urgent advice needed on car head gasket

syd1306

I recently had my head gasket replaced and head skimmed etc on my 2001 volvo v40, since having it back from the garage there has been more complications and work dine including the VVT pulley replaced.
Took the family dog for a swim at the local beach last night(about 30 mins drive), and on the way back smoke was billowing out from the back of the car every time i accelerated.
Got home and called my friend who is a full time mechanic, he looked at the car and came out quickly and said the smoke was from possibly from the coolant reservoir overflowing and the coolant being spilt on to hot engine parts. He advised to change the cheapest part first, the thermostat.
He replaced it this morning, we tested the old one, it was staying closed. Refilled coolant checked all pipe work, bled the air from the system and went for a quick drive.
Still doing the same, he advised that because the old thermostat was not replaced the same time as the gaskets were changed, the head gasket has probably gone again.
I phoned the garage that carried out the work originally and they are basically saying that they do not want to take the head apart again, and they will let me know on Monday if they will look at it.
Where do I stand legally, if their negligence is the cause of it going again?

johnnyroper

Had you taken it straight to garage then I would say the garage are obliged to put it right,however you had a friend change thermostat so I would hazard a guess and say garage will use that as excuse not to repair it

syd1306

thanks for the fast reply johnny

would the garage have been expected to change the thermostat whilst they were doing the head gasket?

somech

every decent garage would/should replace the thermostat as part of the job.

also stuck thermostats are usually the reason the gasket in the first place.

yes the garage should look at its inside the warranty period ie 12months/12k miles

johnnyroper

agree with somech if taking head off a car it should be standard procedure to renew thermostat,i certainly do.

gabyjane

We have just had ours done and it also turned into a drama. I have also been told the thermostat should have been changed but ours wasn't. I have no help only sympathy as ours is half done and very stressful to drive at the mo due to me worrying it will overheat or something.
Hope you get it sorted out x

syd1306

Thanks for the replys guys, wish me luck.

skiddlydiddly

Have you told them you swapped the old thermostat?If not put it back on and its back how they returned it to you.

cyclonebri1

It'd actually inconceivable that anyone would change a head gasket without changing the thermostat, let alone a "proffessional":eek: garage. As the above poster said, did they or didn't they say they'd changed it

colino

For a car with a fiver thermostat that wasn't changed, I'd be worried that the garage cut other unnecessary corners. Even with cars with relatively expensive thermostats, ones that have overengineered plastic outers for instance, a decent garage would have told you the extra cost and warned about the potential implications if it wasn't changed, "just in case".