Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[marykerr]

Hi new to this forum and need some advice please ? Question is that  I have an automatic 2.5  Tourer V reg and need to know if  have to get a water pump fitted before I  can tell that the  head gasket is  blown or not or should a mechanic be able to tell anyway?
 I read a little bit about signs of a blown gasket but all I know for sure at moment is that the water pump is gone ,and it stopped in traffic , but then after a rest it did turn over. I  didnt drive it tho - got it recovered to home . The car was heating up quickly and i was putting lots of water in for about 2 weeks before, but then on the short journeys i go on it  was  running ok til few days  before when it was real slow starting up every time - like a flat battery or something. I  can't see any pink line on the bonnet and no white stuff anywhere -neither a particularly fishy smell in the water thing - any suggestions ??

[amba]

Get a compression test on each cylinder and see what that tells.

[marykerr]

Thanks- will do

[amba]

Get a reading from each cylinder and see if any are way down..atleast that would give us a starting point to go from.

Fingers crossed they are all about right.

[doz]

Get the garage to also carry out a "sniffer" test of the water in the header tank. Will tell you if you have exhaust gases in the water.

[marykerr]

Ok thanks to all - i  will get hold of someone to do the  tests suggested and will let you know what the outcome is-- would be a shame to scrap the car as i really like it-  despite the way it guzzles petrol!

[Kevin Wood]

V6 head gaskets very rarely fail in the traditional sense, although this does sound like it overheated, so that may have prompted a failure. In addition, a water pump failure is also rare on a V6.

I would say, before doing anything else, top up the coolant (just use water - antifreeze mix can be re-established once the problem is fixed), run the engine up to normal temperature and see if you can spot any leaks anywhere (look especially at the rear of the engine and underneath).

Is there any oily residue on the surface of the water in the coolant expansion tank?

Is there any mayonnaise on the dip stick or is it just oil?

Do both radiator hoses get hot once the engine is up to full temperature?

Do the fans start once the temperature gauge has exceeded the middle point on the gauge?

[dbug]

V6 head gaskets very rarely fail in the traditional sense, although this does sound like it overheated, so that may have prompted a failure. In addition, a water pump failure is also rare on a V6.

I would say, before doing anything else, top up the coolant (just use water - antifreeze mix can be re-established once the problem is fixed), run the engine up to normal temperature and see if you can spot any leaks anywhere (look especially at the rear of the engine and underneath).

Is there any oily residue on the surface of the water in the coolant expansion tank?

Is there any mayonnaise on the dip stick or is it just oil?

Do both radiator hoses get hot once the engine is up to full temperature?

Do the fans start once the temperature gauge has exceeded the middle point on the gauge?

Had the wp bearings suddenly collapse on one of ours quite a while back - immediate loss of water.  Car recovered and new Vx pump fitted - all then OK

[marykerr]

V6 head gaskets very rarely fail in the traditional sense, although this does sound like it overheated, so that may have prompted a failure. In addition, a water pump failure is also rare on a V6.

I would say, before doing anything else, top up the coolant (just use water - antifreeze mix can be re-established once the problem is fixed), run the engine up to normal temperature and see if you can spot any leaks anywhere (look especially at the rear of the engine and underneath).

Is there any oily residue on the surface of the water in the coolant expansion tank?

Is there any mayonnaise on the dip stick or is it just oil?

Do both radiator hoses get hot once the engine is up to full temperature?

Do the fans start once the temperature gauge has exceeded the middle point on the gauge?

OK thanks ! Think  I can do all of those myself and get a better idea of situation before before mechanic comes to see it - -

[cem_devecioglu]

you dont mention about misfires and power loss..  even if your head gasket is gone , fire rings must be intact in that case..

[marykerr]

you dont mention about misfires and power loss..  even if your head gasket is gone , fire rings must be intact in that case..

Well -now its stood idle a week or so and i am still waiting to get hold of mechanic I  tried looking at it again last night with the pointers people have given me on Forum.
Bad news is a) It wouldnt turn over at all and b) that i found Mayo on the top inside of the oil tank (I'd  only looked at dipstick before, which is clear)
 I filled the coolant tank and it poured out - definately not coming from the radiator but from something lower down at  the back of it (in towards engine) which i assumed was the place where water pump is. I just dont know enough so will have to rely on experts but good to have a bit of knowledge so i dont come across as completely clueless.