Morning guys,

Had a pal come around yesterday to have a look at he Bug, it was nearly overheating the other day and asked him to have alook (He's a Volvo mechanic)

Car runs up at normal temp but then i get steam and a sickly anti freeze smell in the car,the top hose is really pressurised,thats when Chris said it looks like the head gasket has gone (or on its way out) the steam from the inside is as he put it "found a weak spot on the heater matrix and is leaking from there".

It's a 52 plated bugeye in very good condition (except the pebble dash on the bonnet) and has full history and a brand new gearbox about 12k ago.CAr has 114k on it.

So he came to the conclusion that we have to whip the heads off just like that.

He said he isnt worried about doing it .but i AM.

Any one got any links or anything i could take a look at before i start ripping things off, or any coments on other things that could be done whilst it's in bits.

Many thanks

Gaz

 

Have you fixed the matrix ? I would fix that first because your gonna need to fix it other wise you will repair the engine only for it to go again plus its cheaper than doing the heads and having them skimmed and tested . Then i would look at getting a compression and sniffer test done on the engine to see if it is the heads that have really gone these seem to be pretty tough engines.thats just how i would look at the problem hth jon

 

is water boilin an comin out overspill funnel by passenger headlight

 

Just a faulty heater matrix? you need that fixing first, your over heating could be because of the fluid loss off that, though its a bigish job as its dash out

Tony

 

Morning fella's,

The car at the moment isnt overheating as ive filled it up with water :-).

I know ill have to replace/repair the matrix, what are your thoughts on the pressure i mentioned does that diagnosis sound about correct?

I was going to get it tested anyway just to be on the safe side, bit gutted that i have to whip the heads off as the car is hardly used and never abused (by me).

Looks like id better start reading then lol.

Any one got any tuts on removing the heads?

Cheers

Gaz

 

No water spitting out of the expansion tank just leaking on the heater matrix at the moment and thats causing the window to steam up....

 

Loss of water due to the Matrix leak could cause the symptoms you have, fix that first.

A sniffer (CO2) detection test on the expansion tank cap will tell you if the HG's have gone, that or do the matrix and see what happens, but usually if the HG has gone you'll get steam from the catch tank behind the passenger headlight, so if that's clear its probably NOT HG's.

Simon

 

For now by-pass the heater matrix by joining the inlet pipe directly to the outlet.

dunx

 

Morning chaps.

Dunx ill try that first and get he heads tested BEFORE i pull it apart.

Many thanks and ill let you know.

Gaz