Technical Punto Head Gasket

[Harry]

My Punto is losing all it's coolant over the course of a few days, and is now starting to sound like a tractor. I've replaced the thermostat and the expansion tank cap, but no change. How do I definitively know if my Engine Head Gasket has 'gone'? If it has, should I get a Fiat dealer to undertake the work or will any good mechanic be adequate (and cheaper)? What price are we talking?

Do share...

Harry

 

[Evil-Punto]

Thats and easy one, depending on how long its been doing it. Open the oil cap and have a look inside, if its like a load of mayonaise it means water is in your oil.

A head gasket is almost the same on any car so if you know a good mech I would recommend using them and not fiat.

 

[puntopaul]

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If your punto is misfiring at low revs and is difficult to start after it has stood it is the head gasket. There may also be lots of water vapour coming out the exhaust and mayonaise in the cam cover.
I have had this problem twice on my punto.Both times there was also damage/erosion to the cylinder head on the inlet side of cylinder one that meant the head requiring skiming by a machine shop.I seems this is a common problem and has been posted on many newsgroups etc, but no one seems to be able o give a definitive answer as to why puntos suffer from so many blown head gaskets.I took the head off myself, with cost of machining and new head gasket set and bolts it cost me just over £100. Probable cost at a garage would be no less than £200, depending on condition of head.
Good look, get it done and sell cos it will happen again!!

Puntopaul

 

[dave]

Make sure they fit new head bolts and skim the head then it likley to last longer.

 

[John H]

Regarding the common failure of head gaskets...

I've heard it is commonly due to poorly bled cooling systems when the antifreeze mixture is changed by the garage: the antifreeze doesn't keep its anti-corrosion properties much beyond 2 or 3 years - so it is a service change item. If you don't bleed the system carefully, and completely, you get localised overheating and the alloy head warps.
Blown gasket.

QED.

Or, if you leave the antifreeze in forever you get corrosion damage near steel and alloy fittings - thin bits under great stress fail.


Buggered if you do, and buggered if you don't B)

 

[Harry]

Well, I've taken my beast into a Fiat Dealer, and they've joyfully told me that my Head Gasket is starting to leak, as is my front shock absorber. Quote for the work - £475.70, ouch!!! Thankyou for your kind words... [:0]

 

[Evil-Punto]

Why did you go to a Fiat dealer? Are you rich?

 

[dave]

yeah do the job your self follow the haynes manual and you can't go wrong by a headset with new bolts get the head skimed fit a new cam belt (you have to take belt off anyway) you will save at least £300. even if you haven't done one before the punto engine is an easy one to start with.

 

[puntopaul]

Harry
Did the Fiat garage offer any explanation as to why the head gasket had gone?
It is a reasonably easy job to do yourself.Yellow pages should list some machine shops/engine reconditioners who could machine the head. Do not keep running the engine as any damage to the head will only get worse.
If you do try it yourself no need to remove injector etc from inlet manifold just unbolt the manifold and you can move the whole assembly back enough to lift off cylinder head.Do use new head bolts as they are classed as stretch bolts and should not be reused.
puntopaul

 

[sam]

hi every one
verry happy to meet this forum
im in the process of replacing the hrad gasket and looking for the torquing figures of the head bolts
i also need the timing marks
p.s
it is advisable to replace the water pump at the same time even if it is in a good condition since you dont want to do the timing process again in a couple of months
by the way my fiayt blew its head (not the gasket) after 180000 k so im quite sattisfied

 

[dave]

The torquing for 8v single ohc 1242cc engine are stage one 30Nm or 22lbf ft. second stage angle tighten further 90 degreese third stage angle tighten a thurther 90 degrese (best to use an angle gauge) tightining orber is.
8625,10
73149.
Rember you must use new bolts.
Best if you give me an email address so i can send a picture of timing marks.

 

[sam]

good morning dave
my e mail is
[email protected]
can you also add the timing specs or a pic/diagram ?
many thanks in advance

 

[dave]

Sam i have sent photo let us know if it's ok.

 

[jonno]

In regard to tightening order for head bolts which is number 1 and so on.

 

[dave]

see above imagin that the numbers are bolts the first one you gighten is the one in the middle at the front so 1 is the first one you tighten then follow the numbers to tighten the rest, you must tighten them all in that order to the first stage then tighten them all in that order again to the second stage then again for the third stage.

 

[jonno]

whoops!! I tightened them in a different order but to the right torque settings.

 

[swatson]

I had my head gasket replaced after 44,000 miles on my 1999 60S Punto. Ever since i've had that done its started to sound rough, and theres a loud clicking noise coming from the black casing where the head gasket is.

Garage where I had it done have had a look at it and say its fine, any ideas anyone?

 

[dave]

<blockquote id="quote"> face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jonno
whoops!! I tightened them in a different order but to the right torque settings.

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Best you losen them all of in reverse order to that shown then start again. You are suposed to remove them in the reverse order anyway. suposted to losen in reverse half a turn each then remove them. If you dont loosen them in the corect order its more likly that the head will warp.

 

[Girth]

Alright chaps,

I have been reading this forum for some time and I've finally saved up enough to get a Punto; S60 1.2 1998 with 27k on the clock. One thing I'm worried about though is that from other's experience, the head gasket is probably gonna go within the next 10k.

John H has already mentioned that you should ensure the coolant system is bled properly. Does anyone know any other ways to prevent damage and prolong the life? Would driving 'nicely' make a difference.

Thanks in advance.

Always keep a cool head!

 

[dave]

<blockquote id="quote"> face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Girth
Alright chaps,

I have been reading this forum for some time and I've finally saved up enough to get a Punto; S60 1.2 1998 with 27k on the clock. One thing I'm worried about though is that from other's experience, the head gasket is probably gonna go within the next 10k.

John H has already mentioned that you should ensure the coolant system is bled properly. Does anyone know any other ways to prevent damage and prolong the life? Would driving 'nicely' make a difference.

Thanks in advance.

Always keep a cool head!
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use anti-freeze all year round change it every 6 months if you have to top up use anti-freeze and water mix don't just use water.
regular oil changes don't just change the oil flush engine aswell.