Does this sound like headgasket blown?? :S

[sambo_clio_rsi]

Hello all, i was told that my clio's head gasket is on its way out..

I first realised something was wrong when the water in the pump kept on gettin very low and steaming out through my bonnet.

I went to a friends garage and him and some1 else had a look, pressure tested it and said its not as bad as it could be (2 of the 5 floated to the top) and noticed that water was spraying out the back of the engine on the right hand side....im a little confused now :S

Any ideas on what it could be? I was quoted £200 - £350 to fix?

Cheers, Sam

 

[john1.2pearl]

Tbh fella the steam from the bonnet sounds like you thermostat could be stuck causing the engine to overheat

 

[Mark One]

^^ I've had 3 thermostats fail on me in a 205 and 2 clios. All of them stuck open, meaning the car overcooled. It may be worth changing the thermostat as it's a 15 min job if you have the right torx bits, just make sure you buy one with a gasket, they are only cheap.

have you got a coolant leak? are you loosing water and having to top up?
HG normally gives white smoke out the exhaust especially when they are really gone. Another sign is oil in your coolant (floats on top)

sorry about this bold, it won't actually turn off!

 

[Mcrae's love child]

Go to your local MOT test centre and ask them to put the exhaust probe in the header tank and check for hydrocarbons. If so head gasket gone.

 

[sambo_clio_rsi]

There is proof that water is sprayin out, its ORANGE coloured too?? all over the back of engine, ill got get a pic now if i can

 

[john1.2pearl]

^^ I've had 3 thermostats fail on me in a 205 and 2 clios. All of them stuck open, meaning the car overcooled. It may be worth changing the thermostat as it's a 15 min job if you have the right torx bits, just make sure you buy one with a gasket, they are only cheap.
/quote]

The vast majority of thermostat failure ive had is also with them sticking open although its not uncommon for them to be stuck shut.

 

[sambo_clio_rsi]

^^ I've had 3 thermostats fail on me in a 205 and 2 clios. All of them stuck open, meaning the car overcooled. It may be worth changing the thermostat as it's a 15 min job if you have the right torx bits, just make sure you buy one with a gasket, they are only cheap.

have you got a coolant leak? are you loosing water and having to top up?
HG normally gives white smoke out the exhaust especially when they are really gone. Another sign is oil in your coolant (floats on top)

sorry about this bold, it won't actually turn off!

Yes, im loosing water and having to top up, no white smoke out back, the water tank smells oily, ill go get a pic. oh and there is oil leakin too... but ill get pics now n post them

 

[sambo_clio_rsi]

PICS...

water drained after 10-15 mins of driving sensibly -

back of engine -

side view of orange water-

under oil cap -

downpipe -

 

[ditz]

its just got a water leak,, lack of water will cause it to overheat and spit whats left out of whereever it can

just get the leak diagnosed fix it run it up then see how it is

 

[sambo_clio_rsi]

its just got a water leak,, lack of water will cause it to overheat and spit whats left out of whereever it can

just get the leak diagnosed fix it run it up then see how it is

Whats wat i bloody said to the blokes but no they wudnt agree one bit! I dont want to sell my clio i lurv it too much. Will get it looked at mid week cheers

 

[sambo_clio_rsi]

its just got a water leak,, lack of water will cause it to overheat and spit whats left out of whereever it can

just get the leak diagnosed fix it run it up then see how it is

U seem to be right, defenatly a water leak so now i need to get a few pipes off and have a look then get that fixed, then pressure test it. I mentioned that it had been pressure tested but it wasnt it was an antifreeze test :S

Will have a look later