Hi ,
I had a steady + slow coolant loss in our 1.1 panda , so after a few basic checks , it was decided to do a head-gasket swap to rule that out.

upon stripping the top-end , there was LOTS of mayo up under the cam-cover baffle ,
( I had spotted a touch in the rubber filler plug in the summer , but wiped it away and nothing returned in the follwing months) ,
we've have had a "not -quite-right" feeling for a few months so It's now apart..,

I removed the thermostat - to leave the hoses coupled up - the 2 x bolts threads were red rusty , as were the 2 Head bolts at that end of the engine ,( one had a "dusting" the other looked like coolant had pooled around the bolt)

the Head-gasket has no obvious tracks across it , and the bores are dry , so I'm beginning to wonder if the head is porous ( the coolant loss was slow and steady - with no visible evidence anywhere),
I'll post pics if anyone wants a peek,
Charlie

Though I had a couple of head gasket failures on an 1108 Cinq Sporting - in lots of miles - this sounds more like the radiator beginning to go home.

babbo_umbro said:

Though I had a couple of head gasket failures on an 1108 Cinq Sporting - in lots of miles - this sounds more like the radiator beginning to go home.

Click to expand...

hi ,
over weeks, I checked every external possibility for leaks,
so the process pointed at the head ( "steaming "away the coolant,)

8 head bolts has a mildly "greasy" appearance to the lower threads - similar to PTFE / white grease - bit clear looking apart from a few little Balls/ droplets of it in the threads,
the 2 next to the thermostat were red-rusty , as were the 2 retaining bolts for the 'stat housing (REALLY) rusty..tight all the way..
at 7 years and 70K I'm assuming a new head under warranty is unlikely,
bottom line is I'll clean everything and replace the gaskets , but if it's still dribbling away coolant it'll get a "liquid-glass" seal,
(pain to do - but has worked well on leaky blocks before).

why not just have the minimum skimmed from the head and rebuild as it sounds like old age etc caused a slight leak of the headgasket to me if its not pressurising
buy a quality gasket
these 1100 engines are usually good engines but the gaskets can deteriorate with age like all gaskets especially if car used on lots of short journeys so everything is heating and cooling rather than constant
no obvious leak on the headgasket is the clue here i think

babbo_umbro said:

Though I had a couple of head gasket failures on an 1108 Cinq Sporting - in lots of miles - this sounds more like the radiator beginning to go home.

Click to expand...

just re-reading this..

you were correct..!!:worship: it was the matrix actually, changed another 2 YEARS later when the gasket blew again( through lack of coolant)

car still sound on 85K , at 11 years of hassle free ownership

Charlie