Technical Preemptive Head Gasket actions...?

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Technical Preemptive Head Gasket actions...?

KaiserPingo

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Lost one Punto (1.2 8v) to a blown HG.
At the scrapyard I counted 5(!) Punto's, all with the same problem.
And in here at FF its being said to be a curse of the FIRE engines.

Well, having a 1.2 16v now, I would very much like for it NOT TO HAPPEN AGAIN !

Is there any way to get ahead of it happening ?
It appears to happen at very different mile-/km-figures.

Any HG's that are good or bad ?
New HG every 50000km's or with every timingbelt change ?
Thicker HG (lower compression) ?
Different coolant ?

How to do a preemptive strike on the problem ?
 
Check the coolant level every week without fail, watch the temperature gauge like a hawk but honestly some of them go for no obvious reason. One of those things.
 
Check the coolant level every week without fail, watch the temperature gauge like a hawk but honestly some of them go for no obvious reason. One of those things.

Does anyone know, if there are quality-differences with different HG's ?
Or the bolt-tension has to be higher actually ?
 
Yes, but you dont wanna run around doing that every year. (?)
Would you use a leak down test as a preemptive messure, to prevent HG-failure ?

Hi,

You're right, it doesn't prevent HG failure. But it'll keep you informed as to how your

Head gasket is coping. As other posts have suggested, keep an eye on temperature

gauge, internal heater, condition of anti freeze at the expansion bottle etc.

The leak down test would make you aware of a small hole in your head gasket

before it gets too bad.

John.
 
Yes, but, you'll have to replace it anyway at that point, so it's not clear what you've gained to me.
Regular checks on fluids, and periodic replacement if you're paranoid. Mine did 115k miles. Remember the bad news bias.....
 
When it's said on the streets, that an engine type has a specifik weaknes, its almost always the truth, somehow.
Like the problem with Alfa Romeo's 2.0TS engines, that they loose oilpressure due to idiotic design, that does not affect the 1.6TS and the 1.8TS...

I dont wanna drive around, being paranoid and nervous about my engine, so as I see it :
When changing timingbelt and waterpump, also change the headgasket !
 
One of the biggest problems is the fan seizing up, the connection to the temp sensor on the engine has weak pins, if they don't have a good contact the fan never gets a signal to turn on and from lack of use it seizes on the bushings. I think there is a built in safety feature, if you disconnect the temp sensor the fan should by default get a signal to cut in, maybe somebody else can confirm this. This certainly happen with mine and the fan was totally f...ed! I replaced the fan and made sure the bushings were well oiled cleaned all the connectors and never had a problem after that.
 
Age is a killer an old hg does get crusty over time and slowly starts to leak

Mine didnt bloe till 100k
Between water and oil jackets
Didnt experience and temp issues
Just noticed that before my run I had red coolant
When I came back
I had black....

Waterpumps hardly fail tbh
Its the naff thermostats that fail and kill hg
Either sticking slightly open or not opening at all


Ziggy
 
Age is a killer an old hg does get crusty over time and slowly starts to leak

Mine didnt bloe till 100k
Between water and oil jackets
Didnt experience and temp issues
Just noticed that before my run I had red coolant
When I came back
I had black....

Waterpumps hardly fail tbh
Its the naff thermostats that fail and kill hg
Either sticking slightly open or not opening at all


Ziggy

Ok then.
From the Alfa's with desintegratin watersoluble waterpumps, I ALLWAYS change waterpump and timingbelt together.
With Ziggy's experiences and playing it safe, the procedure would be:
When it's time to change Timingbelt and Waterpump,
also change Thermostat and Head Gasket !

Then I'm safe beyond 1000000km, as I want to be :D
 
Digger58 makes a good point about the fan. Someone here coined the term 'the silent killer'.
In normal operation the fan seldom comes on. If it does fail you may not be aware until the day the car overheats when you get stuck in a summer traffic jam.
As part of the annual service with the ignition OFF I check that the fan is free and then I disconnect the temperature sensor with the car running ( ignition ON will do it as well ) and the car should respond by putting the fan on within ten seconds and the idle speed will increase a little.
The most frequent causes I have seen here are seized fan and broken wiring between the fan relay and the ecu.
P.S. The fan can probably come on with the ignition OFF if the motor is hot enough. Best practice is to disconnect the battery before sticking you fingers near the fan. It may be plastic but can still do serious damage.
 
Last edited:
Digger58 makes a good point about the fan. Someone here coined the term 'the silent killer'.
In normal operation the fan seldom comes on. If it does fail you may not be aware until the day the car overheats when you get stuck in a summer traffic jam.
As part of the annual service with the ignition OFF I check that the fan is free and then I disconnect the temperature sensor with the car running ( ignition ON will do it as well ) and the car should respond by putting the fan on within ten seconds and the idle speed will increase a little.
The most frequent causes I have seen here are seized fan and broken wiring between the fan relay and the ecu.
P.S. The fan can probably come on with the ignition OFF if the motor is hot enough. Best practice is to disconnect the battery before sticking you fingers near the fan. It may be plastic but can still do serious damage.

Yes, you are quite right.

But yearly checking the fan, will not give much guarantee, except for that one day you do it.
Changing the fan will to some extent give you a guarantee it works.
Every 5'th year, or... ?
I've had 3 HG blows.
One in the old Punto.
In only one instance, did the temp-gauge show the heating in advance, but it was the waves of steam, that told me, that something was terribly wrong.
With the Punto there was no rise in temp and not that much steam, until I stopped the car (due to the noise).
The fan worked perfectly !

BUT, if the car has been running hot at some point, then:
1. Fix the cooling issue (radiator, fan, collapsed hose, waterpump, coolant...)
2. Renew coolant and engine oil.
If the heating was more serious:
3: Have the heads done (incl. new seatings) and new HG and change the crankshaft-/pistonrod bearings.
4: Change the thermostat.
5: Change the waterpump (heated bearings...) and then the timing belt as well.

Never underestimate the destructive power of a hot engine !

I've met one engine, where heating made, that the pistons them self, could hardly be moved inside the cylinders.

Thanks all for joining.

I think that I'll stick with my list:

Weekly:
Check oil and COOLANT (level and color)

Every 80000km (48000 miles):
When it's time to change Timingbelt and Waterpump,
also change Thermostat and Head Gasket !

IF your car runs hot, check the fan.
IF your car runs cold, check the thermostat.
 
There are a few subtle signs of HG failure that might help decide when to go in early to avoid overheating.
Very slight misfire at cold idle.
Unexplained coolant loss.
One or more spark plugs a different ' steam cleaned' colour.
 
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