Head Gasket? :(

[malagadci]

Just come home from work an my engine started to rattle when im changin gear on the dci, opened the bonnet an theres a slight layer of black s**t in the engine coolant and it stinks like fish, gonna let the engine cool down and check the oil for mayo crap but i'm s**t scared of drivin to work now LOL was doing 80 down the M6 and the temp gauge wasn't increasing/decreasing, so i'm thinking if it aint the gasket then maybe I've got a hole in a pipe that's letting s**t into the coolant??

 

[Hayley]

if its fishy it might be gearbox oil?
*I'm probably not even close*

 

[Stuart182]

I wouldnt drive it to work mate.

 

[gtruk]

After a while the coolant does stink of fish, regardless of oil. I wouldnt worry to much about headgasket to be honest you would have totally different signs. Simply flush the coolant out and refill it, then give it an oil change.

 

[madmike1]

if it was headgasket you would loose power and you would most likely have an engine management or exhaust emissions light on your dashboard. if the engine temp isnt increasing then i wouldnt drive it.

 

[malagadci]

Had a good look at it and invested in the Haynes Manual for the Clio lmao Gonna replace the seals on the oil cooler and drain the coolant, seeing as it's never been done and i'm on 108k Nothing is leaking underneath the car, oil levels are fine (doing an oil change too) and the temp gauges are fine

 

[gtruk]

keep us posted.

 

[malagadci]

Sorted it, drained the coolant, was proper minging and did an oil change, then reno had the cheek to say i had the wrong colour coolant when I took it in to have the bonnet catch replaced yesterday!!! It runs a hell of a lot better now anyways!

 

[gtruk]

yeah the cars do use a different grade of coolant due to the alloy the engine uses IIRC