Head gasket

[coley8978]

Hi I have a Skoda fabia 1.4mpi aqw and it's had its head gasket done three times so far have just been told it might be liners  how can I tell if it is .what would I have to do to fix it .would it be cheaper to get a new engine .what engine would fit without any changes what would be best engine to fit .

[TMB]

What keeps happening to it?

 

 

[TMB]

Have a check to see if they've been fitting the proper Skoda uprated gasket. If it's the uprated one it will have red letters saying TEMAC on the front right-hand corner...

 

 

Edited 26 April, 2018 by TMB

[Torbo]

I had to adjust the cylinder height on my 1.4 Mpi-engine. I shimmed up under the cylinders so I get 0,10-0,15 mm higher than the engine block.

Like this in a Renault-engine. Picture 2 FAbia engine. picture 3. My Renault cylinder.  picture 4 new cylinders on my Fabia before honing..  One of the old one had crack. picture 5

 

 

 

Edited 26 April, 2018 by Torbo

[TMB]

I see Skippy the cat through the liner

[Torbo]

He is always around! He like cars: 

[TMB]

^ Aww, I love cats

[coley8978]

16 hours ago, TMB said:

Have a check to see if they've been fitting the proper Skoda uprated gasket. If it's the uprated one it will have red letters saying TEMAC on the front right-hand corner...

 

 

No it's not could that be it where can I get that type from ???? In Leeds 

[TMB]

Well I'm not saying that's what's causing the problem but a proper TEMAC gasket from Skoda should always be fitted.

 

The gasket is part number 047103383J

 

 

http://www.skodaparts.com/products

 

 

Edited 27 April, 2018 by TMB

[coley8978]

5 minutes ago, TMB said:

Well I'm not saying that's what's causing the problem but a proper TEMAC gasket from Skoda should always be fitted.

 

The gasket is part number 047103383J

 

 

http://www.skodaparts.com/products

 

 

Well all three were not think just cheap ones that they used .. after running for a while the system pressure rise so much do that steam comming out expansion bottle and water mixing with oil between number 3 and 2 I think 

[TMB]

Did you have the head skimmed?

[sepulchrave]

I cannot imagine that the garage didn't do the job properly, it is an incredibly simple job to get right.

 

I can only assume that the fault which caused the head gasket to blow still exists and has not been found. I had this situation once in the distant past on a VW KR 16 valve engine, it turned out to be caused by a cracked head casting, the crack would only open when the engine was hot. I replaced the head casting and the problem was solved.

 

Either you have a cracked head casting or a cracked cylinder liner or a cylinder liner has sunk or the liner seal has failed, there is no other way to explain this over pressurisation unless there is a major cooling system fault like a failed water pump or seized thermostat. I find it hard to believe that the garage has simply replaced the head gasket without finding out what caused it to blow in the first place, a head gasket is like a fuse, it blows when there is a fault somewhere else.

[TMB]

1 hour ago, sepulchrave said:

I cannot imagine that the garage didn't do the job properly, it is an incredibly simple job to get right.

 

 

 

Wow, your faith in garages has really gone up First blunder they made was not fitting a genuine gasket. That's not a good start.

[sepulchrave]

4 minutes ago, TMB said:

 

Wow, your faith in garages has really gone up First blunder they made was not fitting a genuine gasket. That's not a good start.

 

You're right inasmuch as I make an assumption of a very basic level of competence.

[coley8978]

On 27/04/2018 at 14:04, sepulchrave said:

 

You're right inasmuch as I make an assumption of a very basic level of competence.

That's great advise but what can I do now? Where in Leeds Yorkshire can I find someone who knows what he's doing .  Can I got another engine if so what would fit without any trouble 

[sepulchrave]

52 minutes ago, coley8978 said:

That's great advise but what can I do now? Where in Leeds Yorkshire can I find someone who knows what he's doing .  Can I got another engine if so what would fit without any trouble 

 

I think that's your best bet, stick with the garage you're using and get them to fit another engine, if you complain loudly enough they may do the labour for free if you supply the engine since they've messed up the diagnosis so badly.

[coley8978]

That's a last ditch .who or where can tell me what's wrong ..and is it cheaper to get a new engine or have my old one rebuilt 

[sepulchrave]

Just now, coley8978 said:

That's a last ditch .who or where can tell me what's wrong ..and is it cheaper to get a new engine or have my old one rebuilt 

 

These are questions we can't answer since we cannot know what's causing the head gasket to blow, it's probably cheaper to fit a guaranteed used engine than persist with yours.

[coley8978]

Ok that's good where can I get a good used engine .would the bottom half of the block be any good

[coley8978]

If I take the head off what am I looking for 

[coley8978]

If I replaced the head gasket would I need to have it skimmed or will it be ok 

[TMB]

The head should have been skimmed the first time. I've had loads of Skodas with these 8 valve engines and never had liner trouble.

[coley8978]

1 hour ago, TMB said:

The head should have been skimmed the first time. I've had loads of Skodas with these 8 valve engines and never had liner trouble.

So if you don't think it's the liners ..what do you think it could be 

[TMB]

I think it being the liners is a slimmer possibility than lack of skimming and a bad head gasket or a crack somewhere.

[LB123]

In my limited experience of this engine, my daughters 1.4MPI blew its head gasket. I carefully removed the head, stripped it and had it skimmed, checked the liner heights and orientation and they looked undisturbed. Put it back together, temac, correct procedures as per Haynes and it lasted a month before it blew again. She scrapped it. I don't know why it blew in the first place so whatever the cause I didn't fix it or just possibly it did further damage when it blew first time leading to the repeat performance. I know some have been fine on a simple replacement of gasket and gone on for ages with no further problems. Wasn't so in my case or it seems in yours. If I was in your situation now I would go for the secondhand engine after my experience. Probably cheaper too.

My original thread was in Jan 2016. No thread for the second time it went as she had lost faith in the car (and me) and scrapped it.

Edited 29 April, 2018 by LB123
Additional info added