General head gasket costs and advice

[/me love cinquecento]

Hello everyone,

In light of my recent Cinqy overhaul, and subsequent noise and bad performance with the engine, and I took rallycinqs advice and checked all the sensor vacuum cables and sensors, but I couldnt see anything so i took it to the garage where i got my repairs done, and they couldnt see any problems with the sensors , they say its the Head Gasket has gone, and want over £300 .

So does anyone know any garages in the Edinburgh Area that can get it done for under that amount if possible.

Thanks in advance for anyone that can help me, isnt it weird how everything goes wrong just before I go on holiday

 

[LanciaMad]

Re: Need Advice Quickly

Do it yourself for about 50 quid.

 

[/me love cinquecento]

Re: Need Advice Quickly

I dont have any tools/knowledge of how to do it, and dont you have to get the head skimmed??

 

[custard]

Re: Need Advice Quickly

1 x haynes
1 x fiat forum
1 x few tools
1 x head skim

 

[/me love cinquecento]

Re: Need Advice Quickly

In an ideal world yes, i even looked through haynes, but i would not even want to attempt it, as I have never done anything remotly mechanical in my life.

 

[LanciaMad]

Re: Need Advice Quickly

In an ideal world yes, i even looked through haynes, but i would not even want to attempt it, as I have never done anything remotly mechanical in my life.

Then youll have to pay someone to do it then, ring around a few places.

 

[Fiat-Phoenix]

yell.com for mobile mechanics in your area, should still cost 150 - 200 quid but it still saves you a few quid.

 

[/me love cinquecento]

Re: Need Advice Quickly

Just had to go with them, Arnold clarke Fiat was £450, another FIAT specialist was £350 and they were £300.

At least it has given me an incentive to get better at looking after my cinq, and to try and befriend a mechanic.

 

[beau]

did you try and other normal garages? not a fiat one? and whats wrong with the car? how they know its the head gasket?

 

[custard]

Re: Need Advice Quickly

Just had to go with them, Arnold clarke Fiat was £450, another FIAT specialist was £350 and they were £300.

At least it has given me an incentive to get better at looking after my cinq, and to try and befriend a mechanic.

theres no need for specialists,its a simple job

 

[LanciaMad]

Bring it to newcastle and I'll do it for 100 quid plus parts.

 

[Brooky]

Re: Need Advice Quickly

1 x head skim

Right,you need a head skim because the head as warped,so skimming it will just flatten the head face,but what about the cam bearings???? They will still be all to **** from an alignment point of view

Just something for you lot to consider

 

[MiG]

your looking anywhere between £200 - £300 for a retail done job.

 

[SeiSporting]

Where do you live?

 

[rallycinq]

Where do you live?

I am guessing 'the Edinburgh Area', cos thats wot the OP asks for.

Seems he's gone and arranged it, although if not I know of a great mechanic in Livingston if still needed.

Cheers

D

 

[Brooky]

Rallycinq....what do you think to me little theory a few posts up

 

[rallycinq]

Rallycinq....what do you think to me little theory a few posts up

Hang on a min, I'll go and read it.

Cheers

D

 

[rallycinq]

Rallycinq....what do you think to me little theory a few posts up

Nope, doen't make sense to me. In a head skim they are taking off a matter of a few thou. The small amount of distortion, if any, at the cam bearing end of things is not relevant. Usually you can only see the head warpage by putting a flat bar across the diagonals and using feeler guages to check for gaps.

If the warpage is excessive, then the head becomes a door stop and nothing more.

Cheers

D

 

[Brooky]

okie dokie then