I want to strangle my mechanic!!!

NickWarren_2

My suggestion would be to keep the car, and get the head done.

You've hadt it MOTd, You know the car.
You could scrap it and buy another runabout but you could come across more problems.
I know people dont like chucking good money after bad but sometimes it is better the devil you know.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

if head gasget was going or gone water loss is a good sign how did it pass mot as the emmitions would be noteably higher due to water and oil mixing and burning on the pistons depending on how the head is going/gone got through mot by skin of teath i think. for welding what welding has been done, sills, bat, tray,boot,skirting? trail arms, bushes (wich ones) anti roll bar bushes are only a few pounds and top mount suspension bushes are just a bit more pounds.
if considering haveing head gasget done make sure:
use headset not individual gasget as all seals will come with the kit= stemseals,camseals,thermostat seal, waterpump seal, rockercover gasget, headgasget.
use new headbolts good practice to replace old ones as they stretch (hence sometimes refured to as strech bolts)
timing belt replaced a must as it will be disturbed and do strech over time and refitting an old belt has a 50/50 chance of snapping causing severe damage to engine,oil, oil filter, water, anti-freeze
as a rule of thum i usually do a full service on a car i repair myself ( not a qualified mechanic self taught though and dont work in garage nore own one).

after repairs are done car will serve you for a few more years.

next time dont mention a max price just ask him how much!

TRADESIZE

OK so your head gasket going, you've two choice:

1) pay for the head to be skimmed and new gasket labourt to do it etc anywhere form £175 upwards.

or

2) Try some sealent of some description. One thats stops leaks for head gasket problems. Trouble is they are mostly rubbish, but I tried this stuff 8000 miles ago and I still have no leaks whatsoever. I'm very sceptical about claims that a product is excellent, but thought hey what have I to loose apart from £12.45. I use my car 7 days a week! By the way its a skoda 1.3 petrol felicia 99 on a T plate.

You have nothing to loose, buy this poor it in a forget about it
Try it and see, tell us how you get on!

If your cars worth only £500 I cant see the point in forking out for a full head gasket job. If the k seal dont work, then get your head gasket done at the worst case scenario.

You can buy it here: http://www.proppa.com/k-seal-98-p.asp

tomstickland

Or just put some spam into the fuel tank.

epninety

Mrs_P_Pincher wrote: »

It is virtually undriveable because it's over-revving and was up past the red on the temperature gauge after less than a mile. Oh and there's quite a lot of white smoke as well now. I had to nurse it the three miles home.

Over revving doesn't suggest head gasket to me. Not sure about that particular engine, but some versions of the K series were prone to the O ring seals on the inlet manifold failing. Leaking air accounts for the over-revving, and water leaks could give the white smoke and overheating.