Help, possibly head gasket gone!!!

1. Mikee-88 L-plater Joined: Sep 2010 lake district Posts: 94 Saxo Vts

   #1 28th September 2010, 09:03

   Well i just bought a saxo westcoast, drove it back home for 2 n half hour drive and the car didnt overheat etc... But i was checking it all over yesterday and had a look in the engine coolant reservoir and it had brown sludge in it. Now i dont know whether that is the gasket gone because there is no sign of an oil leaks and there is no mayo looking stuff where you refill the oil or on the dipstick... Anyone got any clues on what it could be?? And is it an expensive do?
   Thanks
2. Mikee-88 L-plater Joined: Sep 2010 lake district Posts: 94 Saxo Vts

   #2 28th September 2010, 10:45

   Please can somebody help?
3. FunkyDave Infrequent Poster Joined: Jun 2010 Preston, Lancashire Posts: 235 2001 Renault Megane 1.9DTi

   #3 28th September 2010, 11:29

   Try flushing out the cooling system. My 1.1 had that stuff and we did a comp test and found no leaks and there was no other HGF signs. Could just be that the coolant hasn't been changed for donkeys
4. rossvtr07 L-plater Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 45

   #4 28th September 2010, 11:29

   hi there, don't think its your head gone mine went not so long ago and couldn't drive it without it overheating! think you just need to give your cooling system a flush
5. Mikee-88 L-plater Joined: Sep 2010 lake district Posts: 94 Saxo Vts

   #5 28th September 2010, 11:48

   Well thanks very much, quite a few ppl have told me it could be that. But few have said it may b the hg about to go or there is a crack in the gasket... I havent got a clue haha.
6. kinsey92 Newbie Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 5

   #6 28th September 2010, 12:02

   hey m8 er mine does that too, but my dad is a mechanic and he says its something to do with condensation when you've got ur foot down like haha
7. Mikee-88 L-plater Joined: Sep 2010 lake district Posts: 94 Saxo Vts

   #7 28th September 2010, 12:07

   O.o thanks for that comment ill keep that in mind. Just would like to hear from other people and see if theyve had this problem too. Thanks
8. xDaNx Infrequent Poster Joined: Oct 2009 Denaby Main, Doncaster Posts: 220 Corsa C SRI 1.8

   #8 28th September 2010, 16:03

   Mine went a browny colour since I used radweld, maybe the previous owner used that?
9. NickWard Newbie Joined: Sep 2010 huddersfield Posts: 22 Saxo VTR 1.6 1997

   #9 28th September 2010, 16:07

   Mickee
   
   Any white smoke from exhaust in a big way?
10. yetisvtr Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2008 milton keynes Posts: 334 saxo mk1 vtr in posssiiiii blue

    #10 28th September 2010, 16:09

    i think it is just old coolant as when you fill up coolant you use tap water and what happens when you boil tap water or get it hot like in a kettle you get that lime scaly crap,i think that what it is.
    it just means i 'think' the coolant hasnt been done in a long while,if your lucky and it is that just draining the old coolant out,flushing it and put new stuff in should do the trick.
11. Mikee-88 L-plater Joined: Sep 2010 lake district Posts: 94 Saxo Vts

    #11 28th September 2010, 16:17

    Thanks guys N dan i dont know if they did use radweld and nick there isnt any sign of white smoke but if there was then what would the problem be? And thanks yeti. Am gonna flush it all out next week when i finally come off my ban n i can drive again so i will keep everyone informed. Thanks again ppl
12. NickWard Newbie Joined: Sep 2010 huddersfield Posts: 22 Saxo VTR 1.6 1997

    #12 28th September 2010, 16:40

    big clouds of white smoke on startup can be head gasket....
    
    previously had 3 series beamer gasket went and huge clouds of white smoke
    
    VTR has just gone and again big clouds of white smoke from exhaust
    
    Hope all turns out well on your motor....
13. user_36974 Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2009 Manchester Posts: 570 Mercury Grey VT?

    #13 28th September 2010, 18:06

    could just be old coolant. could be worth a compression test to be sure.
    *white smoke on start up can also be condensation and should clear* my head gasket went and it was white smoke all the time.
14. user_43180 Regular Poster Joined: Apr 2010 West Dorset Posts: 271 205 GRDT

    #14 28th September 2010, 18:24

    mine has the same, and runs fine apart from this. How hard is it to flush the coolant?
15. twoker1986 L-plater Joined: Jul 2010 oswestry Posts: 33 205 gti 1.6 graphite grey saxo 1.4 furio orange

    #15 28th September 2010, 23:26

    very common on pug an citroen tu engines mate mine is like it but seems to run fine