possible head gasket failure

[oli1vw 0]

Hi

 

Thanks for reading and possibly helping

 

I have overheating issue that started yesterday. I managed to limp home and give the car some time to cool down yesterday

 

This morning I have replaced any water lost from radiator from the day before( I had opened the water bottle but steam had gushed out so I had just left it to cool down normally with some steam able to escape. )

 

Today I have put about 2l of water in to the radiator system. The car ran fine but overheated within 15 minutes of slow easing driving and when I came to a stop at work, there was lots of steam and water dropping to the ground from the bottom of the water bottle.

 

So questions are, likely problem, and if it is a headgasket job, what else do I consider doing at same time as I know this costs money but if I get a faster car back it ain't all bad

 

Thoughts and comments gratefully appreciated. I am having the car trailered to a garage later today

 

Oli

[Supercharged 2]

What car and engine do you have?

 

Have you got the newer Blue cap?

 

Sure it's not the thermostat stuck shut - sounds like it if it overheats in 15 mins.

 

Check the radiator is getting hot - especially the bottom hose and also that the fan is working.

[Sonicriot13 0]

You getting any white smoke from the exhaust after the car has been for a run? Mayo under the oil filler cap? Is there still pressure in the cooling system even when the car is cold?

[Reggit 0]

Supercharged beat me to it - check the 'stat isn't stuck shut.

[oli1vw 0]

Again guys, your response always impresses.

 

car is 95 vr6

 

Plan at mo is to run car unitl it gets hot and then check water pipe temperature compared to raidator temperature, if radiator cold then issue is thermostat is how a friedn explained it.

I have checked the oil and there is no emulsion on either filler cap or on dipstick

 

Oli

[Sonicriot13 0]

If you're not getting any of the other symptoms associated with a blown head gasket then I would go with thermostat failure as suggested. I've just repaired a head gasket on my golf and that was overheating, using a LOT of coolant, producing white smoke constantly, using oil, had mayo coming out of everywhere, always had pressure in the cooling system no matter how long I left it and I had caught it pretty early as I had a feeling it was on the cards. You know when a head gasket is gone usually. All those symptoms by themselves can be caused by something else but when you get them all at once it's time to get the splined sockets out! :lol:

[oli1vw 0]

the main issue I have is being a non-mechanically minded accoutant ( maybe it is just being an accoutant )

 

I like to drive fast and there ends my engineering knowledge and practical abilities

 

I have a friend to do the headgasket test but after that it is costing me money.

 

If it is costing me money ( possibly lots ) I would defintely like a faster car back with upgraded parts where possible

 

This is where advice will be useful to suggest performance improvements

 

Also has anybody got recent prices for a headgasket rebuild?

 

Your opninions much sought and appreciated

 

Oli

[oli1vw 0]

the main issue I have is being a non-mechanically minded accoutant ( maybe it is just being an accoutant )

 

I like to drive fast and there ends my engineering knowledge and practical abilities

 

I have a friend to do the headgasket test but after that it is costing me money.

 

If it is costing me money ( possibly lots ) I would defintely like a faster car back with upgraded parts where possible

 

This is where advice will be useful to suggest performance improvements

 

Also has anybody got recent prices for a headgasket rebuild?

 

Your opinions much sought and appreciated

 

Oli

[dirtytorque 0]

ok,do the simple stuff first.

 

reach under the car after it has run up to temp and check that the bottom hose is geting warm as above.

even an accountant can manage that i bet. :)

 

Thermostat is a lot cheaper than a headgasket change. :salute:

[Supercharged 2]

It won't be the HG - they hardly ever fail on VR6's.

 

I'm sure this is a cooling system issue - check both water pumps are working too

[oli1vw 0]

i think my friends with golfs are winding me up a touch,especially as they are generally 2 lite 16v, jealousy

[Sonicriot13 0]

It won't be the HG - they hardly ever fail on VR6's.

 

Those sound like famous last words mate! :lol:

 

I'm sure it's not the HG too though. And you can tell your friends with Golfs that the only person who replied to your head gasket thread on the Corrado Forum who had changed one recently did so on a Golf no less! :lol: Speaks volumes....

[timthetinyhorse 0]

i have this exact same problm appart from that i dont get any steam, its happened once before but gone away but recently it has beome more regular, fan wont kick in as the pipes are ool on the inlet side to the radiator whilst the other side is red hot, going to change the stat on saturday so will let you know te results, mine is a 9A so not sure if the result will be similar

[nickeboy 0]

im sure you have fixed it by now but i had this problem for ages and it turned out to be the water pump, mine did all kind of weird things overheating when slow, but better on the open road, the fan kicked in at weird times etc etc, but when i took out the water pump there was no blades left, it was the old plastic kind which had been replace 6 years before so i though it would be ok, put a new one in, runs perfectly, or should i say did that was a year ago, i am now in the middle of replacing the head gasket as it started blowing white smoke rings out the back, literaly smoke rings it was impressive, any way have the head of now and on the way found broken upper chain tentioner, i am doing it my self and so far it has cost me 300 pounds, with a further 200 for the head to be skimmed and new seals put in etc,