Replace head gasket, is £1,000 too high?

[ramtopgirl]

Have had a prob today and on one occassion quite a few months ago with sudden overheating and then temp gauge suddenly going back to normal, yes, accompanied by loss of coolant, bubbling noise. Have read similar account on the Clinic Pages and possible cause.

Anyway, the Bongo is due in for a service tomorrow and I called the garage to tell them about this prob today and they say it sounds like the head gasket is on it's way out. (I hasten to add that it def has not gone yet, I know only too well what happens when it does) and this intermittant fault (which again they say is a common one with Bongo's) is a sign that it is about to go. Garage reports that if it does need replacing it will cost several hundred pounds to do the job, total bill may well be around £1,000

We've owned many cars in our time and have a reasonable idea about various prices for fixing standard types of car but have really no idea if upwards of a grand would be the norm for this type of job for a Bongo.

Can anyone can give us advice on if this is the norm, or does he think he sees us coming!!

Thanks

RAMTOPGIRL

[Peg leg Pete]

I would check your thermostat, radiator cap, radiator for any blockages and check the coolant strength, also all hoses for leaks. I had the same problem overheating, was told by a garage and R.A.C. it was a head gasket or cylinderhead at fault, but turned out to be airlock, caused by loads of crud in the cooling system and faulty radiator cap and slow opening thermostat, also check for water in your oil and white smoke from exhaust. Garage should do a sniffer test to see if fumes entering coolant. good luck

[Peg leg Pete]

sorry did not answer your original question about cost, we were quoted £1400 for a new Mazda head plus fitting, but not sure if it is a good idea to replace head(if needed ) new onto old, but more knowlegable people on this site can advice better.

[trevd01]

Can somebody explain what a 'head gasket about to go" can be?

AFAIK a gasket is forming a seal between two surfaces. It is eather not leaking or it is leaking (a little, or a lot), in which case the gasket has failed, and needs replacing.

So is one 'about to go' just leaking a bit (oil, water?) but the engine is not losing compression?

[white van man]

you cant sniff a diesel at most garages because sniffer test is designed for hydrocarbons if memory is working correctly,go with checking coolant system in every way first!!!does the garage have a wide working knowledge of bongos?if they say head gasket is gone and you remove head you will have to have head refaced/skimmed before refitting also you should have it pressure tested at this point to test for cracks!!!the costs mount up quite quickly,also on refitting you need gasket set and head bolts as bolts are the stretch type

[ramtopgirl]

Thanks everyone for your replies and personal messages offering help and advice. Took Bongo in for the service today and gave nice garage man a wad of stuff I'd pulled off the club site about coolIng system probs etc. Bet he loved me but it served to let him know that we wouldn't swallow any twaddle and that we were in contact with peeps who know a thing or two about Bongo's.

The result is, he officially decrees that we DO NOT have a prob with the cylinder head and surpirise surprise the gasket was not 'about to go'

He's apparantly done a pressure test and he thinks we may have a slight leak in the water pump, or it could be the expansion tank cap or possibly the rad cap. Hmmm now where have I heard that before.

After speaking to Ian and couple of other Bongo owners I rang RD Motors in Poole who have a lot of Bongo experience, they also said we might have a tiny leak in the bit that does the water to the rear heater (sorry all you folk who like precise technical terminology, can't remember what he called it, just remember what it did) this 'bit' can rust and a tiny leak is enough to cause an airlock and results are similar to what happened to us.

After gathering all the info and advice we have recieved, our plan now is to a) flush out the rad. b) replace the rad cap and the expansion tank cap. c) wait and see what happens d) give thanks to the Bongo god for giving us the good sense to join the club so we could draw on advice and expertise.

Once again many many thanks to all who took the time and trouble to post replies and messages, these were really a big help.

RAMTOPGIRL

[Peg leg Pete]

Hope you get it sorted soon, and without any major exspense