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Mistpjenkins
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I’ve asked someone for a quote
Technical Low compression on cylinders 1 & 2
- Thread starter Mistpjenkins
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Technical Low compression on cylinders 1 & 2
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Mistpjenkins
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I think so too.. honestly it’s been 3 weeks since they told me the car was basically doomed and it’s been starting running fine 80-90% of the time since then.. so I’m thinking that they possibly got something wrong or exaggerated it etc..Well you all been busy since I last repliedas I said many posts ago…. Our op needs to go get a second opinion regarding the compression test…. From what was posted regarding this particular mechanic… it’s the first thing I’d do personally!
Then & only then you will know for SURE!
It’s still misfiring but last week it took one extra try to start it only once, and then on Sunday it struggled when I had no fuel.. yesterday and today it’s been absolutely fine. The only constant is that it still sounds dodgy and shakes slightly when it’s idle, but as soon as i move again, it’s fine
vexorg
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You have 3 options:
- Trade it in
- Pay someone that knows what they are doing to fix it (be prepared for £1,000+ bill)
- Buys some tools and get your hands dirty
Pick one and stick to that, anything else just wastes time, money and forum bandwidth.
- Trade it in
- Pay someone that knows what they are doing to fix it (be prepared for £1,000+ bill)
- Buys some tools and get your hands dirty
Pick one and stick to that, anything else just wastes time, money and forum bandwidth.
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Mistpjenkins
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Thanks so much for your detailed and oh so HELPFUL response - but please rather take it and your rude, miserable self and fook off elsewhere
kk?? Thanks xo
Misfiring and poor starting are indeed classic signs of HG Failure..
In my painful experience.. its usually accompanied by coolant loss..
There is a company near me.. so 400 miles from you...
Called 'my garage' set up for owners of cars who dont have workshop access
They have all the kit.. and you hire a ramp for £30 an hour
Even if you take 12 hours to complete the job ( unlikely in a proper workshop..)
Thats a £500 job AND you know exactly what has been done
Look at the HG change guides on here..
Its NOT mega complex.. just need to raise and lower the car quite a lot..
So a ramp is ideal
Food for thought
I did a FIRE HG in an afternnon for a neighbour... he had a domestic garage and a trolleyjack
It seemed luxury compared to me working out in the weather.
In my painful experience.. its usually accompanied by coolant loss..
There is a company near me.. so 400 miles from you...
Called 'my garage' set up for owners of cars who dont have workshop access
They have all the kit.. and you hire a ramp for £30 an hour
Even if you take 12 hours to complete the job ( unlikely in a proper workshop..)
Thats a £500 job AND you know exactly what has been done
Look at the HG change guides on here..
Its NOT mega complex.. just need to raise and lower the car quite a lot..
So a ramp is ideal
Food for thought
I did a FIRE HG in an afternnon for a neighbour... he had a domestic garage and a trolleyjack
It seemed luxury compared to me working out in the weather.
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Mistpjenkins
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You think I should change the HG myself???Misfiring and poor starting are indeed classic signs of HG Failure..
In my painful experience.. its usually accompanied by coolant loss..
There is a company near me.. so 400 miles from you...
Called 'my garage' set up for owners of cars who dont have workshop access
They have all the kit.. and you hire a ramp for £30 an hour
Even if you take 12 hours to complete the job ( unlikely in a proper workshop..)
Thats a £500 job AND you know exactly what has been done
Look at the HG change guides on here..
Its NOT mega complex.. just need to raise and lower the car quite a lot..
So a ramp is ideal
Food for thought
I did a FIRE HG in an afternnon for a neighbour... he had a domestic garage and a trolleyjack
It seemed luxury compared to me working out in the weather.
. I know noooothing about cars 
I know more than most girls for sure but actually fixing them.. absolutely nothing 
Gurl … there’s always oneThanks so much for your detailed and oh so HELPFUL response - but please rather take it and your rude, miserable self and fook off elsewhere
It’s actually something I’d have a go at if only you were not so far away! I started learning about all things fiat 2018/19 but really got stuck in 2020 onward I’ve changed a lot of parts on my 500 some easy some hard! But looking back I’ve had fun!You think I should change the HG myself???
Some tears some low points but if you persist.. learn & take your time you can do anything!
HG IF indeed this turns out to be the case with your car could cause other issues with the car
Yes it’s not a hard fix just time consuming getting to where you need to be! Then of course everything has to go back together
It’s just not knowing if or what damage has been done due to a HG failure.. you would only find out when it’s all apart! And potentially could need a new head pistons or god knows what else!
It could be a minefield
A head gasket job is a big ask for someone who doesn't have any tools or experience. There's a shed-load of stuff to dismantle.. and you also need to have all the right parts ahead of needing them. Even if you can get through the dismantling without drama (broken brackets, snapped studs, lost bolts, you name it) you will need the time, space and a heap of ancillary "stuff" to do the job.
My advice is to tap up one of the garages that can fix it for £800-1000 and get them to confirm that it is a head gasket problem and then fix it. They will have the tools to cut off any rusted brackets, have spare studs, nuts, bolts and circlips etc. that always get KIA, and will be able to get all the right parts they need from an auto factor. They'll skim the head if needs be, and they'll have even a basic torque wrench to re-fit it.. as well as oil, coolant fluid, gasket sealant and etc. as they need it.
£4-figures is not beyond the scope of being borrowed/grovelled from someone, or someones... and if you pay cash the garage might forget to ring it up or charge VAT... although I used to work for HMRC so I will tut loudly and look down sternly upon such blatant Revenue thievery.
But you should then be left with a half-decent motor (at least until the MOT runs out)with a new head, cambelt and water pump. Any other option (e.g. the trade-in) will cost you more and still leave you with no car. You'll end up at Cars R Us.. buying the knackered old banger from the person who traded it in to buy yours... The devil you know is still a devil but it's a devil with new bits on it.
Ralf S.
My advice is to tap up one of the garages that can fix it for £800-1000 and get them to confirm that it is a head gasket problem and then fix it. They will have the tools to cut off any rusted brackets, have spare studs, nuts, bolts and circlips etc. that always get KIA, and will be able to get all the right parts they need from an auto factor. They'll skim the head if needs be, and they'll have even a basic torque wrench to re-fit it.. as well as oil, coolant fluid, gasket sealant and etc. as they need it.
£4-figures is not beyond the scope of being borrowed/grovelled from someone, or someones... and if you pay cash the garage might forget to ring it up or charge VAT... although I used to work for HMRC so I will tut loudly and look down sternly upon such blatant Revenue thievery.
But you should then be left with a half-decent motor (at least until the MOT runs out)with a new head, cambelt and water pump. Any other option (e.g. the trade-in) will cost you more and still leave you with no car. You'll end up at Cars R Us.. buying the knackered old banger from the person who traded it in to buy yours... The devil you know is still a devil but it's a devil with new bits on it.
Ralf S.
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Mistpjenkins
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I know, all the nice and helpful people on here are so far away from me! But I bet that troll from further up lives right next door to me or something!
vexorg
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Good god, troll? I post up your 3 realistic options, pretty much similar to Ralf and I'm a troll?
I've fixed loads of peoples cars for free from car forums, or I used to before I got called a troll. But luckily I'm not on on your door step, just the other side of Glasgow from you.
I've fixed loads of peoples cars for free from car forums, or I used to before I got called a troll. But luckily I'm not on on your door step, just the other side of Glasgow from you.
I was just trying say it doesnt 'need' to cost you £1000... but of course there no guarantee its not been 'patched up' previously..leading to more work for you
Did you get anywhere with the FiatScotland recommendations??
Did you get anywhere with the FiatScotland recommendations??
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Mistpjenkins
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Telling people that they’re wasting forum bandwidth is a bit of a troll thing to do my guy
. If you think fixing people’s cars for free entitles too to be rude, you should maybe stop
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Mistpjenkins
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Trust me.. I genuinely considered it today
. I’m so stressed.. if it were a less finicky job, I’d honestly consider trying myself. Fiat Scotland as in the dealership?
No fiatscotland is a fiat forum... in Scotland
Ah I think he’s ok really just a bit direct! He is right in what he’s saying … but the bluntness doesn’t work for us girls
FinickyTrust me.. I genuinely considered it today
Fiat Scotland as in the dealership?
yeah it’s a bit more than that ..like major surgery I’m still gearing myself up to change my clutch & gearbox! Thank god it’s not urgent
Once you have your 2nd opinion you will need to decide what you can do! Hopefully… the guy who diagnosed this was wrong .. but prepare yourself for a similar outcome that way you won’t have a nervous breakdown!
Finicky
I’m still gearing myself up to change my clutch & gearbox! Thank god it’s not urgent
Bring yourself down to Newport.. I'll let you change the clutch on the Younger Mrs S's Rasputin, so that when you do yours you'll know what to expect. It's a 1.2. I'll even buy the new clutch kit, so you can practice...
Ralf S.
It's not so much what you've said, as the way you've said it.
Suggesting that someone with no previous experience of working on cars 'get their hands dirty' and fix this themselves isn't realistic or helpful. Changing a HG isn't a suitable first job for a beginner.
But I'd agree that some of the other responses are 'red herrings' which don't cut to the core issue here and may confuse the OP, who quite understandably will hang onto any hope of a cheaper and less complicated solution.
That's my advice, too.
You could likely sell the car privately 'as is' and if accurately described, it should make around £2000, or spend £1000 and have a car that's then actually worth the £3000 you paid for it. Not much of a difference financially, but if you sell it and put in another £1000, you've still got to find another used car for £3000 that's worth buying. In the current market, that's not easy, particularly for someone like the OP without an engineering background.
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Why is everyone so far away!Bring yourself down to Newport.. I'll let you change the clutch on the Younger Mrs S's Rasputin, so that when you do yours you'll know what to expect. It's a 1.2. I'll even buy the new clutch kit, so you can practice...
Ralf S.
if it wasn’t for petrol prices I’d take you up on that offer!!! There have been 2 really good videos on YouTube recently doing the clutch on a 500 & very detailed… giving me so much food for thought I could end up with gout 
