Damn. Head gasket gone

[SamWise]

Water pump too? This is getting more and more expensive for what is a very speculative job for amateur little me!

[Ken Newbold]

Just out of interest, what mileage has the car done and how old is it?

I suspect the gasket will cost you a bit more than £20, belt about £15 and do you have the head tested/skimmed while it's off? I think so!

I don't want to put you off, but it's not the easiest of jobs by any means.

[SamWise]

Gasket is on its way - cost £15. Belt not sourced yet. If I do skimming and water pump, what's that add to the bill? Lots I imagine.

[SamWise]

It's a 93, and it's done 140k or so.

[jonathan_dyane]

Just out of interest, what mileage has the car done and how old is it?

I suspect the gasket will cost you a bit more than £20, belt about £15 and do you have the head tested/skimmed while it's off? I think so!

I don't want to put you off, but it's not the easiest of jobs by any means.

I have to agree, don't go into it lightly! I've done head gaskets on various cars, rebuilt engines and suchlike, however would view an in-situ XM diesel headgasket with some trepidation. If you part-dismantle the car and give in, the car is immobile and fairly valueless, and any money you have spent on new bits is lost; it may work out cheaper and easier to sell the car for what you can get and buy another... (And if it's a Mark 1 saloon, I might be interested in it...)

[jonathan_dyane]

Gasket is on its way - cost £15. Belt not sourced yet. If I do skimming and water pump, what's that add to the bill? Lots I imagine.

Skimming isn't always necessary (but advised), provided you untighten the head bolts in sequence and it hasn't been boiled you'll probably get away with it, although I would check the flatness myself as far as possible with something flat and some feeler gauge.

edit - PS, I don't much like the sound of the 15 quid head gasket, that sounds too cheap to me. You really want a proper metal laminate one, I wouldn't dream of going to the trouble of doing a HG and fitting a cheap aftermarket gasket.

[SamWise]

*sigh*

Talk about conflicting advice! Here's the gasket I've bought:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

The car will not be worth very much as it stands. I bought it for £500, and the wife has since put a significant dent in it, as well as the head gasket.

[jonathan_dyane]

*sigh*

Talk about conflicting advice! Here's the gasket I've bought:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

Nah, you've done alright there, elring are reputable. You've got a good gasket at a cheap price due to stock clearance, as opposed to a shit cheap gasket (which was what I worried you may end up with).

Although not having the almost indestructable quality of the metal laminate gasket, with regular coolant changes the elring should be good for another 120 000 at least if you do a good job.

[SamWise]

So am I an idiot to start this job? Thinking back, when CitroenXM sold me the car, he told me it had a recent cam belt, so that probably isn't necessary.

[jonathan_dyane]

Nah, you're a hero! If you take it slow, and are methodical it should be quite doable. Don't rush though, otherwise you'll make mistakes/break things and/or get sick of it. Be prepared for a long slog, to lose most of the skin off the back of your hands, and to pull muscles you never knew you had.