Technical could I go 200 miles with a faulty headgasket ?

mike_6523 · Mar 8, 2004

Hi,
I am having problems with my Fiat Punto and I'd really appreciate if someone could give me some advice;

my punto is a n reg 95, 1.1 & has done 60k miles about 3 weeks after I bought it for £1,100 a red light started to come on the dashboard above the temperature symbol after about20 mins of driving. I took it to my local garage and they said that it could be the head gasket but they had bled the water and it seemed to have sorted it, if I had anymore problems I would have to get the head gasket done.

I thought there was no problem and took it down to cardiff last weekend, did about 200 miles and then it came on, filled the radiator and it went off, did about 100 more miles and then it came on and stayed on for about another 70 miles despite me putting water in it.

Ever since then I have had to put water in before every journey and the red light still comes on after a certain amount of time, it varies on the amount of water.

Also aside from this there is no hot air coming out of the air system when theres not enough water in.

Anyway I took it to the garage this morning and he told me exactly what I didn't want to hear, that the head gasket was the problem quoted me £252.

I dont understand how it could have gone so long though with the red light on if it was the head gasket all along surely it would have caused the engine to die.Does this sound right ?

Also because my cars coming upto the 61/62k mileage should I ask them to put a timing belt in when they do he gasket ?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can give me some help.

custard · Mar 8, 2004

they have to take the timing belt of anyway so should replace the belt as part of the quote(just make sure they do)basically you've cooked you're engine matey and the gasket at least is screwed also you've possibly warped the head too!!!![V]you should get this fixed ASAP as you will warp the head if you havn't done so already,sorry its bad news but if you're head gasket is suspect(and the mechanics should have warned you) don't go on long journeys unless you know the gaskets fine,also just because the engine is running it doesn't mean you're not damaging the engine by driving with any warning light on

The Fiat Cinquecento
Fun While It Runs

mike_6523 · Mar 8, 2004

thanks for the reply, I noticed you mentioned gasket and the head as too seperate, I know absolutley nothing about cars and thought the head gasket was just one part :I, so would the price be pushed up if the head and the gasket were both gone, the only driving I'll be doing from now until wednesday when I take it in is a 10 min drive to work and back tonight.

mike_6523 · Mar 8, 2004

the only thing is, I dont know if they've checked the thermostat and other things mentioned on here with the syptoms that I have mentioned.

dave · Mar 8, 2004

£252 should include new head gasket set with new bolts, new timming belt and tenshener(spelling) oil filter, plugs, coolent, and a head skim. its only 4 hours max labour including taking the head to a machine shop and collecting it again.
print this out and ask them exackly what you are getting for the money,

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arseofbox · Mar 9, 2004

Sorry, I have no intention to thread hijack here,

Any idea what the cost of a head skim on its own would be?

Tom (AofB)

Snapped exhaust flexipipe becoming GrpN ASAP!

pritch · Mar 9, 2004

You can drive a car x number of miles on a faulty gasket, but eventually you will completely Donald Duck the engine.

You may have gotten away with it, I hope so.

Spirito di Punto | M-reg 55SX, black, 5dr. Clear repeaters. Remote locking fitted, no light confirmation yet though - need relay fitted

dave · Mar 9, 2004

Originally posted by arseofbox
Sorry, I have no intention to thread hijack here,

Any idea what the cost of a head skim on its own would be?

Tom (AofB)

Snapped exhaust flexipipe becoming GrpN ASAP!

between £30-£50 if you pay the higher price make sure they include cleaning all the swarf.

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mike_6523 · Mar 9, 2004

thanks for the replys again.

Dave- Thanks for the list I think they mentioned a few things you listed there but I'm going to phone tomorrow to double check, in your list is coolant, do you mean them adding coolant to water system ?

Pritch- Looks like I have been very lucky if thats the case.

dave · Mar 9, 2004

Yes you will need new coolent/anti-freeze they drain all your old stuff out and put new in. most people use 50% water 50% anti-freeze.

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custard · Mar 9, 2004

hi mike the 'head gasket' is sandwiched between the engine block(bottom) and the cylinder head (top) and this seals the gap between the two basically

The Fiat Cinquecento
Fun While It Runs

kincaidston · Mar 9, 2004

once done about 2000 - 3000 miles on a failed head gasket seal.. can you tell i was just using it as an old banger... was on the old honda engine fitted in rovers... and was notorious for having a soft cylinder head... (almost put soft head but that means something different entirely

).. shouldn't make any difference though that it was the head or the gasket that fails... makes the same difference at the end of the day.. all depends on luck and yeah that car did go to the scrappy after i'd finished with it

Japhill · Mar 14, 2004

wouldnt try doing that sort of mileage, i am in the trade and if you run it with a head gasket problem could cause other things to go bang! Your radiator! look in your coolant for cloudyness and a smell of petrol!

mike_6523 · Mar 14, 2004

just an update to tell you all that I went ahead and had it done cost me £263 alltogether because I asked them to put a new timing belt on it which added an extra tenner.

The car is running great now though best it has been since I bought it.

Thanks for all your advice.

dave · Mar 14, 2004

Thats not bad, there is a guy on the forum from kent and he keeps getting quotes of £500, how far from bexley/kent is the garage that done yours?

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mike_6523 · Mar 15, 2004

I'm in manchester, so I think its too far away from him.

dave · Mar 15, 2004

OK thanks for replying anyway.

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puntonovice · Mar 16, 2004

glad ive found this thread, it sounds like a problem im havin at the mo, i think it may be the same....the temp light comes on after about 20mins then goes down n goes up a bit but doesnt settle for a long period of time-also its threatenin to stall when its started up in a mornin/after a period of time. it kind of jumps for a bit mid-journey too
is this the head gasket dya reckon?? its booked in t b checked out on thurs, but as its a fiat garage n im on warranty im guessin theyll say theres nowt wrong with it anyway so dont really wana waste time goin there-spesh if its gona cost. rather get it done somewhere else if it aint gona b covered under warranty??

dave · Mar 17, 2004

if its under warenty they have to fix it free, if they don't go to trading standards,

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puntonovice · Mar 18, 2004

mines just been confirmed-knackered head gasket B) its covered under fiats used car warranty, but because the last owner serviced it 6months after it was due, i have to pay 65 quid to top up the warranty...?? well it beats the price of teh repair anyways

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