Death of a Sei?

Right...seems I have a VERY big problem with my T-reg 1108 Seicento Sporting
Basically, on Tuesday coming home from work the car started rattling, I figured it was the exhaust, so on Wednesday I took it to an exhaust place, who replaced the pipe and the backbox, so far so good.
Then on the way back from the garage the temperature warning light came on for the first time ever, so I pulled over, filled it with water and rang the AA. Bearing in mind the car had driven perfectly up to this point I was worried as there was a bit of gunk mixed in with the water so I naturally thought head gasket.
Mr AA Man did a few tests, including Coolant System Pressure and Combustion Gas Detection test, said engine was fantastic and that the fan was top 89, low 82. Categorically said it wasnt the head gasket, found a tiny leak in the coolant bottle which is why it had overheated, patched it up and sent me on my way.
All day yesterday it was very sluggish and juddery, still losing water and the exhaust was making a hell of a noise and loads of smoke was coming out. My boyfriend changed my spark plugs and my leads but still no joy. Him, his Dad and a mechanic in the local garage all said head gasket. Battery warning light came on and hasnt gone off.
Took it to a different garage today, he said I was running on 3 cylinders, it was still losing water, could be the valves and definitely not head gasket. He says the engine's gone and its not worth fixing.
Does it sound like my Sei is dying?

OK first off you need a compression test to see if the compression is low.

if your losing water it could well be a gasket other than the head gasket - check around for leaks etc... and check your rad for stone damage.

if your handy with the spanners no reason you can get a head of a scrap sei and fit it to yours if thats the cause of the problem - but I would do a compression test first off.

Martin

Thanks for the suggestion I'll look into checking the rad and doing a compression test.

It just seems odd to me that 4 different people said how good the engine was and now this guy's taken one look at it and says its had it! Its been starting fine and aside from a bit of juddering has been driving reasonably smoothly and seems quite normal, I find it hard to believe its not worth repairing!

If the head gasket and compression test are ok and it is losing coolant, it could also be a possibility that the water pump is on its way

lucy sometimes its cheaper to throw away rather than fix thats just the way it is now.

Persoanlly I wouldnt scrap it. But thats just me.

Martin

i like people like you, you would scrap the car - so i would buy it off you cheap, spend £100 a new engine and sell it on. keerrrrrchhiiing

before i knew how to swing a spanner, i took my car to a garage, 3 in fact. None of them could tell me it was def the headgasket without taking the head, one told me it def wasnt the head gasket - and what do you know, it was blown in two places

My guess, the waterpump has failed, causing the timing belt to jump. Faulty pump means loss of water, poor running and loud exhaust is caused by the timing being out.

New pump, £10, timing belt and tensioner, £15 ?

Think you need to read what I wrote - I said I wouldnt scrap it!!!! some poeple would!!!

At the min I have a 2001 freelander, a rover 400 & a punto 2002 both sitting repair.

I never throw it away unless its major body work in that case you would never make any money on it.

Martin

you're quite right, i read it wrong. my bad!

Arc your right tho, people today think ohhh its broke garage will rip me off, sell the car on cheap and the likes of us buys it fixes it and sell it on. All for spending a few quid on fixing a problem.

Just shows how much we waste (now thats my green speech over for today lol)

Martin

Just a quickie. Don't scarp it, Ciqs and Seis are death proof. It won't - or shouldn't be valve damage as even a Sei in full flat out 90mph screaming mode will save it's valves if the cam belt snap (I was that driver) apparently it's a design feature.....! Keep asking around on the Forums and someone will help you out.

yep the fire engine 8v where non impact engines - ie they wont bend valves - but I have seen some that chip the corner off and makes for poor running.

Hopefully someone will come to your rescue lucy and help you out.

Martin

Thanks for all your help guys! I'm definitely not planning on scrapping it, I was disappointed with what the mechanic said and in my heart of hearts I dont feel that its beyond repair, thats why I came on here to ask for a second opinion.
What gets me is that on Wednesday I took a perfectly good car which has always been 100% reliable to a garage for a new exhaust and now suddenly everything seems to have gone on it!
Anyway I've got a mechanic coming round tonight to have a look at it, provided its not hideously expensive I intend on my Sei living to see another day!

Been told by another garage its not worth repairing

Basically its the head gasket, and one of the cylinders is leaking.

Been told its gonna be enormously expensive to repair and its just not worth it....

I would say it wouldn't cost that much....is there no mobile guys near you that could do it? Parts are cheap, takes around a half a day to do it....

Martin

PS -
I'm sure someone on here is local to you and would help you out.

It's about £120 quids worth of parts and services you can't really do yourself. The rest is just labour you can do.

Nearest sensible FIAT guy I know to you is Howard in Wrexham:

Allitalia Ltd, Paxton Garage, Llewelyn Rd, Vron, Tanyfron, Wrexham, North Wales, LL11 5TL 01978 757588

Well worth a ring!