Few problems

[JayJayMK1]

Right i got my car a few months ago ready for when i pass my test, it hadnt been drivin by me but has a full service history, fresh MOT and was delivered to me from a garage about ten miles away and i checked it when i first got it just after a good run, i recently got round to sorting bits out on it and the fan doesn't seem to wanna come on, checked the fuses and the fan and seems fine so i checked the coolant bottle,

to find it was almost dry and was a mingin brown color, so i went to the garage and filled it with water and coolant started it up and about five minutes later good old white smoke came out when i revved it,:S the coolant bottle level seemed the same after about ten minutes running but still no fan, i dont wanna admit its the head gasket but its all i can think of, any thorts would be great , cheers!! Oh n also theres no rattling or clunking and how easy is it to sort it out if thats whats wrong, cheers again

 

[Jamesstone]

What engine is it? if its the 1.2 8v d7f then providning you have a hanynes manual & fairly good under the bonnet then a head gaskets not a too bad, mine went & in total it cost me £90 & that was for re-skimmed head, head gasket, head bolts & thermostat, so over all not to bad, although i wouldnt be impressed if i had just bought the car, go back to the garage!

 

[Sash]

Either ohone the garage back and tell them.
It sounds notoriously like the fan motor is broken, whihc has then been driven, got hot and cooked the gasket.

 

[Jamesstone]

Also check under the oil filler cap, if there is white gunk there it aint gonna be pretty :dapprove:

 

[JayJayMK1]

I wired the fan up seperatly and it worked but not tested the thermostat and yep theres gunk under the cap, does it sound like the head itself or just the gasket like i said theres no clunking or rattles so i think i caught it early, got the car in january second hand n all just from a garage, and its a 1.2 mk1 versailles its the engine that has the 3 hole airbox,! thanks

 

[Sash]

Most def the head gasket and you may get away with just the gasket but you may well find its warped or cracked the head and will need skimming.

 

[JayJayMK1]

Oh n this is the engine, duno if it helps:

 

[MikeB]

fill the coolant bottle up to the brim with water and leave the cap off and start the car and leave running for some time and if you see bubbles coming up the coolant tank then you know its definatley a head gasket then.

 

[JayJayMK1]

Ill just try that now cheers mate, n thanks for the quick responses!

 

[MikeB]

no probz

 

[Jamesstone]

If the white gunks there you can be pretty sure its gone i'm affraid, my old 1.2 still started with the head gasket gone, when you say you flaw it & you see what looks like smoke you are probarbly seeing condensation, water from the leaking head being drawn into one of the cylinders, best route is to get the garage to sort it but if that fails & you do it your self your better off skimmin the head as the last thing you want to do is take it all apart, install new gasket, start it to find it still leaks so that you could have saved £30 to get the head skimmed

 

[JayJayMK1]

are we talking lots of bubbles or one every once in a while?

 

[MikeB]

yeah they can be every once in a while how long did you leave it running for?

 

[MikeB]

they sometimes come up and are quite big then they settle down for a few minutes

 

[JayJayMK1]

left it twenty mins and they're wer about 2 big bubbles and no loss in coolant, but the coolant looks like s**t literally lol is it just worth skimming the head and putting on a new gasket before any thing else gets wrecked or is it worth new valves and springs as well? you'd never guess i was a mechanic lol obviusley missed the head gasket lesson !

 

[MikeB]

hmm.. not really sure then tbh. i dont think you are going to need change valves and springs just new headgasket and get the old head skimmed should be ok.

 

[JayJayMK1]

Cheers for all you help mate ill do that!

 

[MikeB]

np mate hope you

 

[MikeB]

np mate hope you get it sorted