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Maka@shakenbakeracing
23-02-2008, 13:34
Ok i broghtthe car with 102k or so on it
it had slight oil sludge in the header tank.
ive done 6k on the car since (6 months)

anyhow
there is a good amount of sludge in the header tank, but cleans out well enough.
but my water level had dropped over the past few months.
so i have filled that up.
Cars just been for a check up before i take it to the ring but they suspect a headgasket problem at osme point with the sludge in the ehader tank.

I just drove it back and noticed the oil pressure on hard accelleration is hitting high on the gauge. i personally havent seen it much above 4 bar.

the missus uses the car as a daily drive so im not to up on its pressures etc

on average i need to top up a lite of oil every three months (had it 6 months)

it doesnt smoke
water temp is normal

im just worried about the sludge and the oil pressure.
Im going to flush the rad out this weekend and see if i get any more coolant loss.

as for performance it feels flattish. BUT i drive a 200 horse Renault 5 GT turbo everyday pushing 20 psi and a dirty great cam so even getting into my mates cars they feel flattish to.

the missus drives it every where at no more than 4k revs so never boots it. so she cant comment on whether the performance is flat.
it doesnt feel as responsivive to me as it should, but like i said, i drive a rocket every day.


anyone got any suggestions? or anyone close to the mansfield area who has one can drop round so i can be sure it is or is not the headgasket.


cheers all

Maka@shakenbakeracing
23-02-2008, 13:36
ignore my bad spelling
one day ill learn to slow down and read what i have typed


thanks all

ClioDan87
23-02-2008, 15:03
Well to my knowledge, valvers usually burn a litre of oil per 1000 miles?

Also sounds exactly like a headgasket problem to me!

Are you having to top the water up regularly?

Also do you have wamr heaters or are they cold?

Dan

BristolSam16v
23-02-2008, 15:25
Oil consumption sounds totally normal.

Clean the header tank, if it smells of exhaust fumes after you've done a flush or if its bubbling most likely HG failure.

If it isn't overheating and you aren't loosing coolant/oil sounds fine to me, any mayo in the cap?

Pressure sounds fine as well, obviously the pressure is going to increase with revs as the oil pump is connected to the belt. If you're revving nearish redline pressure is going to be near max.

Maka@shakenbakeracing
23-02-2008, 16:32
i used to have a 19 16valve and that used same amount of oil as this does so im not worried at all.

the heaters work fine
water temp stays fine.

theres no sign of headgasket failure under the oil cap..its clean.
just the water header tank that gets chocked up with oily residue.
i might just be being over cautious as im off to the ring end of march. fingers crossed.

ill do a rad flush tomorow and see if it holds the water.


thanks all

ClioDan87
23-02-2008, 16:36
I dont think its gone now then mate .... possibly had a HG gone before?!

Dan

Coops
23-02-2008, 18:55
comp test the lump n all mate, as said on rtoc :wink:

Swervin_Mervin
23-02-2008, 21:21
Get a new cap for the header bottle.

Works every time.

Swervin_Mervin
23-02-2008, 21:22
Oh and get the cooling system thoroughly flushed before you do. The sludge will just be crap in the block and suggests it hasn't been having coolant changes as regularly as it should.

Mine was the same but now seems to be fine. Fitted a new cap today.

BRUN
23-02-2008, 21:35
give it a really good flush and go from there

Wobba
24-02-2008, 00:20
Check for any sign of mayo in the oil cap. Is there any obvious signs of leakage of any liquid? How is the coolant? Brown and rusty?

Do you refill it with water or coolant? Dont just top up with water obviously.

A car that old will always have something going on, it's just a matter of to what degree and whether it becomes a terminal problem.

Has the HG ever been changed? If so, when?

Basicly, the only way oil/fuel is getting into the header tank is because of worn or failing gasket, engine etc. It's the only point in the coolant's journey where they get close to each other and could get mixed up.

I am a bit pissed right now after my polish buddies forced me to drink Krakow's finest vodka *hic*, so if I am wrong please correct me, but I think I am right. Maybe a HG change before she blows is in order, or just change the engine, or both.

Wobba
24-02-2008, 00:28
Oh and get the cooling system thoroughly flushed before you do. The sludge will just be crap in the block and suggests it hasn't been having coolant changes as regularly as it should.

Mine was the same but now seems to be fine. Fitted a new cap today.

Totally right. Coolant thats not been changed can become corrosive due to the metals giving off bad chenicals. My thermostat housing and plug sensors were eaten by the acidic coolant as my car was neglected for a while on the coolant side of things. Now its perfect :)

Maka@shakenbakeracing
24-02-2008, 19:42
right its been flushed
so much shit came out the system
gave it a good few flushes today
the crap is also in the pipes to the rad. orangy oily sludge.
gave it a good wipe out with the rag.
it looks like copper greese if that make sense (i know it isnt copper greese but thats the texture of it)

car doesnt over heat
the interior heater seems fine - hot enough to blister the lips up.
i cannot find a leak anywhere
but ill try a compression test on the coolant system next week.
and ill see if i loose coolant again.


thanks all

Wobba
25-02-2008, 12:32
right its been flushed
so much s**t came out the system
gave it a good few flushes today
the crap is also in the pipes to the rad. orangy oily sludge.
gave it a good wipe out with the rag.
it looks like copper greese if that make sense (i know it isnt copper greese but thats the texture of it)

car doesnt over heat
the interior heater seems fine - hot enough to blister the lips up.
i cannot find a leak anywhere
but ill try a compression test on the coolant system next week.
and ill see if i loose coolant again.


thanks all

That copper grease looking stuff is actually metal deposits from the inside of your engine, and if its like that it will need a very good flushing! You cleaned the rad out? I didn't just flush it as such, but kind of half fille the rad and shook it loads which got a lot more of the solidified stuff off the internal lining of the rad itself.

The pipes will also have a coating of crap too!

If you have your block exposed, you can see in the water pathways in the block, loads of the stuff...I still have a load in mine and will deal with it somehow soon.

While you are looking about, check for any leaks and coolant brown shit coming from anywhere, especially around the back of the engine itself, as it's more prone to going there as the engine leans a bit.

Maka@shakenbakeracing
26-02-2008, 08:59
pleny of the greese came out but ill flush it again at some point i nthe near future.
i have checked it for leaks but czant see any at all.
its clean as a whistle under the bonnet.

but ill buy a compression tool this week and test the water system.

ill check the water level as well in a few days to see if its lost any.