I have the exact same model & year as you and my head gasket let go last September, I didn't have any mayo in my expansion tank (infact it looked fine) but there was on the oil filler cap. But yeah, any water/oil mix is not a good sign. Apparently the early models of our engine had a flawed head gasket design that was quickly changed and supposed to be re-done, but mine never got the new one fitted back then. It finally failed last year after 80,000 miles so it didn't do too bad. If yours doesn't have TEMAC written on the bottom right hand side bit of gasket that pops out underneath the cylinder head, then you may also still have the flawed original gasket and may well be in trouble with it

 

On the plus side, I managed to do the job myself with a total cost of about £120 in cylinder head resurfacing, and new genuine gasket and head bolts and a torque angle gauge, and only took about 8 hours all in (first head gasket job)

 

 

Mines just passed 88,000 miles.

 

I'll have it looked at to see if there is a head gasket problem. If it turns out there is, then I may well just call time on the car. I don't want to be throwing good money after bad so to speak. I've had it for about three and a half years and seem to be constantly spending to keep it on the road. Being 15yrs old, other problems are going to start to pop up like suspension items, clutch, ball-joints etc. So it may be time for something a bit newer.

 

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated