Is It My Head Gasket........?

[1995clio16v]

Lads,

Can it get any worse, the 16v is dead, suspected head gasket failure, please confirm on description that follows.

I just can't believe it, the last month just gets from bad to worse, firstly twatted my door and passenger side into a stationary post, made a right mess, as well as a few other things this last month and now a suspected head gasket failure.

Here's what happened;

On my way to work this morning, had a do with a new diesel BMW, naturally I embarrased him, he didnt stand a chance against me on cam in and out of roundabouts, then exited the last rounabout........2nd into 3rd, approaching top of the limiter and boom. Im not joking it looked exactly like an F1 car engine blowing up. I couldnt see out of my rear window for 10 seconds due to blue steam.

Is this head gasket failure?

The temparature went off the scale, no water left in me expansion tank, so i presume it exited from the exhaust in all that steam?

There's no water in the cyclinder head.

The guy in the BMW was probably pissing himself laughing.

It was pretty spectacular though, im proud of the impressiveness yet pissed off my car is ****ed!

So presuming it is my head im not getting it fixed gonna put it inot storage and williams + ITB''s.

Gutted though im now without the 16v for summer.

[FATBOY]

vultures again!!! can i have yor microline covers???

[1995clio16v]

erm...everyone want them covers...!

[ash clio gtt]

hmmm headgaskets are not normaly that spectacular when they let go. take the head off and have a butchers. hope for your sake it is the headgasket and not somthing else

[1995clio16v]

So your thinking that it could be something else?

Anything in particular that you might be thinking so im not pissed off when I crack her open?

Ive never donea head gasket before.

How long roughly to get the head off, time wise?

[Allan]

fill your coolant back up with water and see if its pissing out anywhere, it might have just been a hose popping off somewhere, although driving with no collant will cause other problems too but check hoses first

[MAXIBOY]

could be a hose or something more. fill with water check oil level. check for visual signs first before stripping.

[1995clio16v]

Oil level was definately ok as I checked this when I pulled over as soon as it happened.

I'll have a look friday on my day off for a missing hose.

I actually looked under the car as soon as I pulled over, the road was dry and there was DEFINATELY no water on the floor anywhere.

Although that isnt to say it hadnt been deposited up the road somewhere!

I hope it is a hose guys but i think it was too spectacular a reaction for it to be something as simple that.

[1995clio16v]

Great stuff,

Checked tonight and it isnt my head gasket. Its a hose thats leaking.

To be precise its the osf bottom radiator (its a 3 branch one iirc).

Its gone before about 2 years ago, an absolute bastard to fit. However I think it may just be loose all being well, fingers crossed because its leaking below the jubilee clip. Hopefully it just needs re-tightening.

Im well chuffed now, theres still life left in the little devil yet!

It only leaks when the engine gets hot i.e just above normal running temp so im presuming the pipe expands on heat, and therefore it may just need tightening.

Thanks
Leigh.

[BristolSam16v]

How would that cause a bloom of smoke though :S