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MG MGF Technical - Head gasket

Hello,

I earlier submitted a thread with regard to coolant pipes, basically the coolant pipes needed changing because they had a small leak (I regularly checked the coolant levels to make sure it never run empty). I got the pipes replaced a few days ago, I checked under my car last night and see coolant not pouring out but dripping extreme amounts. I take the car back to the garage this morning and they tell me the head gasket is gone. Have I missed something here?? How can a head gasket blow in the space of 2 days?? If anyone can provide some sort of response or anything it would be much appreciated, also what price might I be looking at for repair?

Many thanks.

James.
J SELFE

Sorry to hear the bad news James, this sounds like a classic case of the garage not bleeding the system correctly, was it an MGR garage?.
After recently getting a quote from MGR for a HG change i was quoted from £750 upwards depending on the head damage.
Personally i would take it somewhere else for a second opinion as a blown HG doesnt normally have coolant dripping out, i'm sure someone who is more knowledgeable than i will be along shortly to give some advice.
Good luck
Wayne
Wayne D

Wayne,

Thanks for your message, the garage was a Thomas Day Motors limited company, I just can't believe it! Could this be a fault from the garage? If so how do I prove this?

Regards
James.
J SELFE

I'd check to see if the problem is genuinely a head gasket - sometimes unsettling the coolant pipes can cause them to leak - on my car, the hose started to weap past the jubilee clip on the engine outlet stud.

Remove the engine inspection cover and see if you can locate the source of the leak yourself.

A HGF 2 days after a dealer service is indeed dodgy!
Rob Bell

Being the car expert that I am (NOT!) I wouldn't have a clue what to look for, the garage is having a look at it now. It just seems strange, my car goes in fine (apart from rusty coolant pipes which get replaced) then 2 days later coolant is leaking from underneath the car (not along the pipes) and I'm told the head gasket is blown???

Thanks again.

James.
J SELFE

Not much car expertise needed to be honest: you are just looking for where the escaping coolant is leaking from. If from a hose, then it's an easy job. If leaking from the side of the engine block (probably from the right front corner) then it is a head gasket failure.

Fingers crossed for more positive news from your dealership.
Rob Bell

>>Could this be a fault from the garage?
very probably.
If so how do I prove this?<<
can you prove your head gasket was OK before they did the work on the pipes and bled the system ?
If not you might be better off negotiating a substantial discount on the work and making sure it's done by a competent mechanic.

the head gasket on my VVC went within 8 miles (around 15 minutes). Absolutely no sign before (I had the engine cover off), and coolant pouring out afterwards.

Is this the garage in fleet ?
Can you get them to show you the fault ?
Steve

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your comments, yes this is the garage in Fleet. What do you think I should do?

Regards
James.
J SELFE

I would get the garage to actually show me where it is leaking from, did the car overheat or did anything unusual happen prior to you noticing the leak?
As Rob says it sounds very dodgy but unfortunately its very difficult getting any garage to admit liability, i have had experience of this with a renault 19 16v.
Wayne D

James

>>What do you think I should do?<<
this depends on how well you know them.

I can't recommend anyone else in this area as any better, so you probably need to stay with them.
I think you've got every right to be pi55ed off that the car has HGF so soon after the pipes were replaced, but you're not really in a position to blame them outright.

I would start by discussing my concerns with the service manager and take it from there.
Make sure it really is a head gasket that's failed, as Rob suggests above.

Good Luck
Steve

Is it best to find a friend (machanic) to look at the car in the thomas day motors garage?

Regards
James.
J SELFE

Trident at Ottershaw aren't a million miles from Fleet, I'd recommend them.

http://www.tridentgarages.co.uk/mgrover/ottershaw/
Kelvin Fay

the previos owner of my car according to the service records had same problem .front coolent pipes changed ,one week later hgf .the cost was 743.oo but did include cam belts ,full service head skim and pressure test.makes you wonder .not main dealers .
m e johnson

This thread was discussed between 02/08/2004 and 09/08/2004

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