head gaskets gone!! what should i do!

1. jacko18 Established Member Joined: Oct 2006 Oswestry Posts: 1622 saxo vtr R reg dark grey

   #1 8th May 2007, 17:29

   help please my head gasket has gone on my saxo 1998 vtr!! whats the cost involved in gettin it sorted
   
   is it worth getting a new engine??? eg vts??
   
   help please!!!
   
   jacko
2. MaRiO89 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 7705 Saxo VTS

   #2 8th May 2007, 17:32

   Fix it..
   
   VTS it if you can afford insurance but if you cant just fix it.. not the end of the world..
   
   Defo headgasket yeh?
3. mallboy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2005 Wolverhampton Posts: 3000 MK1 VTR TURBO

   #3 8th May 2007, 17:32

   headgaskets aint that major. my mate only charged me £50 and the most expensive quote i got was 400. just get it changed unless you want a new engine?
4. jacko18 Established Member Joined: Oct 2006 Oswestry Posts: 1622 saxo vtr R reg dark grey

   #4 8th May 2007, 17:37

   £50 that aint bad! iv been quoted 300 by my local garage.was yours with the head skimmed and everythin?? i can afford vts insurance but i cant aford to vts it at the moment.
5. devilsadvocate Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2006 Maidstone Posts: 8210 Golf TDI

   #5 8th May 2007, 17:37

   Depends on the garage. Doesnt usually warrant a new engine. When the one went on my old car it cost £125 including parts and labour and a new cam belt. Go to a smaller independant garage becuase you are likely to get a cheaper quote. Phone as manay as possible and all of them will be able to give you a quote.
   
   All garages can gve you an estimate of how much it is going to cost. Any garage that says to you 'oh it depends on how long it takes' is trying to rip you off. They all have a book time for each job and they know how long they take so will be able to give you a rough estimate.
6. jacko18 Established Member Joined: Oct 2006 Oswestry Posts: 1622 saxo vtr R reg dark grey

   #6 8th May 2007, 17:43

   i will ring round a load of independant garages tomorw to get the cheapest.im just stuck in two minds on what to do so i might save a vts it and just have the pain of using my 205 for a while or get it fixed soon an have the car back.
7. mallboy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2005 Wolverhampton Posts: 3000 MK1 VTR TURBO

   #7 8th May 2007, 17:48

   50 was just albour and skimming, you have to consider cambelt, rocker gasket and maybe new head bolts. like everyone else says, best to look around get quotes as they can vary quite much in price
8. kornlover30 Established Member Joined: May 2006 Bordon, between Guildford & Portsmouth Posts: 1241 306 GTi 6, Group N 205 GTi 1.9 Fast road / Track c

   #8 8th May 2007, 17:50

   As long as theres no cracks in the head, its realy not the end of the world! very easy and strait forward job but should be undertaken by pro's!!!
9. rob_s Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Jun 2005 Bloody Bradford init.. Posts: 3649 VW CADDY/VX MOKKA

   #9 8th May 2007, 17:59

   i did one on my punto was a piece of piss,not sure how long it lasted like as i sold it a week later :lol:
   
   but as said its not the end of the world
10. MaRiO89 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 7705 Saxo VTS

    #10 8th May 2007, 18:00

    shouldnt have cracked the head on an aluminium block etc.. aslong as the temp light didnt go on there will be no warp in the head or block so should be ok..
11. mallboy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2005 Wolverhampton Posts: 3000 MK1 VTR TURBO

    #11 8th May 2007, 18:03

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by James_Bristol shouldnt have cracked the head on an aluminium block etc.. aslong as the temp light didnt go on there will be no warp in the head or block so should be ok..

    what happens if the temp light comes on, as it happened to me when my radiator popped so i quickly changed it. my car seems to run a little higher temp now but my headgasket is reasonably new. do you reckon my head has cracked?
12. MaRiO89 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 7705 Saxo VTS

    #12 8th May 2007, 18:09

    no, my light came on once and its been ok, you wont crack an aluminium block or head, only warp it through heat.
    
    When the light is on that means 100 degrees has been reached iirc and aslong as you stop and turn it off or cool it somehow asap should be ok, just driving for a while like it will wank it!
    
    you would know if it was warped, would probs leak oil like a twat etc.. dont worry about it.
13. mallboy Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2005 Wolverhampton Posts: 3000 MK1 VTR TURBO

    #13 8th May 2007, 18:12

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by James_Bristol no, my light came on once and its been ok, you wont crack an aluminium block or head, only warp it through heat. When the light is on that means 100 degrees has been reached iirc and aslong as you stop and turn it off or cool it somehow asap should be ok, just driving for a while like it will wank it! you would know if it was warped, would probs leak oil like a twat etc.. dont worry about it.

    cheers mate, i got worried then coz my temp is always at 3/4
14. MaRiO89 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 7705 Saxo VTS

    #14 8th May 2007, 18:14

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mallboy cheers mate, i got worried then coz my temp is always at 3/4

    No worries.
    
    My temp goes upto 3/4's and slightly more when ranted, drops back to half when i lift off though.
15. BenSilverSaxo Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2006 Keighley, West Yorkshire & Coventry Posts: 3416 Lupo gti

    #15 8th May 2007, 18:24

    said it was your head didnt i, do it yourself mate its not that hard if not dont pay anymore than £250, should only cost £50 for it skimming!
16. Tobs Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2005 London Posts: 3416

    #16 8th May 2007, 18:32

    not the end of the world mate head gaskets go all the time on cars just either
    
    1.change it ur self with friends help or someone that can do it
    2.take it to a garage try search for cheapest quote
    3. i duno just not the end of ur cars life
17. BANG-1124 L-plater Joined: Dec 2006 Sherburn-in-Elmet Posts: 67 white 98 1.1

    #17 8th May 2007, 18:55

    do it yourself
    
    me n my dad did it on mine a couple of weeks ago.. it took 10 hours... but only cost 30quid for the actual gasket
18. jacko18 Established Member Joined: Oct 2006 Oswestry Posts: 1622 saxo vtr R reg dark grey

    #18 8th May 2007, 18:55

    thanks everyone i think the next plan of action is ring round and get decent quotes,then get it done and sell it.was thinking of getting rid tho soon so will sell up when its fixed and go for something with 16v maybe
19. Tobs Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2005 London Posts: 3416

    #19 8th May 2007, 19:14

    fix it urself matey hardess part is setting timeing
20. jacko18 Established Member Joined: Oct 2006 Oswestry Posts: 1622 saxo vtr R reg dark grey

    #20 8th May 2007, 19:23

    im not that good on big engine work mate i could never do it alone i dont have the tools i dont think