Took my vRS to the garage and they've told me my head gasket has blown. I'm very pee'd off to say the least as I took it to them a couple of weeks back and was told it was the pressure cap that wasn't locking properly so they changed that to no joy funnily enough. Now they're saying that they're not sure whether it'll be done under warranty because they're not sure whether it's down to engine modifications or manufacture defect. All it's got is a blueflame exhaust and eibach suspension, hardly gonna blow a head gasket. What is my best course of action with this? I'm fuming I need some advise.

Oh yeah the car has just covered under 26k miles.

Cheers

if you're exhaust and suspension are ce marked then they will have been tested for use on that vehical and this shoudn't affect the warranty.

i've never heard of a head gasket going on a PD130 , someone will come along in a minute saying they always go , anyway what symptoms do you have ? over heating ? whats the temp guage showing ? bubbling up in the coolant reservoir ? you could have a sticking thermostat or the water pump impeller may be faulty , i would get the dealer to check all other coolant related items before allowing them to remove the head ,especially if they want you to pay even though its in warranty

Did you happen to take it to a dealer in the bucks area?

Had a call on this today and they were under the impression it has been remapped IIRC. So that needs to be sorted at first.

I've also never heard of a headgasket failure on a 130 PD but there is allways a first.

Sounds like they changed the cap as a cheap measure. Best to do these first, and if the cap wasnt locking and it overheated maybe that has caused the headgasket failure. Personally I think myself at the first inspection I would have disregarded a head gasket as there arent exactly common.

Sometimes you cant diagnose things first time. Its the way of the world.

Yeah It was that garage, and I know that was their impression because they asked me and we had an interesting discussion about how some people do crazy things to their car. Anyway I told them everything I have had done and they said the head gasket was their first thought. Simply put they are not that wise as I've had it independantly checked also by my service people and they tell me the water bottle is cracked as the water is leaking and spraying all around the bottle. I told them this but they're sure it's the head gasket. To be honest I don't think I'll be going back and will take it somewhere who knows what they're doing. As for making me pay, I don't think so. I've just picked it up and would you believe it there is fresh water under the bottle, even a simpleton like me (in car maintenance anyway) could see the bottle is the problem. Also as yet no white smoking, overheating or creamy oil, which I thought would lead them to the conclusion of the head gasket. I think they've gone down hill since their best technician went but oh well.

What would your first thoughts have been if the car was brought to you Lummox?

They will be phoning Skoda UK tomorrow to find out what they should do apparently and are going to let me know what they say.

Cheers

As it's only done 26k miles surely the head gasket can't be gone, since being on these forums I've never seen it. Interesting to find out the conclusion though. Has the oil gone creamy as I had a Renault 19 which had a blown head gasket and it was puffing white smoke and had creamy oil. Also cost me just over £400 to get fixed but it had done 110k miles.

I doubt the exhaust will be CE marked but the Eibach stuff will be TUV approved.

Did you happen to take it to a dealer in the bucks area?

Had a call on this today and they were under the impression it has been remapped IIRC. So that needs to be sorted at first.

I've also never heard of a headgasket failure on a 130 PD but there is allways a first.

Sounds like they changed the cap as a cheap measure. Best to do these first' date=' and if the cap wasnt locking and it overheated maybe that has caused the headgasket failure. Personally I think myself at the first inspection I would have disregarded a head gasket as there arent exactly common.

Sometimes you cant diagnose things first time. Its the way of the world.[/quote']

Yes that would be the garage and we did have a discussion about the cars mods. But I told them everything that had been done (suspension and exhaust) and they said they must check with Skoda UK first as they now have tight regulations on work carried out on any car that has ANY modifications. It's crazy when neither of the 2 mods done directly impact something of this nature. I've spoke with many people and they have looked and said it's the actual bottle itself that's clearly leaking. I told them this and that I've had it checked by the guys who carry out my servicing and they back up my thoughts as their is water all around the bottle and fresh water under it since I picked it up at 6. The car has never overheated once, never going over 90 I think (the middle mark) even when driven on long or brisk journeys. What would you have checked if it'd been brought to you? Everything is else is fine apart from pink splatter covering everything around the water bottle which I'm sure hasn't done any harm, but make a mess.

Cheers

It does sound like a bottle but then I havent looked at it.

They are playing safe and I cant blame them, as ive said before a dealer will have no problem doing warranty jobs as long as they are going to get paid by Skoda.

If the system is over pressurising though it will force the water out of the overflow of the header tank and it will collect on the chassis leg.

Is there a particular reason it would over pressurise? Sorry for all the questions but I can't really do with them taking the car in for 2 or 3 days unnecessarily as I need it for work.

Cheers

Was coolant leaking the reason you took the car in in the first place? If its being going on a while have you any mayo on the oil cap, frothing on the dipstick or emulsifieng gunk in the header tank? If not then maybe try changing bottle and see if the problem is cured, had the bottle go a couple of times on a favorit, and the symptoms were pink crusty stuff over and under bottle, HG also went but a lot later, and this showed as gunk in bottle (yellow skin on water) HTH

Is there a particular reason it would over pressurise? Sorry for all the questions but I can't really do with them taking the car in for 2 or 3 days unnecessarily as I need it for work.

Cheers

If the head gasket has gone yes it will.

Cant they give you a car while the car is in?

Yeah the reason I took it in was because the coolant leak, I've been filling up every few days. It was fine up to about 20k then when I checked it I noticed it was low so topped up and then after an hour drive up the motorway it had all gone so contacted the garage when I had the chance. But coz of work haven't been able to get it in till now. I've checked the oil and the tank and their is no creamy oil or gunk. They obviously didn't have a proper look as it took the other garage 2 mins to say the bottle was the problem and rule out HG.

Cheers

They said I can't have a car because I'm not 25 and there's no way around it. I'm going away for 2 weeks so have asked them to try book it in while I'm away so it will hopefully be done then so I don't have to worry about getting around.

They obviously didn't have a proper look as it took the other garage 2 mins to say the bottle was the problem and rule out HG.

That hasnt been proven yet has it?

A block test would be usefull.

Stupid question but have they pressure tested the system when the car is hot? had a cavalier that used to loose a full resevoir in a a hours drive but only in summer? Turned out to be a pin hole in one of the hoses under the O clip

No I know it hasn't but I trust the guys that had a look, and I'm sure when it's looked at again they'll make the same judgement or they'll go ahead with what they think and possibly waste their time. It's the same with a lot of places they generally look at the big things first then look for the little things after. The old guy I spoke to the first time I went in seemed to know what he was on about as he was the one who looked at it and came and explained what he thought. But that was only half hour on a saturday morning though so he wouldn't have had a proper look. I'll just have to wait till tomorrow and see what they say.

Cheers

Stupid question but have they pressure tested the system when the car is hot? had a cavalier that used to loose a full resevoir in a a hours drive but only in summer? Turned out to be a pin hole in one of the hoses under the O clip

They never really told me what they had checked, it was just someone who worked in the service department passing on what the techs told him, which didn't seem to be much.

To be honest if its being done under warranty why are you concerned if they miss diagnose it? If it turns out you have to pay for it then spend the £12 or whatever it is for a bottle, stick it on yourself and prove them wrong.

I know I just don't see the point in wasting time when they don't have to but it's their time and as long as I'm not paying I'm happy.

Not offering you a courtesy car because you're not 25 is poor (unless it's in their insurance policy), I've never had any trouble getting a courtesy car over the years and I only turned 25 this year. Ask if they'll pay for the cost of you hiring a replacement vehicle, they might change their minds then!

I must say my local dealer has been great with courtesy cars, everytime I've needed one I've got one without any hassle.

No under 25's is part of thier insurance policy sadly.

No under 25's is part of thier insurance policy sadly.

Unless you are fortunate enough to be covered by a policy which insures you fully comp on any vehicle!

“No under 25's is part of their insurance policy sadly.”

I don’t see how this is your problem! there is a fault with your car being covered by warranty. i would kick up a stink! Why should you have to be messed around because of their insurance?

i've seen this on a pd engine, but only on the 3cly version in a lupo, it wasn't actually the head gasket that was blown, there was a small hairline crack between the valve seats and the combustion gases were blowing up through to the water jacket which cools the valve guides and this pressurized the cooling system.