14 replies to this topic

[green sprite]

Apologises if there is already a thread for this....

 

I have a 1998 fuel injection mini. after a short journey the radiator is almost empty of fluid and the oil is steaming away with a burning smell. The roadside recovery said this could be a blown head gasket. What sort of cost am I looking at to get this fixed? There's not a hope in hell I can fix it myself!!

 

Any help is much appreciated...one stressed out mini owner.

[kyle9832]

Are you sure you cant tackle it yourself? Easier than you think it would be! And save you quite a bit

[green sprite]

I think I would cause more damage if I did.

[Fast Ivan]

Well its probably going to be in the hundreds of you're paying a garage including parts I recon. Is there not a local club where help might be available?

But before you pay someone to change the gasket you might want to establish that it actually is the head gasket that's gone.

Can you provide any more details? Did it overheat? Cloud of steam from the engine?

[green sprite]

there was pressure building up in the radiator system. bubbling away and lots of steam. the oil cap was steaming away. The fan was constantly running. no hot air coming from the heater. loss of power when driving and failing to start when switched off.

 

Unfortunately I'm not part of a local club. Usually use minitec in keynsham but not sure it will make the 12 mile journey.

[Fast Ivan]

Umm doesn't sound great, do you have access to a compression tester? May well be worth carrying out a compression test to confirm or otherwise. Cheap to buy if you don't have access to one

[dyshipfakta]

Are the oil and water mixing. I wouldn't trust anything a road side mechanic says no offence to them but had more bad advice then good.

[green sprite]

There is definitely oil in the coolant but not in the oil.

[Down&Out]

You'd know if a head gasket went, i've had two go on me in the past couple of months (friends cars i've been involved with). Tends to run on two cylinders and is undriveable, if in doubt, buy a compression tester.

Changeable by yourself in a few hours, as long as you have spanners and a torque wrench.

[fenghuang]

A head gasket that's starting to fail probably won't be as obvious as a completely blown one.

I guess a garage would take charge you for a couple of hours plus the gasket, so £100 to £150 all in.

Doing it yourself (especially if you're a novice) will probably take longer but IIRC a gasket is around £20.

[adam_93rio]

You'd know if a head gasket went, i've had two go on me in the past couple of months (friends cars i've been involved with). Tends to run on two cylinders and is undriveable, if in doubt, buy a compression tester.

Changeable by yourself in a few hours, as long as you have spanners and a torque wrench.

That only if the head gasket has gone between cylinders. It can go between oil and water jackets too

Also, the cost to change is about £18

[Ethel]

A compression test may not be decisive, the blow by round the pistons is likely to be greater. If it runs then the cooling system pressurising well before the water gets hot can't really be down to anything else.

 

It really isn't a difficult job on a Mini. If you're lacking in confidence why not see if you can recruit the assistance of a local enthusiast, it could be done at the roadside and doesn't require any more specialist tools that a torque wrench.

[Gr4h4m]

It's not changing the head gasket that's the issue, it's finding the reason that it went in the first place IMO

[Blatherskite]

It's not changing the head gasket that's the issue, it's finding the reason that it went in the first place IMO

Had one go & it was gasket quality issue. No damage to head or block. Had a gasket leak on the Landy, due to un-retightened head studs. So, its not always a big issue.

[eean]

Is there no one on this forum living near you? whereabouts are you?