Head gasket gone 6 weeks after being replaced

jmcdyre

Morning everyone.

I've recently had my head gasket replaced on my 206, about 6 weeks ago, and now the same symptoms have started again - basically the car was juddering when maintaining speed and after a load of tests it was found to have a head gasket leak.

Up until now it had been ok, but the same symptoms have started again this week.

Where do I stand with the garage that did the repair - obviously I don't want to spend £300 on having it done again!

Thanks

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

Sounds like the garage have repaired the head gasket but completely ignored to look for the cause of the failure and correct that thus it has just destroyed the new head gasket too.

All that aside £300 for a head gasket at most garage seems improbably cheap.

Browntoa

juddering on 206 can also be the Coil pack failing , or the lambda sensor

mineallmine

I'd personally take it to another garage for a second opinion before doing anything else. Dare I say it Kwikfit may be useful (you don't have to have anything repaired by them) - just ask them to take a look and provide an estimate.

If the first garage has bodged it, it may be a lot of aggro to take it back there again and it still may not be right. However, that said if they have on their invoices that they guarantee it for x period of time, you may wish to take it back.

Best of luck.

jmcdyre

wow, quick replies, thanks!

The coil pack was changed before the head gasket and made no difference.

It's only a small local garage, so doubt the invoice will have a mention of any guarantee.

The kwikfit plan sounds good.

Should I demand the original garage just fix it again for no charge!?

mineallmine

Have you used the original garage before? It depends if you feel comfortable with them.

Am now not sure if Kwik Fit do head gaskets but if you play dumb (my speciality) and give an outline of the symptoms (juddering) and ask them to take a look and provide a quote. There may be something else wrong. Such as the fuel pump? Maybe the suspension? Your tyres?

RICK..._2

I'd take it to another garage as already said, maybe not Kwik Fit but an engine specialist if you have one near you? Or even Peugeot! But sometimes they do charge to look at it.

Then once you have a second opinion, if it's something the original garage have already fixed/replaced then take it straight back and get them to sort it free of charge.

Thing is if you take it to a back street garage they may just feed you any old crap just to make money out of you.

edit - if these other garages do want to charge you to have a look at it, i'd personally just take it back to the original garage and tell them to find out whats wrong with it.

Hintza

Was the head skimmed when gasket was replaced.

In the days of my youth (many moons ago) I did the head gasket on my fathers car, had the head skimmed etc put it all back together only to discover there was a crack in the piston lining of the block. That was the end of that car. My point being these sort of problems can end being like the question; how long is a piece of string?

Talk to the garage and see what they say first (this will all come down to; do you trust them as someone has implied)

jmcdyre

The head was skimmed at the same time.

I took the car to a few garages at the time and this was the only garage to spot that it was the head gasket - they did a block test and diagnostics, and found a very slight water leak on the front of the engine. The other garages had all missed this, but I did take it to another first to confirm the head gasket and get another quote.

The garage are calling me back, so they say, this evening as the chap was out when I tried earlier. Fingers crossed!

hary_j

Most Garages give 3 months Warranty, unless they can prove (Which is very unlikely) that the Headgasket gone again has not got anything to do with there work done at the time and hence are pointing fingers at you!

Go back and hopefully they will sort it out for you

dieselhead

Does your car have this time or indeed previously have any of the other symptoms of head gasket failure, such as discoloured coolant, or overheating. Its just the symptoms you describe could be head gasket failure but could be caused by other things too. I just wonder if the head gasket has been replaced as its a possibility and they are struggling to diagnose the problem.