Cost of repairing head gasket failure

[endorfin]

I'm aware I can find a cheap ZX or 306 for around £500 or £800 for a decent example but unfortunately the AA cover won't contribute to a replacement car only £475 towards the repairs. Even if I bought a new car there's no guarantee it won't have hidden problems.

Even if we went ahead (no pun intended!) and had the head repaired there would be no guarantee it wasn't cracked? My brother made the suggestion of finding a replacement head of which he claimed there were many on ebay for around £100 but I've had a search and not been able to find any. I'd have thought the cost would still have been the same as the replacement head would need to be skimmed etc too?

[citroenxm]

Shame about the distance.. Ive a xantia td lx with a stunning engine in it.. Rotton body awaiting me to remve the engine and dispose the rest... I did the head about 3 years ago and the owner did about 10k in it and it never used a drop of oil or water... I fitted the multi layer steel gasket too so should last an age!

I have to say the xud heads are gettin a bit thin on the ground..


Paul

[endorfin]

You're in North Wales? I'm actually from North Wales myself, going up to Denbigh and Prestatyn on Sunday and leaving around Thursday.

Its a td though? Too many mods to make for it to just be fitted and run as a non turbo? I'll be up in my 2.5 XM estate so it would have fitted in the boot without much trouble.

[endorfin]

Update on this....

I went ahead and had the head gasket work done, couldn't find a suitable engine, didn't want to source one myself as if it went wrong the garage couldn't take responsibility.

The work has been done but bad news, garage got back to me today to say that the car does not want to start that its cranking but sounds like compression is low and breathing heavily back through breathers, he thinks damage has been done to the bottom end of the engine.

I have to confess not really understanding much about this, can anyone give me an explanation in laymans terms. The garage is going to look into it further but has a backlog to clear first.

My biggest worry is that this is now going to end up costing me even more, over £800 has been spent (£475 subsidised by the AA) on what was diagnosed as head gasket failure. Where do I stand here with the garage?

[citroenxm]

endorfin..

i told you i had a stunning engine with no back presure, breathing issues or cooling pressure.. i fitted a multi layer laminated gasket and the car was used for about 15k and was perfect..

my guess is they have not calculated the correct gasket thickness after the head skim... bottom ends are extreamilly tough and ive got another that "breathes" but it instantly starts even in minus tempertures!!

[Dieselman]

Even with too thick a gasket I would think it would still start given enough attempts. Low compression is possibly the valve clearances not set properly. This was the cause of my first ever foray with an XUD engine?

To endorfin, what was the original problem with the engine?

[endorfin]

Paul,

See my earlier message further up in response to yours, I did express an interest in your engine and I mentioned I was going to be up in North Wales but didn't get a response. I would have been able to pick it up in a trailer.

The garage that did the work is a Citroen specialist of good repute, I chose in on recommendation by someone on the .com sister forum. He said that in his 20 years of doing these engines he's never known this to happen. I should expect he knows what he's doing.

I'm wondering where I stand liability wise, does he have a duty to sort it or am I likely to incur more costs if he has to spend more time on it.

[endorfin]

Will

Original problem was the car losing power and steam escaping, car was very hot. It's a base model with no temp gauge just a light, but this didn't come on.

AA said head gasket failure and recovered it to the garage who also diagnosed head gasket failure.

[Dieselman]

Will

Original problem was the car losing power and steam escaping, car was very hot. It's a base model with no temp gauge just a light, but this didn't come on.

AA said head gasket failure and recovered it to the garage who also diagnosed head gasket failure.

Possibly the rings are cooked then.

[endorfin]

Yeah that's what my brother said, piston rings.