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Gasket

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  • 23-09-2005 1:04pm
    #1
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭


    astra, i have a picture of the engine.

    All along the head gasket there is wet oil, and little splatters of it around the front of the gasket and mount.

    Does it mean the head gaskett has gone before? ot ir is about to go?

    Thanks


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    #2
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,022 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Bartonprince wrote:
    Does it mean the head gaskett has gone before? ot ir is about to go?
    It doesn't necesarily mean either! If the oil is coming out from the head gasket now then it has already failed! If the oil is not coming out now then it could be from anywhere, from someone leaving the oil filler cap off (I've seen this and it can make a horrible mess of the engine bay depending on the engine design) to the gasket having gone before. If the gasket failed before it's not something you should overly concern yourself with, so long as it was repaired properly-it can happen any any car!

    Are you losing oil now? Any signs of oil in your coolant expansion tank?


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    #3
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    Not to sure. if you give me your e-mail addresss i can send you a picture of the sngine for you to look at?

    CHeers


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    #4
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    You can post your picture on this thread as an attatchment see my one as an example

    Mike.


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    #5
    kluivert
    Registered Users Posts: 2,399 ✭✭✭kluivert


    At last someone i can keep out here.

    I have an Astra and the same thing happened. It is a common problem on the Astra due to a design fault with the engine block clyinder head.

    On one of the cylinders (left hand side as you look down at the engine) is too close to the edge of the block and the thickest of the gasket at this point is thinner than the rest of the gasket and is prone to leak.

    I bought my astra knowing that i would have to change it. Ask them to change it to an alloy gasket, it will last longer than a rubber gasket.

    €290 with an Opel Dealer and i got a free replacement car for a couple of days. 20k miles after its still flying.

    The head gasket should be changed around 60k.


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    #6
    MercMad
    Registered Users Posts: 4,269 ✭✭✭MercMad


    What year is the Astra ?


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    #7
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    93'


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    #8
    MercMad
    Registered Users Posts: 4,269 ✭✭✭MercMad


    It doesn't neccesarily mean there is anything wrong. A lot of these cars, especially those Astras, is it a 1.4 8 v SOHV, weep oil from there. It doesn't mean it needs changing.

    It would be unusual for a leaking head gasket to produce "spatters" so if tyhe oil level is reducing you may need to investigate further. It possible you may instead have a water pump or power steering pump leak !

    Best thing would be to buy a little swarfega hand cleaner and use a paintbrush to brush it well in, leave for 15 minutes and wash off with a few kettles full of hot water. If you do so over a drain you wont mess up the road too much (swargega would be going down a drain after you wash your hands anyway)

    Then just drive it as usual and check every evening to see if you can source the leak .

    Goo luck !


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    #9
    BrianD3
    Registered Users Posts: 8,393 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    Is the oil located near the cylinder head gasket or the rocker cover gasket? The latter is a very common cause of oil leaks and is a trivial thing to fix. OTOH I don't recall ever seeing oil dripping down the outside of an engine from a blown cylinder head gasket.


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    #10
    Ratchet
    Registered Users Posts: 1,175 ✭✭✭Ratchet


    BrianD3 wrote:
    ......cover gasket? The latter is a very common cause of oil ........ dripping down the outside of an engine from a blown cylinder head gasket.

    yeah, rocker cover gasket is common cause and i did see oil dripping down on the side of few engines.

    specially, when some muppet did seperate head from block with a chisel or head wasn't torqued properly


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    #11
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    can i e-mail a pciture to someone and they can post it here? i'm having real trouble uploading from work. someone PM me the e-mail address and then i'll send it onto you. it's kinda important because the car is mine from tomorrow!

    Cheers


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    #12
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    check your PM box

    Mike.


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    #13
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    done


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    #14
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Right heres the pic, its too far back but it tells me the leak is from the rocker cover which is just a nusicance not a drama. You can get a replacement for a few euro in the opel dealer on the Cork road. As stated by others its common enough.

    Mike.


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    #15
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    mike65 wrote:
    Right heres the pic, its too far back but it tells me the leak is from the rocker cover which is just a nusicance not a drama. You can get a replacement for a few euro in the opel dealer on the Cork road. As stated by others its common enough.

    Mike.

    Thanks very much. Does that engine look ok to you? Paying 300 quid for the car. It's a fella's wifes car and it's just sitting there.


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    #16
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Its impossible to tell if an engines okay by looking at it, many an engine may be sparkling clean but dog rough when it starts (if it starts!), as you're only spending 300 it might have a few glitches which you'll discover in the next few weeks. Don't panic though, on such a simple car nothing will be hard to diagnose or expensive to fix.

    When you buy it give it a simple service with fresh oil and filter, new air filter if the current one is dirty. New spark plugs (Champion), check the coolant - if its not green or blue then empty the system and refill with fresh 50/50 mix of coolant and water.

    Keep an eye on the battery light, if its been sat for a while the charge may be a bit low and with the Autumn here more current is used for lights, wipers, blower etc.

    Mike.


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    #17
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    can i get you to have a look at it on Sunday for me?

    I'm from Waterford as well.

    my gf's dad motored around the place in it last night, and he said it was lovely. he told the guy that if i didn't take, he would. (he has a beemer and a 05' sang yoong jeep)

    The fella selling it is really nice and apparently loaded, he just wants someone to look after the car coz he's wife got a new one.

    Want a pic of it from the side?


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    #18
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    sent them to your e-mail. see if it's worth 300?


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    #19
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    can i get you to have a look at it on Sunday for me?

    I'll have to say no, not cos I'm a bastard of anything but simply cos if I look at it and say its fine and then you buy it and its not fine, you'll blame me for giving you a bum steer! I find its best to avoid making bad decisions
    which might cost someone else money. Hope you understand.

    If your G/Fs dad reckons its okay then chances are its fine (esp if he is willing to spend money buying it!).

    Mike.


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    #20
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    haha. I'm buying the car... I just need someone to look at it and tell me what needs to be done on it before i put it through the NCT test.

    The car is as good as bought. i just need to collect it.

    It's ok if you can;t look at it, i'll bring it to a garage, i just wanted to know what to get changed etc.

    Because to be honest... looking under the bonnet of a car... i might as well be lookin up a cows arse...


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    #21
    Hagar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,793 ✭✭✭✭Hagar


    Looking at your other thread...

    Your'e spending €2,300 in insurance on a €300 Astra with an oil leak...

    Can I interest you in a bag of magic beans ?


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    #22
    Bartonprince
    Closed Accounts Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Bartonprince


    haha thats sorted, i can get fully comp for 990 euro =)


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    #23
    30-6shooter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 209 ✭✭30-6shooter


    Wer`d ya get that quote then?


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