106 XND consuming masses of coolant.

Hi,

My 'L' reg 106 XND 1.4 has recently started guzzling a _full_ expansion tank
of coolant, every time I take it out. I've discovered that the tank isn't leaking,
by simply leaving it over night. However, when I start the car up, a nozzle on
the side of the coolant expasnion tank screwcap lets out coolant. This happens
within maybe 20 seconds of starting the car, so I don't think it's overheating or
reaching a very high pressure. Could the screwcap be faulty, or is this caused
by something else?

Thanks for yur time.

 

Could be head gasket going/gone.

jim

 

Probably the head gasket mate...

Same thing happened to my Mum's one.

 

headgasket more than likely. Simple test is with the engine warm and no
pressure in the expansion bottle start the engine. run it for 2 minutes and
then open the expansion bottle. It shouldn't have too much pressure. also
check the oil. Is is clear or have creamy streaks in it. The cream is water
in the oil. Is the water clear or brown and oily?
It isn't a totally bastard job to change the head gasket if you know a
little about cars. About 4 hours work max. Gaskets about £7

Simon

 

Ok, thanks for your help. I'll look into this, and let you know how I get on.
Thanks again.

-Mark

 

headgasket more than likely. Simple test is with the engine warm and no

Unless it needs skimming
I fear mine has gone.. expansion bottle has a creamyish layer of oil-like
stuff around the edge.
Other than that no signs, but.. thats proof enough really.

Im pretty sure it blew when the radiator emptied itself out of the heater
return pipe on the way home.

 

Yeah, it turns out the coolant is dirty from the oil, it has streaks in it
like somebody mentioned. I've been quoted £500 to £600 for the
repairs, which is probably more than the car is worth now.

What are my options for getting rid of it? It's my first car.

-Mark

 

The replacement of a head gasket isn't the most difficult job in the world.
Why not invest £50-60 in a gasket set and manual and give it a go ?

 

I went to an independent garage for the head gasket on my 205 and, including
skimming costs and labour came to 265 quid as follows...

1 Set Head Bolts £ 17.06
1 Gasket Set £ 34.40
2 Ltrs Antifreeze £ 6.00
Specialist Charges £ 45.00
(Head Skim)
Labour £123.75
(4.5Hrs @ £27.50)
-------
Net Total £226.21
-------
VAT £ 39.58
-------
Invoice Total £265.79
=======

500 - 600 sounds very excessive!

Matt
--
1991 Peugeot 205 Roland Garros Cabriolet
TU3S 1.4 Carb
http://www.205rolandgarros.co.uk
2003 - Happy 20th Birthday Peugeot 205
==

 

I'm not all that good a mechanic to be honest. I have the Haynes
manual for the 106, and this job in particular looks to be the single
hardest, and longest task in the manual. Is it easier than it looks?

-Mark

 

Ok, I've had a brief look at the car today, dismantled some bits
and pieces of the engine, and managed to put it all back together,
with no pieces left over : )

I was under the impression the gasket head would be somewhere
near the topmost parts of the engine, maybe just underneath the
air filtering bits, but I couldn't see it. Maybe I'll take another look
tomorrow, now that I'm more confident in what I'm doing.

I've seen the new gasket head bits for about £30 for my Diesel
model 1.4 '93, I'm guessing the ones for about £7 would be
second-hand right?

What is this 'skimming' somebody else mentioned?

Thanks for all your help.

-Mark

 

Skimming costs £23.50 at Rotherham Rebore.

 

My local garage quotes £125 to replace head gasket including having it
skimmed.
Skimming involves the bottom of the head being lathed flat again as
sometimes if the gasket blows and the head gets hot it warps slightly (0.5mm
for instance) and so a the two halves of the engine don't meet perfectly.
This is because the lower half is cast iron and the head is alloy. However
if the engine hasn't overheated and the gasket failure is simply an age
thing you 'may' get away with it. My wifes Punto (81k on clock) head gasket
blew last week. The overheat light came on too with no water in the bottle)
Cost £5 for the gasket and 4 hours of my time (including a fair few
ciggies). Runs spot on now. If you're not confident then get a garage to do
it but shop around. Like i said £125 i was quoted for the Punto.

Simon

 

Hi,

That sounds more reasonable. The £500 to £600 quid I was quoted is from
a Peugeot garage here in Manchester. I think I'll try a few others, and see how
I fare.

I don't think its overheated. I don't have an owners manual for the car, so
I'm not sure which overheating light to look for. I'm pretty sure no warning
light has been lit. So either it hasn't overheated, or the overheating light is
broken too : )

That sounds even more reasonable : ) Is the gasket new for £5? Like I was
saying, I've been poking around in there today, and the car still works, so I
might attempt the whole thing myself, and maybe see if I can snag a mate to
lend some help. It'll depend really on how I fare ringing garages.

Thanks for your help everyone.

-Mark

 

Including labour, etc?
But then, living in Bristol, its gonna cost me the extra in fuel to get
there!

 

I've phoned every local garage I could find in the Yellow Pages. That's
16 in all. For almost half, there was no answer, or I ended up talking to
a machine. 5 were either unable to help, or unable to provide any service
(including quotes) until monday. One is going to check parts prices and
ring me back. Leaving just three, that were prepared to give quotes. All
3 of which sounded unreasonable and excessive. I also have a very broad
range of different quotes now...

Quote #1: £500 - £600! (Peugeot garage yesterday).
Quote #2: £240.
Quote #3: £250 - £300.
Qoute #4 £330 - £350

All 3 incidentally insisted that skimming would _have_ to be done, each
of them citing a different excuse. One said that not skimming was just
shoddy workmanship. Another said that not skimming often means the
job doesn't last long, and has to be redone, and the third didn't seem to
know why he advocated it. I mentioned in every case, that the car (to
the best of my knowledge) had not overheated. None of them seemed
to care. Interesting too they should insist on doing a job that is very tricky
to check up on. I think I can be roughly certain, I'll be charged for it
whether the skimming is performed or not : (

2 of the 3 giving quotes were also charging for an oil change, which if I
understand correctly _must_ be done anyway, as part of the gasket head
replacement. Same with the coolant. I think I'll leave my own oil and cool
-ant in the boot when I take the car in, and tell them to use that, rather than
overcharge me for something I already own.

Can anyone recomment an honest garage, near central Manchester?

-Mark

 

yep, including vat and labour

simon

 

Just had one done (locally) for a friend at £200 including new cambelt (good
job to do at same time apparently)

HYH

Mark

 

Hello,

The second one is right : even if the car hasn't overheated, a head control
(and skimming if necessary) is safe : it can be disformed even without
having suffered from an overheat, which, if not corrected, could mean a
quasi-instantly second head gasket to change. In general, the coolant is
changed too, because of its interval of 24 months.

 

Hello,

True, and I forgot to mention that a cambelt kit (including tensioner) sould
come with, as the cambelt has probably be used... A used cambelt (over 3000
miles, they said) should be changed.