Timbo 0 Posted May 10, 2008 Hi, new VR6 owner here; I finally gave in :D. Should I be concerned about this much oil around the head gasket? The pictures make it look slightly worse than it is due to the flash, but it still has me worried. There is also a whiff of coolant through the heater when accelerating hard, would this be a companion symptom of a problem? I can't see any coolant leaks (I fixed one on the radiator elbow, but it hasn't made the smell go away), but I'm suspicious of the heater matrix as I've been lead to believe it's a problem part on Corrados. The exhaust is a little moist, but not smokey; this may just be the cat? I'm gonna go and see if I can spot any signs of emulsion on the head once it's cooled down, but any advice/insight would be greatly appreciated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Timbo 0 Posted May 10, 2008 I couldn't see any obvious white goo through the filler cap... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dukest 0 Posted May 10, 2008 not an expert but i do know that nearly all VR6s weep a little oil on the left hand side of the head, so that part i wouldn't worry about :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Timbo 0 Posted May 12, 2008 Thanks, that puts my mind at rest a little. I still have to figure out where the coolant smell is coming from though... :shrug: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
was8v 0 Posted May 12, 2008 yeah mine weeps a little from there but shows good compression and doesn't appear to use much oil at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinkus 10 Posted May 12, 2008 If you've got a spurious coolant smell, my guess would be a crack in the thermostat housing (just down and slightly under the right-hand end of the inlet type area :lol: ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted May 12, 2008 Yep, VRs do "sweat" a bit of oil from that end of the head. In that corner under plug no 1 is where the oil is pumped up from the pump under high pressure, so I guess there's a slight flaw / machining tolerance issue there. Nothing to worry about. A coolant smell under acceleration could be an early indication of the heater matrix about to go. They tend to seep a bit first. Tell tale signs are steam on the windscreen....even in summer! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
H8RRA 0 Posted May 12, 2008 A coolant smell under acceleration could be an early indication of the heater matrix about to go. They tend to seep a bit first. Tell tale signs are steam on the windscreen....even in summer! ...... and sadly just as much a ballsache as the head gasket to do - in fact, i'd much prefer to do the head as the heater matrix..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neil VR6 0 Posted May 12, 2008 A coolant smell under acceleration could be an early indication of the heater matrix about to go. They tend to seep a bit first. Tell tale signs are steam on the windscreen....even in summer! Or like me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Timbo 0 Posted May 12, 2008 Presumably a heater matrix inspection/replacement is a dashboard off job? :( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neil VR6 0 Posted May 12, 2008 As fair as I’m aware – the diagnosis of a heater matrix “about to fail” is impossible. They just go unexpectedly. Mine went after a coolant flush and bleed – must have been the last straw. When it was replaced it transpired it wasn’t on it’s original one either so it’s now on its third one (K reg with 125K). However, I’m sure there are older cars than mine on the original one. It’s a weak point on VRs in particular and I don’t think you can buy an uprated one. It is a dash out job to do it properly though. Parts are about £120 plus the G12+ and labour is pretty much a full day. You’re looking at ca £600. Mine still smells of coolant when the heater’s on although that’s just the old leaked fluid which still smells a bit – the smell’s getting less and less all the time though. You can bypass the matrix though if you make up a U tube arrangement which you connect to the feed and return which runs through the bulkhead (middle of the bulkhead in the engine bay at the top). If you think it’s going to go it might be worth making a tube up so you get always get yourself home with a bit of a botch job. Depends on how mechanically minded you are though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Timbo 0 Posted June 9, 2008 This did indeed turn out to be the heater matrix... and what a total mare of a job it was to replace too. The old one was seeping/rusting at the top, and there was a little puddle of black antifreeze/water/crap/rust/leaves/hair at the bottom of the distribution box. Besides some antifreeze getting impregnated into the little paddles that direct the air around, that was it, so I reckon I've got pretty lucky all things considered. A little bit more rust and it would have gone pop properly. Anyway, thanks for all the advice and I sincerely hope I never have to remove the dash ever again :clap:. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neil VR6 0 Posted June 10, 2008 Glad it's all sorted now. At least you shouldn't have to do it again whilst you own the car Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
