Important! : is my headgasket going?

1. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

   #1 8th January 2011, 14:17

   hello people
   
   just checked my oil and ive got creamy white stuff on the end of my dipstick and in the oil cap, but i dont think im loosing water, is my headgasket going?
   thanks
2. Matt-T Established Member Joined: Oct 2010 Rednal Posts: 1943 Vauxhall Vectra VW Golf Mk4 Honda Prelude

   #2 8th January 2011, 14:18

   Sounds like it mate. Any smoke out the exhaust?
3. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

   #3 8th January 2011, 14:20

   not anymore than usual i dont think mate
4. danny-vts Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2010 Chesterfield/Nottingham Posts: 7147 dead vts. twisted 106 gti. '03' vtrrrr

   #4 8th January 2011, 14:20

   sounds like head gasket to me
5. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

   #5 8th January 2011, 14:21

   not good its not been overheating or anything
6. Matt-T Established Member Joined: Oct 2010 Rednal Posts: 1943 Vauxhall Vectra VW Golf Mk4 Honda Prelude

   #6 8th January 2011, 14:23

   There easy to do tbf mate, could do it yourself if you have the tools and abit of knowhow..
7. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

   #7 8th January 2011, 14:23

   yeah ive helped do a few in a garage i used to work in, its just money i could do without spending
8. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

   #8 8th January 2011, 14:29

   is there any guides on here how to do it? and anyone know where to get the parts cheap?
9. Matt-T Established Member Joined: Oct 2010 Rednal Posts: 1943 Vauxhall Vectra VW Golf Mk4 Honda Prelude

   #9 8th January 2011, 14:35

   Try them
   http://www.eurocarparts.com/
   
   Free del
10. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

    #10 8th January 2011, 14:36

    just looked on there at a gasket set but it set without headgasket lol, found one on ebay for like £26 quid
11. Jack Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 937 NA

    #11 8th January 2011, 14:40

    Sometimes you get white gunk under the oil cap if you do a lot of short journeys, so it might be that, especially in winter.
12. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

    #12 8th January 2011, 14:41

    could be as i do do alot of short journeys, but its on the dipstick aswell?
13. Jack Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 937 NA

    #13 8th January 2011, 14:45

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by adamf0707 could be as i do do alot of short journeys, but its on the dipstick aswell?

    I'm not to sure about the dipstick tbh, if you're not loosing coolant and its not overheating I would say its ok IMO.
    
    Maybe do a compression test as well. The TU engines don't use a lot of oil so keep an eye to see if that goes down as well.
14. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

    #14 8th January 2011, 14:47

    yeah thats what i thought, not loosing water or overheating, i guess ill just have to see how it goes
15. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

    #15 8th January 2011, 16:04

    anyone else got any views on this? i dont seem to be loosing water, and the car isnt over heating, but theres white creamy stuff on the end of my dipstick and in the oil cap
16. user_40784 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Jan 2010 London Posts: 2768

    #16 8th January 2011, 16:05

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by adamf0707 but its on the dipstick aswell?

    Ive seen many creamy deposits on the cap from short cold journeys but never on the dipstick aswell...whats the state of the coolant inside the coolant tank?
17. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

    #17 8th January 2011, 16:06

    seems to be ok, i topped it up but didnt take much at all, and havnt topped it up since owning it which has been about a month.
18. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

    #18 8th January 2011, 16:11

    also, theres hardly any oil in the engine, could this be anything to do with it?
19. marc24 Infrequent Poster Joined: Nov 2010 sunderland Posts: 161 Citoren Saxo 1.4 Furio Chipped

    #19 8th January 2011, 19:46

    Not to hijack thread but how to you do the compression test??
    
    Also i do alot of short journeys and have gunk on oil cap not checked dipstick will check tomorow. Be interested on how to do compression test.
20. Railroader Established Member Joined: Dec 2009 Bolton Posts: 1068 Saxo 1.4i sx

    #20 8th January 2011, 21:28

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by adamf0707 also, theres hardly any oil in the engine, could this be anything to do with it?

    Why not put some oil in? Call me eccentric
21. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

    #21 10th January 2011, 14:48

    the cars off the road untaxed at the moment, but i do plan on putting some oil in it soon, anyone else got any views on this?
22. benJee_VTR Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Apr 2008 Cowbit, LINCS Posts: 2688 Audi S3

    #22 11th January 2011, 20:05

    Over the winter maybe its just got damp and got a bit of water in? Mine had a bit of a white deposit on top, just gave it a few long journeys and did an oil change and its been fine since!
    
    If its not overheating, no smoke etc i dont reccon its HG. Also if you put additives in like Lucas oil stabilizer it can sometimes rise to the top if you dont drive it for a while, looking like the creamy deposit!
23. benJee_VTR Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Apr 2008 Cowbit, LINCS Posts: 2688 Audi S3

    #23 11th January 2011, 20:05

    Over the winter maybe its just got damp and got a bit of water in? Mine had a bit of a white deposit on top, just gave it a few long journeys and did an oil change and its been fine since!
    
    If its not overheating, no smoke etc i dont reccon its HG. Also if you put additives in like Lucas oil stabilizer it can sometimes rise to the top if you dont drive it for a while, looking like the creamy deposit!
24. wesley-saxo Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2010 portsmouth Posts: 796 corsa sxi saxo

    #24 12th January 2011, 00:32

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by benJee_VTR Over the winter maybe its just got damp and got a bit of water in? Mine had a bit of a white deposit on top, just gave it a few long journeys and did an oil change and its been fine since! If its not overheating, no smoke etc i dont reccon its HG. Also if you put additives in like Lucas oil stabilizer it can sometimes rise to the top if you dont drive it for a while, looking like the creamy deposit!

    he's right mine has same problem
25. bourney Infrequent Poster Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 121

    #25 12th January 2011, 10:38

    as said on the cap is normal, especially in this weather causing condensation. I dont know about citroens but vauxhalls and fords tend to breathe heavy which would cause gunk on the cap. However gunk on the dipstick means alot of your oil is contaminated. So i would say head gasket. Pressurise your coolant, if the pressure drops off then check for a leak, if you cant find one then it can only be leaking into the engine
26. adamf0707 Established Member Joined: Oct 2008 louth, lincolnshire Posts: 1267 94 eg civic

    #26 12th January 2011, 11:36

    thanks for the help people, well a mate of mine says his mums boyfriend has got a pressure tester or something that can check for it, but ive got really low oil, maybe thats why its on the dipstick?