What the hell is this??

Appie07

I went on travelling with my car and when pulled over this was in the coolant. Also my dipstick looked like this. Went to stop at a random garage and they told me the head gasket would have blown, the cause would be the lpg.

Is this really true??

Dave_Gilbert

That lools like the head gasket has gone but its uncommon for these to go. It may be a cracked head from over tightening the 4th spark plug. Or something to do with lpg

Matt

That's proper rubber ducked. Oil in the coolant would suggest head gasket, but as @[deleted] said, it's very uncommon for these engines to blow their HG. Could remove the coil pack and check the plus to see if they are wet?

IDI_AMIN

That is definitely oil and water mixing. Whether that is down to a blown head gasket (which does not happen often) or a cracked cylinder head somewhere either in a spark plug area or elsewhere on the head . Some head work is needing done

You must be losing water if you have this problem. I have also had this problem recently if it helps you feel any better:inpain:. Fu#k#ng nightmare

Did you have overheating problems before pulling over?

vocky

that does indeed look like coolant and oil have mixed, as above - the head gaskets only fail if the engine is allowed to overheat. It might be possible for the LPG to run lean and blow the head gasket, but you would have seen the coolant gauge reading higher than usual

Appie07

It makes me feel idd better IDI AMIN:dead:

The coolant emptied out of the blue after driving 60 miles. Before that it was all good and at the right level. I pulled over because the temperature started to be around 95. I filled it with coolan at the spot to the proper level, but then after driving 30 miles the temperature rised to 100 degrees. And the coolant was all gone again. It went empty so fast, was like 2-3 liter in half an hour. At this point I stopped driving it and I called someone to transport it.

Did it actually overheat at these degrees and can a cracked cilinder drain the coolant so fast?

Appie07

So an update to this, its at the mechanic now but he can't figure out where it came from. There is no visible crack in the headgasket nor in the cilinder heads. He wants to send it to some other place where they can check it out. if the head gasket is blown should the crack be visible or not? how can I find out whats the problem is exactly??

Well seemingly no astra this week then :cry:

Dave_Gilbert

Did he do a sniff test on the coolant?

Or did he just take the head off?

If the heads off, he will be sending it for pressure testing n a skim probably.

Appie07

He just took the head off.
He probably didn't do the sniff test.
The majestic 16 v.

He doesn't really know where it seems to have gone wrong, he suspects the heads. If not, then the engine

figo126

yes don't mess around skim and defo a pressure test you don't wont to do job twice???

Dave_Gilbert

A skim n pressure test is defo needed.

While your there (if the heads good)

I would reseat all the valves, new valve stem seals.
new water pump(could be leaking)
New chains.

evocarlos

water pump

Appie07

Yeah that's a good idea, better change everything as possible since its open this far. Thanks for the idea 🙂

Both of the chains was changed last year, I have no idea if the waterpump changed tough. Does it come standard with the chain?

patricks

Nope pump doesn't come with chains. When i replaced my water pump last year due to a worn leaking seal there was some oil residue in expansion tank but nothing quite like as bad as yours.....

Appie07

So I got a call from the mechanic today, he told me that the canals broke inside the cilinder head? So its cheaper to put a completely new head on it. What are those canals??

KevinH

Your mechanic is probably using the word 'canals' referring to the water/coolant channels inside the head.
As mentioned above (but it may not be in your case) over-tightening of spark plugs can often cause a crack especially with No 4 cylinder (gearbox end) as there is a water channel situated close. 🙂

Appie07

It was indeed the cylinder 4, it makes sense now why it happend. 🙁

He adviced me to either change the engine or the cilinder head in its whole. Can't this water channel be fixed?

IDI_AMIN

Appie07 said:
Can't this water channel be fixed?

I don't think it can be fixed. Your best bet is to get another cylinder head

Dave_Gilbert

Get a head. Best way to fix it. But i would still recommend reseating valves, new valve stem seals and pressure test n skim. Obviously if your using a second hand head that is.

Appie07

Well it went fast but I found a new head. Its pretty new, it was 1 year in service at a zafira Z22SE. Got it for a good price.

The valve stem seals are also the same age, should I replace it or keep it like you said Dave? I was told to also replace the tensioner since the coolant and oil mix ruined it. The chain was fully changed together with the water pump, can the tensioner really be that much ruined like that?

Atleast the new heads will last long 😃