real basic head gasket problem

Post by **pzcamper** » 08 Mar 2006, 00:03

found that creamy white stuff behind the oil cap

so i guess it means the head gasket has gone

could it be any thing else ?

the engine is sounding perfect

the real smoke issues

hopefully its a simple head gasket change

and how much should an average head gasket cost to fix

thanks

Post by **missusjen** » 08 Mar 2006, 00:09

Any particular engine??........

Don't panic just yet........some creamy white stuff will occur naturally due to condensation (in Aircooled it's fairly normal). It may not be as bad as you think.....there again it may be worse...

Post by **Mocki** » 08 Mar 2006, 00:24

like Jen says......
in the flat four WBX it is normal if you do short journeys this time of year,
aircolds do it all the time, it's emulsified oil and the shape of the filler tube encourages condensation, and head gaskets on the WBX are not like inline engines, the oil and water rarely mix when they do go, most references to head gaskets "going" on these are really water jacket seals going, which result in air locks, which cause over heating, rather than oil and water mixing, and water dumping, or over pressuring, and chucking the water out od the top up bottle or blowing pipes off.

Keep an eye on the water level, in the header tank as well as the top up bottle, and the oil level, too, and most importantly the heater output, if it goes cold then hot then cold on your knee its airlocking, and the temp gauge may not show it, if it does it wont be at the same time as your knee feels it!

Post by **pzcamper** » 08 Mar 2006, 18:06

i have a 2 litre air cooled camper,

the engine sounds like it is running sweat

YOUR right there is no heat blowing out of the heater at the moment and the battery light on the zig is always red
but other than the creamy looking sumstance under the oil cap

there is no other signs that the head gasket has gone

any advice would be good

Post by **Cate** » 08 Mar 2006, 18:12

engine sounds like it is running sweat

needs some deodorant I think...

sorry couldn't help it,

Post by **Mocki** » 08 Mar 2006, 18:37

pzcamper wrote:i have a 2 litre air cooled camper,

the engine sounds like it is running sweat

YOUR right there is no heat blowing out of the heater at the moment and the battery light on the zig is always red
but other than the creamy looking sumstance under the oil cap

there is no other signs that the head gasket has gone

any advice would be good

ok, so as it is a Aircooled, the lack of heat is irrelavant, expected even, and down to the heat exchangers of pods and flaps, nothing to do with the engine....

as for the Zig, sounds like a fooked leisure battery or split charger, so sounds like you gotta bargain.....

Keep an eye on the oil level, oil is extremely important to the Aircooled engine, and change it about every 2000 miles, oil is cheap, engines not so.

Also make sure you have all the tinwear, as that is the key to cooling with the Aircooled......

the emulsifyed oil is nothing to do with the head gaskets, as there is no water to mix with the oil......