possible head gasket

[the bear1986]

Hi does anyone know what it would cost to have a head gasket replaced on a 2003 1.9pd tdi 130 engine as my cordy has covered 96k miles but I keep getting a mayo type stuff on my oil filler cap but not the dip stick and my coolant keeps dropping down I have used K seal but that's not worked, I have noticed that the coolant drops more if I put my foot down but if I don't do any hard acceleration the coolant does not drop. would this def be a head gasket fault?

 

[Pimped up vario]

If you get a wee puff of white exhaust in the morning on first start up then I would say yes. That's what mine is doing anyway and it's losing coolant with a very slight build up of emulsified oil on the filler cap. You would be best to get the head removed and skimmed when doing the timing belt as it has to come off to remove the head. A head gasket is about £30-40. Gasket kit with intake/exhaust manifold egr gaskets etc is about £40 and the rocker cover gaskets which I needed o replace on mine are almost another £40 (mine was dealer only even TPS didn't do them). Heads studs are £17. Timing belt kits about £80 may be a bit more, can't remember. Skimming of the head, ???? £30 at a guess. Labour £150 at a guess. Or do it yourself. The Haynes manual recommends draining your oil so an oil and filter change could be done at the same time. £20 for oil and a fiver for the filter. You may wish to use vcds lite or similar to read the fuel injection quantities as an over compensation could indicate a loss of compression on a cylinder highlighting a failing head gasket. Also the oil cooler is a possible location where oil and coolant can mix. The only way to test this is to remove it and pass water through it with as must pressure as you can make, with a standard garden hose pressure, and observe if any fluid letches through to the oil passages. This requires the oil cooler to be removed which isn't the handiest thing to remove, on my vehicle anyway. the oil cooler gasket will need replaced as well at approx. £10.

 

[verbal_kint]

I've been through this on my non pd leon and still slowly working on it. My wife's Audi A2 has mayo on the dip but not the filler so hoping it is a low use issue rather than head gasket. I have just bought a basic combustion tester kit for £23 off ebay, I think it could be a good purchase for now and the future, think it will form part of my inspection routine when I buy a car!

A mobile mechanic quoted £600 to change the gasket but then found the cams were well rounded so the cost went to over £1000. Not worth it for the value of the car so have chosen to do it myself.

I found an engineering firm that supplied a remanufactured head - cleaned, skimmed, valves reseated etc for £120 delivered. I have checked the head for true and it is.

There is a seller on ebay who does full head gasket kits (not cam cover though) for £43 del. EuroCParts seem to be the cheapest for head bolts at just under £17. Add on Oils and filter and I hope to get away with a total under £300... Just need to work out how to do it, not too many youtube videos on it Think I'm getting there though.

As a thought you may also want to check when the timing belt and waterpump were last done, now would be a great time to replace.

I like the last 2 suggestions by Pimped up vario, I have vag-com so need to see how to run the injection test.

Also, just a thought for you I have the 130 cordoba as well but wrote it off when the bonnet let loose on the motorway, all is good apart from the bonnet, windscreen and roof. I have it on ebay for spares or repair and many people state it is easier to slot a new engine in than replace the head.

 

[the bear1986]

hi sorry for the late response but how did you get on with doing the head gasket? did it solve the issue

 

[Ferret]

I had same sort of thing as Verbal Kint, well not me but my brother. The cost of doing things far exceeded the worth of the car, so we did it our selves. The cambelt had decided enough was enough and smashed the valves to pieces but was also lucky because that was the only damage. Anyhow the head was tested and gaskets changed, along with water pump, oil and filter, radiator and pipes.... basically everything! Took me a while as silly things like work and children got in the way, but think it cost round £500 with most stuff from ebay!