Cylinder head skimming

[ilovemygt35r]

hi,
i may need a head possibly skimmed in the next couple of weeks seat ibiza 1.4 going to look at a car thats overheating, apparently water pump already changed, just wondering if any any members here just do this, or knows of a good skimmer where i can get this done. (situated in the tropics of the uk, near basingstoke)
thank you.

 

[roofman]

hi,
i may need a head possibly skimmed in the next couple of weeks seat ibiza 1.4 going to look at a car thats overheating, apparently water pump already changed, just wondering if any any members here just do this, or knows of a good skimmer where i can get this done. (situated in the tropics of the uk, near basingstoke)
thank you.

any good enginering shop will sort that but 1st ide check the deck of the block with a straight to see if a liner has dropped...might save you a few bob if this is the case

 

[mike 109444]

Tried checking out the thermostat? Or There is a "device" looks like a very large eye dropper, you run engine till warm then drawup into the device some of the coolant. The device has a chemical in it that changes colour when it detect the fumes disolved in the water from the leaking head (if it is leaking). Another test would be a compression test.

 

[roofman]

Tried checking out the thermostat? Or There is a "device" looks like a very large eye dropper, you run engine till warm then drawup into the device some of the coolant. The device has a chemical in it that changes colour when it detect the fumes disolved in the water from the leaking head (if it is leaking). Another test would be a compression test.

an old trick i got showed years ago was to put ink into the radiator then after putting a piece of white paper behind tail pipe get someone to rev the nuts off it,if a problem exsists on the water/combustion side of the gasket then blue water will be splatted on the paper

 

[FranV8]

Every time I've had a gasket go, bar once or twice,it's been a slight weep into the cooling system, so it hasn't been as obvious to be picked up by compression tests or water leaving the exhaust. But the symptoms were typically intermittent overheating and unexplained coolant loss.

Used to have fun with the liners in the old rear engined Skodas....

 

[pedrobedro]

I did a Corsa last year with a leaking head gasket and you could smell the fuel contamination in the coolant header tank but it was not over pressuring or boiling. It cost £25 for skimming and pressure test at a local engineering firm. Black sooty water from the exhaust is just a by product of hydrocarbon fuel and nothing to do with head gaskets, it's the hydro part left after you burn the carbon part Not much use to you in Bristol but it would be good to compare price in different areas.

 

[ilovemygt35r]

hi mike
apparently thermostat and water pump changes recently changed, i think your refering to a sniff test?

 

[Windy Miller]

...Used to have fun with the liners in the old rear engined Skodas....

Hmmm bad memories just came flooding back

I think I need to have a lie down for a while

 

[nodeward]

always worth checking the expansion bottle cap, if its cracked engine will overheat

 

[dersbum]

if its already had the water pump and thermostat done it may just need a ruddy good bleeding through. this can be difficult to achieve satisfactorily.
check the radiator too i have seen steel ones looking ok on the outside but breaking down on the inside blocking the whole system up.
janspeed in salisbury have been good for head skimming in the past i havent used them in ages though.

http://www.janspeed.com/about.php

 

[mw3hgd]

I would also ask around a few engineering places. I couldn't believe how much prices varied around here. From £40-£250ish for the same work!

 

[astro_al]

Owslebury (pronounced Ozzle-berry) Crankshaft Services in Winnall, Winchester. Not far from you and they do all work on engines. Great place. I recommend them.

Al