Rocker Cover Gasket and Head Gasket

[Dub_nut_g60 0]

ok guys, had the car in the local garage recently to sort out my coolant leaks, they put a section on the invoice for 'advice' it says that my rocker cover gasket is starting to weep and the head gasket is starting to fail.

 

Im no expert but i know that the head gasket going is a biggy! if its starting to fail does it make more sense to change it before it lets go fully?

id love to do the job myself to avoid a big garage bill (but i would need some help as im no mecanic but very willing to learn), is this a weekend job or a couple of weeks work?

 

 

i would assume the rocker cover gasket is a bit of an easier job, what is involved and is it a suitable job for a novice???

 

by the way its a 1992 G60!

 

Cheers in advance

 

Andy

[h100vw 0]

Rocker gasket is a novice job. If you have no tools, you could buy the ones you need and the gasket for what the garage would charge you to change it. TBH it's not worth doing unless you are losing so much oil you have to top it up.

 

As for the HG 'failing' ask them what evidence they have for that? WHen mine went on my G60 GTI there was no warning at all, it just let go.

 

See what the say and post their answer for us.

 

The gasket is about £30 from GSF, a set of head bolts and other trivia will do another £50 or so. Might as well have the head skimmed or at least checked by an engineering firm. £40. Half a days labour to pull and refit the head, say £200 ish.

 

Total just over £300, being tight, I'd make sure my RAC is up to date, my mobile always charged and keep on driving.

 

IMO there's no point breaking open the engine unless there is clear evidence something has gone. When I did mine aI also had to get a metal water pipe to the heater. Of course it was a G60 specific dealer part. GSF price for a digifant Golf 15 quid. G60 price £40 and you have to wait 2 days.

 

Theer is always a can of worms to be opened when messing with 'old' cars. I still maintain, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

Gavin

 

Gavin

[Banana Man 0]

If the Headgasket is just starting to fail then I would personally change it now as generally when they do let go they end up mixing your coolant with your oil. It might be worth checking it's not your water/oil cooler thats causing them to diagnose a headgasket failure though as these are prone to failing and causing symptoms similar to headgasket failure ( water mixing with oil)

 

The water/oil cooler sits straight above the oil filter and has 2 coolant pipes going into it, if you do suspect this as the problem you can get a connecting pipe and connect the 2 pipes together which will bypass it so you can see if it is that thats causing the problems.

 

Is your G losing coolant and mixing with the oil which madse them suspect headgasket? Or did they do a compression test which revealed low pressures in 1 or more of the cylinders?

 

If it is a headgasket failure it would be a weekend job for a novice, my first headgasket chjange took me a full day but I got there, it's just a case of getting all the bits needed for the job, learniong where all the timing marks are and taking your time to get it right. If you've got a torque wrench and a good socket set I dont see why anyone couldn't do the job!

[samm_cvr6 0]

I changed my head gasket on my VR, but it took me a few days, with no previous knowledge. not sure about a g60, but my vr had about 4 gaskets, for inlet and exhaust valves too. I would change the rocker one aswell, particularly if you can see any trace of oil around it. Make sure you get the compression checked. My parts came to about 200 i think, valve seals and stretch bolts needed 10 i think. And check the spark plugs too for any signs of oil.

[Dub_nut_g60 0]

ok just been round to the garage, the guy said that with all coolant leaks they run a block test (makes sense) apparantly it was run for ages before anything showed up, he said it was nothing to worry about! had me a bit worried for no reason!!!

 

Rocker Cover - is it just case of undo the bolts lift off change gasket and replace as per removal?

 

i have tried to take my spark plugs out once, but they seem very tight, dont really want to force them!

[Supercharged 2]

Rocker Cover - is it just case of undo the bolts lift off change gasket and replace as per removal?

 

Yeah... you also need to remove the ISV to gain access and maybe a couple of other bits but it's fairly straight fwd...