Off to France next week - or am I? :-(

[jody]

Whoever your mechanic is sounds like he doesn't know what he's doing with bongos TBH. It is very rare for it just to be a head gasket, it is usually a replacement head needed, Allans in Plymouth doesn't charge much more than £1k to do just that, if you can talk to him, I would.

He sent the head away to test it for cracks and it came back as just being the gasket. The mechanic was surprised this was the case but said it wasn't impossible.

They're honest guys, but like you said - they probably don't know what they're doing with such a sophisticated piece of kit

Even if it was tested at working temp (which I doubt) there is a good chance the cracks would not show up, or they would only appear due to the stresses of being torqued down again. Most people that reuse the old head usually end up having to replace it within 6 months I'm afraid.

Doesn't sound good. The AA guy tested the water in the expansion tank for signs of combustion gases the other night and it came back as being negative. That's gotta be good news surely?

[missfixit70]

Not necessarily I'm afraid, doesn't show up on the bongo very well, best to get someone who knows bongos properly such as Allan to look at it, AA should recover you there as a recognised bongo specialist.

[Simon Jones]

Just because the head isn't faulty, doesn't conclusively prove it is the head gasket. At least one person that I'm aware of had a crack in the main engine block where the water jacket surrounds the cylinder bores. Unlikely, but it cannot be discounted as a possibility.

[missfixit70]

If you can get someone competent to pressure test the coolant system, it may give you some indication of whether there's a major issue or not.

[westonwarrior]

The curse of the well meaning but not alot of bongo knowledge.

but
saying don't believe the vast welth of experience on here is just plain ... well i cant say it

find a new mech

And get it bled properly

[jody]

I can't afford any more major work to be honest. I'll just scrap it.

[westonwarrior]

get it bled first, you can do it yourself, then if after wards its still overheating then make decisions.

just dont make them in haste
loads have overheated and bled the systems and had no problems

or there is steel seal which has worked for some and even if it is a blown head and only lasts 6 months its 6 months extra driving

[missfixit70]

The curse of the well meaning but not alot of bongo knowledge.

but
saying don't believe the vast welth of experience on here is just plain ... well i cant say it

find a new mech

And get it bled properly

Especially if the thermostat has been removed to make it work after a new head gasket IMO this "mechanic" knew he'd screwed up & didn't want you asking on here Jody as his incompetence would show up instantly.
It's worth talking to Allan at the very least.

[jody]

just a bit gutted really. i've spent £1300 quid on it in the last 3 months - was looking forward to a holiday (was meant to be taking 6 people with me) and a week before i head off....this.

i'll try bleeding it but I have already driven it since flushing it through and not filling / bleeding it properly so I have probably f***ed it up even more.

[westonwarrior]

just dont make any decisions about scrapping until you know exactly whats wrong or have been back and talked to us

[jody]

just dont make any decisions about scrapping until you know exactly whats wrong or have been back and talked to us

Thanks mate, I do appreciate the help from you guys.

[haydn callow]

New cylinder head I reckon......not what you want to hear but probably what is needed.....get it to Allens...Plymstock...Plymouth

[haydn callow]

On this very subject....to-day I have had no less than 7 phone calls all with exactly this problem....3 calls were from garages (at least they had the sense to phone and ask) the others were all from peeps who had had gaskets only fitted and the problems still there....2 had never heard of this forum and the other had done a DIY gasket job..

It seems a great shame that we cannot get the message out and save all that hassel.

2 or 3 calls a week are normal....7 in a day is a worry

[missfixit70]

The fact that your mechanic reckons it's "crud in the system" seems strange, if the head gasket was done & a new rad fitted, why wasn't it thoroughly flushed through when he did all that work? where has this crud come from? did he use any sort of leak sealer in the system I wonder to cover the fact that replacing the gasket didn't cure the problem? Did he replace the thermostat or was it left out?

[jody]

The fact that your mechanic reckons it's "crud in the system" seems strange, if the head gasket was done & a new rad fitted, why wasn't it thoroughly flushed through when he did all that work? where has this crud come from? did he use any sort of leak sealer in the system I wonder to cover the fact that replacing the gasket didn't cure the problem? Did he replace the thermostat or was it left out?

Left the thermostat out. He did flush it all out when he did the gasket and radiator change but there seems to be an endless ammount. There is loads of crap in the pipes, I saw it all caking the insides of them yesterday. Brown and rusty solid bits. He replaced a couple of the pipes.