Technical Head gasket needs replacing

[Fifibelle]

Hi I have the loss of coolant with no obvious leaks syndrome, heater loosing heat. Provided I top up the water daily and bleed the system I can get to work without an overheat problem. so looks like the HG has gone.

Anyone know how easy this is to replace? I have tackled most repairs and done HG on older cars but never done a Mk2 Punto HG. local garage says it needs a re-skim new water pump new HG bolts and cambelt replacement. Is all that necessary or just garage speak to extract more of your readies?

 

[bredsticz]

They are the minimums that you need yes. But what engine most importantly?

Run the car with the radiator cap off and look for bubbles. Rev the engine a bit to see. If any bubbles appear at all then yes HG has gone. Or get a sniff test done for £5-£10 to confirm it

If it's the 8v engine then it's unbelieveably easy and if you've replaced any before you'll find it a doddle

 

[dave]

always skim and use new head bolts, or you will end up doing the job again in 3 months time or sooner

 

[bredsticz]

I never skimmed when I did mine 12k miles later and still going strong! Then again mine never overheated at all and caught it early

 

[Fifibelle]

Thanks for your advice, just wwaiting for a couple of replies for garage quotesI would like to try it myself but need to find somewhere local that will skim the head, I live in the Bristol/Bath area any out there able to recomend someone?

 

[bredsticz]

Just find someone to skim the head and do the rest yourself. A hg job at a garage for the 8v costs £300. Shouldn't be any more than that and depending on where you live and how lucky you are you might find someone to do it a bit cheaper BUT that'll only be basics without a new cambelt etc

You should replace cambelt AND tensioner (which a garage rarely does), water pump, test thermostat, make sure fan works fine on the radiator, check condition of temp sensor while the intake is off, new red coolant (not blue), new oil + filter, New head bolts. I think that's all

 

[MadMan0]

hi peeps
Im looking at a head HG on our Mk2 8v, looking at eurocarparts, they offer 3.

1. £10
2. £44
3. £70

All look the same on the website, spec seems the same, all for the same engine.. different quilty mabey? what do you all think? which one should we get?

 

[bredsticz]

hi peeps
Im looking at a head HG on our Mk2 8v, looking at eurocarparts, they offer 3.

1. £10
2. £44
3. £70

All look the same on the website, spec seems the same, all for the same engine.. different quilty mabey? what do you all think? which one should we get?

They are the sets, 10 for just gasket, 44 for few gaskets and £70 for full set of gaskets you'd need.

 

[bonezee]

Just had my 8v done by my neighbor who was a Fiat Tech for ten years.I was lucky and didn't need it skimmed but i did need new plugs as one was cracked new gaskets,cambelt,tensioner,oil/filter and coolant.And now it drives like a brand new car(apart from the squeaky rear end).I can't believe what a difference it has made to the fuel consumption!.According to the trip com i'm getting between 55 and 59MPG(between 40-50MPH).Where as before i was getting about 42.But he did warn me that it probably would need doing again in a couple of years as they are very prone to it,but shouldn't be too much of a problem as he has now become my personal technician and he is very,very reasonable:slayer::worship:

 

[bredsticz]

It shouldnt ever need doing again if you use the right coolant and keep on top of services. Also wait till it's warm to drive at higher revs

 

[dave]

always skim even if its flat, not doing so is what gives puntos a bad name when they go again. they are not prone to it if you do this :bang:

 

[bonezee]

It shouldnt ever need doing again if you use the right coolant and keep on top of services. Also wait till it's warm to drive at higher revs

Well he did say that it had already been done before so it was lucky it didn't need skimming as it had been done and would of caused a problem.I can trust what he's saying as he is a family friend and wouldn't give me any s**t!.He worked for Fiat for ten years so he saw a lot of them.

 

[dave]

you must skim its gives the best seal then, only needs 2 thou so well with in its limits, worked for Fiat for ten years non fixing puntos right and blaming the cars

 

[DaveMcT]

Puntos get bought as cheap runabouts, abused and never serviced. One of the many effects of that is blown head gaskets. Properly serviced an 8V 55 can easily do 150,000 miles.

If the engine never overheats the gasket should last for ever which rather suggests they only blow the gasket when (or some time after) they have overheated. Skimming the face isnt costly and false economy to avoid. Even if its only a light skim the face ends up clean and perfect to take the gasket. Dont forget to properly clean the top face of the engine block. You also get chance to lap the valves and fit new stem seals.

When its rebuilt fill with water and flushing chemical to clean out all the years of sludge and neglect. It might uncover a radiator leak but better to know its holed than have it blow and take out the new gasket. Nothing lasts for ever.

When its clean (to the flushing solution's user instructions) fill it with red coolant at 50%.

All this sounds like a faff (and it is), but if the previous users had looked after the car it wouldn't be necessary.

 

[bonezee]

you must skim its gives the best seal then, only needs 2 thou so well with in its limits, worked for Fiat for ten years non fixing puntos right and blaming the cars

No mate totally the opposite!.......he actually loves the cars and has owned them himself.The only reason he doesn't work for them anymore is because the local dealers where he works closed down.