Head gasket failure - Still useable?

  1. Established Member Joined: Aug 2009 Colchester/Harwich, Essex Posts: 2208 EG Civic Turbo & CRX Del Sol VTi
    #1
    I think my HG's been on its way out for a while now.
    Had an oil leak for a few weeks, and have had crap in the coolant for a long time; but have presumed it wasn't gone as the oil filler cap was clean.

    Only just today have I got mayo on cap. So it looks like I'm facing the inevitable.

    My problem is, ideally I'd need to get it to my parent's house to get it fixed - which is ~20 miles away.

    So will the car still be drivable that distance, or should I suck it up and book it into a garage near where I live?

    Also, the engine's on 130k, but still pulls strong. Is it worth getting it fixed at all (given the mileage), or would I be best off dropping another lump in there? (8v or 16v)
  2. Established Member Joined: Nov 2008 Eastbourne Posts: 2474 Astra van daily Black Saxo VTR 16v'd kent PT51
    #2
    From a garage you are looking at a couple of hundred quid to do the gasket, imo you may as well drop the S lump in.
  3. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0
    #3
    Yeh you can drive it 20 miles like that as long as it's not getting really hot, or starting to lock up due to the water getting in the Cylinder. That's what mine did, you'll hear it chugging when it's cold.

    And well if it still runs well, why not get it fixed I don't think there's any reason to get rid of a good engine just because if a Blown Gasket
  4. Established Member Joined: Oct 2010 Rednal Posts: 1943 Vauxhall Vectra VW Golf Mk4 Honda Prelude
    #4
    Its ok to drive it 20miles, as above dont let it get hot.
    And depending on how much your paying, either at a garage or privatly could be worth getting a lower mileage engine.
  5. Established Member Joined: Aug 2009 Colchester/Harwich, Essex Posts: 2208 EG Civic Turbo & CRX Del Sol VTi
    #5
    Thanks for the replies.

    Yeah I will be fixing it myself if I can get it to Colchester (parent's house). I don't have any tools/garage space at mine to do it - so if it wouldn't get that far, I'd pay someone to do it up here.

    The strange thing is that it hasn't got hot at all. It does reach ~3/4 when I'm sat in traffic for 15mins or more, then the fan kicks in and takes it back down. But driving continuously, it stays below 1/2.
    *touch wood

    Think what I'm going to do is try find myself a tidy VTS, then fix the VTR and sell it on.