General Dead Punto - help please!

[peteyjlawson]

Hi Everybody,

The Phoenix, my beloved Punto, is very poorly. Noticed that she was a bit smokier than she should be on Friday, but didn't get her looked at because we were away for the weekend. Then this morning, we had to get the Green Flag man to pick us up from the side of the motorway. She was burning oil I think and overheated massively and now won't start without stalling. She's overdue an oil and filter change, but all fluid levels are ok. Any idea what's wrong and how much it's going to cost to fix her?

Thanks

Pete

 

[faster4_tec]

its possible it could be piston rings.
or more serious like oil pump failing (very unlikly, they are always usually more than good enough).

headgasket is possible/common, but if all the fluids are still at the same level as last time you checked and not mixed up then.....


when was the last time your coolant was changed??

 

[peteyjlawson]

Short story is, I have no idea. I've been bad and just been topping up with a 50/50 antifreeze/water mix. The guy who recovered us thought it wasn't the head gasket (no contamination of the oil) but the guy who's coming to look at it later suspects that it might be so he'll run a compression test.

If it is the piston rings, am I looking at any major wallet damage?

 

[peteyjlawson]

And it was the head gasket. Ouch. But should be mobile again in a couple of days. Guess my girlfriend will have to catch a bus for the first time in ages...