it will be fine.

the head gasket isnt too difficult.

AS long as you know what your doing, have a haynes manual or ask your dad to help.

Do an oil and filter change.

also do a coolant change.

it would be worth getting the head skimmed, this would probably be about £50.

If you do need to drive it take water and oil with you. just in case. Take it easy though.

OK, that photo makes it clearer about the 'bright brown oil' bit and yes, it does look like head gasket trouble. In which case, after you've done the gasket, be sure to drain the oil and give the engine a run with flushing oil (just go to any car parts shop, buy a bottle of flushing oil - 2.5l is just enough for that engine - and follow the instructions on the bottle). Then refill with a good oil - 10W-40 semi-synthetic is fine. You could even give it 10W-40 diesel oil, which has more detergents in it and will carry on where the flushing oil left off, scouring water out of the bearings. Oh, and be sure to change the oil filter too - in fact I'd change it before putting flushing oil in, and about 500 miles after refilling with normal oil.

just thought i would let you guys know iv been to see my dad and he said if i buy the parts he will do it for me without charging me labour:D assuming its not cracked or anything:D . that will be done within the next couple weeks (so im not going to be driving for a while:()

thats good to hear mate, i was just about to come along and say that there is still a perfectly good 1.3 mpi for sale in south wales if it was looking too costly to get yours fixed!

hey hey people, i took my lil pookems down to my dad on sat and he started doin his work he told me if i dont hear from him then it will be ok an its now monday and aint heard a peep from him so looks like pooky going to be a ok:D should hopefully have him back by the weekend

Glad Pooky is going to be fixed!!!

Get some piccies of his return!!

Glad Pooky is going to be fixed!!!

Get some piccies of his return!!

will do not like i put enough up of him anyway:rolleyes:

sounds mint:D hey i havent seen many pics of you car up? :(

I'll give it a good wash soon and post some. Now the rains have gone.

I'll give it a good wash soon and post some. Now the rains have gone.

will do cheers mate

So is pooky sorted?

I found that the alternator was more of a bitch than the head/gasket/exhaust....

So is pooky sorted?

I found that the alternator was more of a bitch than the head/gasket/exhaust....

yh should be all fixed this weekend need to get hold of my dad:D

HEY! they removed our comments bout custard :(

I've also got a creamy, slimy deposit on the underside of my oil filler cap, my local garage (Clarion Cars of Worthing) has looked at it, and said it's just short journeys. The oil on the dipstick is fine, and the water level in the header tank is not changing.