Re: help plz (head gasket)
Hi Trowa,
What they are trying to tell you is that you may have ongoing problems if the cylinder head gasket is replaced without the head being checked for flatness and skimmed if necessary.
Best at this point, I feel, to find an engine shop (i.e. not a garage that does any job, but instead an engine rebuilding specialist) and ask them about resurfacing the head/replacing the gasket. The resurfacing should be only 20 quid or so? They should also be able to supply the relevant gasket set at a good price. If you want to remove and replace the head yourself, be prepared to invest in some tools and a Haynes manual (and read it several times carefully before you undo anything!)
If I had your car, there's no way I'd pay 320 pounds to get the head gasket replaced! That's because I believe (rightly or wrongly) that I could do a more thorough job than the mechanics at a garage (I'd be doing anything else that looked like it needed doing as well, e.g. lapping the valves, adjusting clearances, replacing the thermostat, etc. etc.) and it would still cost me a fraction of that price! So, I can't offer any advice on whether that's a good price... I'm biased...
It's all about deciding whether you want to do your own work on cars, or not... it's best to get some first-hand help from someone you know that's good at these things. I'm not trying to de-value the advice given here on the forum, but I do think that some of the basics (e.g. how to deal with rusty bolts, hard-to-access bolts, or just any sort of difficult bolts) are probably best learned with someone to help at your side. There's just so much to learn, if (as I've picked up from the thread so far) your knowledge extends only to where the oil goes in... Also, it helps to have a second opinion when inspecting parts that you haven't seen before... and you need to be pretty meticulous about keeping things CLEAN.
Many people seem to think that everything under the bonnet is dirty and oily anyway, but when you assemble the parts of an engine, the internal parts must be clean and the sealing surfaces degreased and grit-free, with a minimum of gasket sealant applied to items like the thermostat gasket (for example). Every nut, bolt, and washer should be reinstalled with equal care and without force. I could go on for hours but it's all just a matter of common sense and careful workshop practice, best learned on the job!
It looks like a really, really tidy Uno (in the engine bay photo) and so it's well worth fixing properly.
Anyway, prove me wrong and take up the challenge
- we'll be here to help with the specific questions...
-Alex
