Faulty thermo , cap ,water pump or Hgf ?

[Salad-Dodger]

Originally Posted by Ched

I removed the coolant cap this morn and started the engine from cold, I watched the coolant level rise straight away albeit slowly but it did rise.

I do have a replacement engine lined up Simon but I will strip this one down and check to see whats happened and it will more than likely be rebuilt ready for when the next one goes wrong.

If you own a V6 you should always have an engine "lined up"!
I like my car alot but its one of the most unreliable motors I've ever run.

Simon. I would like to be the first to confirm a head gasket failure, even before I've taken it apart.
If you read my earlier post on this thread, all the evidence is there. You can argue the point if you like but I actually work on these engines quite regularly and don't just drive them. None ment. Steve

[kaiser]

Removing the cap and watching the water rise, means absolutely nothing.

If you have a continuous stream of bubbles, then it does.

But rising water and temperature goes hand in hand, and the pumps influence on the water level is also usually up, as it creates vacuum on the sucking side and pressure on the pump side,which causes the rubber hoses to flatten somewhat.

that test I would not attach any significance to, at all!

[Ched]

Re read post 35 of yours Steve, and about a month ago I did have an eml on, turned itself off then reappeared when it felt like it, hasnt been on since the misfire on cyl 2 showed itself.
Just before I started this thread I was losing coolant , about 250 ml a week,and I always have checked my coolant on a daily basis, I did think it was the img but then the spewing of coolant changed my thinking.
But its never lost enough in my case to warrant hgf, I still remain convinced tho that the probs owners have with the cooling system and poss hgf is all down to what happened early on in the engines life.

[Salad-Dodger]

Don't forget though Ched, missfires due to coolant ingress can soon clear with a few throttle openings, but then when the engine gets up to temp and its turned off for a while , the missfire returns on the restart. When its re started and allowed to idle for a while, the coolant will be under pressure and assuming the gasket has failed, ingress may cause the engine light to come on. I plugged the reader up and cancelled the code and it then needed quite a bit of provoking to get it on again.
There's no rule of thumb on this really and there's always someone who has rowed the atlantic in a paper hat, but when an engine goes down onto five cylinders its quite noticable, not to mension the clouds of steam, even to someone who doesn't have spanners.
Really, if you are convinced your gasket has gone, have it to bits. Steve

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by Salad-Dodger

Simon. I would like to be the first to confirm a head gasket failure, even before I've taken it apart.
If you read my earlier post on this thread, all the evidence is there.

I don't dispute what you've said in post no. 35 Steve. As I understand it, due to a leaking water pump you lost all coolant at motorway speeds which, I assume, led to severe overheating and head gasket damage. There was a clear cause there, and it would probably have happened to any car with an aluminium engine. The problem is that some read your post and conclude that: "KV6 head gaskets do fail, it happened to Salad-Dodger". That's misleading because it implies that KV6 head gaskets have an intrinsic fault which causes unprovoked failure, which they don't.

Simon

[Ched]

I've decided to get her repaired rather than replace the engine, so a photographic record and through examination will take place and I'll post up the findings.

[Salad-Dodger]

Originally Posted by SD1too

I don't dispute what you've said in post no. 35 Steve. As I understand it, due to a leaking water pump you lost all coolant at motorway speeds which, I assume, led to severe overheating and head gasket damage. There was a clear cause there, and it would probably have happened to any car with an aluminium engine. The problem is that some read your post and conclude that: "KV6 head gaskets do fail, it happened to Salad-Dodger". That's misleading because it implies that KV6 head gaskets have an intrinsic fault which causes unprovoked failure, which they don't.

Simon

Well you are quoting your own concusions there Simon. It is a fact that, although rare, They do fail. Others will draw their own conclusions and they too are entitled to them.
This will be my last word on the subject. Steve

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by Ched

I've decided to get her repaired rather than replace the engine, so a photographic record and through examination will take place and I'll post up the findings.

That's great news Ched. I'll look forward to seeing what is found.

Simon

[Ched]

An update on this.

A very well respected and very knowledgable mechanic came and looked at the car yesterday and the verdict is ......a cracked head rather than hgf.

Suffice to say it wont be getting repaired as the price is gonna be around £1400 so it looks like an engine swap is on the cards....here we go again

[Salad-Dodger]

There's a pair of heads on ebay buy it now for £125. A snip I think. just transfer the cams and fit, provided they are ok of course. Steve