Head Gasket maybe gone!!

When I'm at lights the car has started smoking whitish smoke. and when I pull away there is a puff of smoke left behind. It isn't all the time but it is noticeable over last couple of days. I checked the water level and that was down as well.

I'm being advised prob head gasket and its getting a compression and dyno test l;ater this week.

The garage I am going to has quoted £700 ish plus vat all in. Does this sound reasonable as I wouldn't have a clue how big the job is.

The same garage also did a rebuild in April last year 12000 miles ago. I'll type whats on statement and I wonder shouldn't the head gasket have been replaced then. The guy in garage said they did the bottom end and that this is the top half of the engine.

Remove engine and strip ( crankshaft worn) Supply and fit new crankshaft, con rod, and bearings, hone bores and re ring pistons reset shim tappets to cylinder head. Reassemble engine inc replace gaskets seals and timing belt and refit engine

Anyhow I'm well cheesed off and I'm going to sulk and cry into my cup of tea

surely they must have had the head off to hone the bores?

They should have done the head gasket yes

Dont let them dyno the car with a suspected head gasket gone!

iirc, sniffer test, leakdown and whilst at it, cos its simple, compression test, but iirc, that wont neccasarily show up BHG.

This was exactly what mine was doing - nothing on the move but only at idle etc. Sadly, its piston rings or worn bores. If you want my full woeful tale its available in hardback soon!

Choices for remedy are few but consist of slightly larger pistons and rings with slight overbore or 2nd hand / new short motor. Neither will be cheap - lots of labour involved. Mines down at Interpro being sorted as we speak! Other gurus might have other options but as far as I've been told over the 5 months mine's been off the road, this is about it!

Unless its the headgasket - I'd sooner have that problem than the others!!!

The head must be off to do a bottom end rebuild. The fact that they reshimmed the tappets means that the head was taken apart.

Warranty??????

they would have removed the head to hone the bores (preferably with the block 'plated' to hold it rigid under tension) so a new head gasket should of been fitted

(preferably with the block 'plated' to hold it rigid under tension)

Ahhh Jedi....decking plate you speak of

Its actually blue smoke according to my mate.

The garage were a load of f****kers. quoted me £2000 and said it was head gasket and re bore without even checking properly. I'm avoiding them

anyhow my mate checked and water not gone down one bit since filled three days ago. It doesn't bubble and pipes nice and squeezy which I bel;ieve indicates not too much pressure in there. He followed me and said blue smoke comes out when I put foot down to move away and when I pull up and he believes its turbo related.... hope so. any ideas what the cost of a relacement turbo is

The second turbo was replaced about a year ago and the smoke comes a soon as take so I preume this would be the first turbo?

or stem seals it would smoke all the time if the oil seals in the first turbo where leaking

any head gasket that is on the way out should show water in the oil and vice verser your water will be brown and the oil filler cap will have a sludge on it .maybe they put the old one[ h/g ]back on or didnt tourqe it down enough.

Not necessarilly Dave, it depends where it's gone. If it's split from a water run to a cylinder, for example, then you wouldn't get any oil/water mix.

As has been said. Sniffer test, compression, and leak-down. If none of those show up then start looking at the turbo's.

i stand corrected then