The z31 has been sitting for a couple of weeks until I get round to ordering a piece of pice of pipe with banjo bolt for the dif cooler but its tapped off just now anyway so I thought I'd give it a jump start and put some charge back in it with a short blast around...stopped at petrol station 30 mins later and steam started pi$$in out the bonnet, popped it and a steady flow of coolant spraying out the side of the engine...too gutted to inspect further, just drove home and dumped it

Aw that completely sucks dude, dont give up faith!

Cheers mate, I'm trying not to...but had a look today and it defo looks like head will need skimmed and gasket replaced :rant: - I'm willing to start taking donations towards my cause via paypal :cry:

Bummer mate!!

Get it fixed, its not that expensive for heads to be skimmed and a new gasket, it you know how to strip it yourself.

Abit cheeky asking for donations i think mate.lol!!!

Cheers mate, I'm trying not to...but had a look today and it defo looks like head will need skimmed and gasket replaced :rant: - I'm willing to start taking donations towards my cause via paypal :cry:

 

you sure its warped bud? its possible for sure but you didnt go far and not for long either from what you wrote...try getting a really straight steel rule first and run it over the surfaces before rushing off for skimming...lots of mech's will say yeah needs a skim but how often is it really necessary...do the check first and you might be surprised

I'm working 12 hour shifts just now so its too dark when I get home to have a decent look at it but I'll be sure to find the time one morning to give that a go before I book it in a garage mate but I'm pretty sure the damage has already been done, its not a trickle of coolant, it was emptying its guts all over the engine bay when I looked at it last night.

Phoned a few places today, most of them didn't want to touch it, those that did quote said 'about £700-£800'...then I got Cylinder Head Express and they said they could prob do it for £400

By the sounds of it is more probable one of your turbo water feeds has sprung a leak.Worth checking before wading in with the headgasket diagnosis.

unfortunately its a z31 NA mate so no turbos

Get a sniffer test done to ensure it's the HG. You may as well get the head skimmed if the gasket needs replacing, along with a decoke and getting the valves re-ground. You'll need to drive easy for the first few hundred miles, but she'll only get better and better after this :)

 

Lots of mechanics will say it needs doing for a good reason...they don't want to take the head and associated ancillaries off again!

 

Uno - Your avatar is horrifying!

Get a sniffer test done to ensure it's the HG. You may as well get the head skimmed if the gasket needs replacing, along with a decoke and getting the valves re-ground. You'll need to drive easy for the first few hundred miles, but she'll only get better and better after this :)

 

Lots of mechanics will say it needs doing for a good reason...they don't want to take the head and associated ancillaries off again!

 

Uno - Your avatar is horrifying!

 

cheers :wack:

on the skim thing...i was told to avoid skimming for the sake of it at all costs because if and when you really do need a skim (serious failure/overheat) there isnt enough left to do it if you have done a "might as well do it as we have the heads off" type of skim....imagine a gasket as thick as the bible :D

Edited September 9, 200916 yr by Uno

I've phoned the garage back about getting the z31 in and as suggested by NA6CETOM (cheers btw) I asked them to quote for the couple of additional bits and pieces while the head was coming off, they reckon about £700 all in.

If I supply the gasket set then it comes with no warranty...if they supply the parts then the parts will come with 12 month warranty but labour only 3 months...sounds iffy to me what you guys think? Should labour not be warranted for 12 months / x amount of miles?

I asked in the scottish events section if anybody had heard of or had experience with this garage before I phoned today but nobody had so put it out to the wider group - Cylinder Head Express in Glasgow, anybody used them?

I think that sounds pretty fair as they have no idea where or when the part originated from, if it was me I would let them fit there own part and take the years warranty.

As for the garage themself I have never heard of them, take a pop along and if it looks like a shit hole you can guess what the work is like.

Cool, what about that fact that even if they supply the parts they will only give a 3 month warranty on the labour though? Is that pretty standard? Thats the bit that worried me most

Cool, what about that fact that even if they supply the parts they will only give a 3 month warranty on the labour though? Is that pretty standard? Thats the bit that worried me most

 

ask your local trading standards or consumer direct what the law/rules is on garages...you may have new consumer rights on work on cars

Cool, what about that fact that even if they supply the parts they will only give a 3 month warranty on the labour though? Is that pretty standard? Thats the bit that worried me most

 

Sorry I didn't read it correctly, I would have thought the whole repair would be covered from start to finnish. Check out Uno's suggestion as he seem to know more about the legality. What I would say is though if you are questioning them already then find someone else as there is no point starting off on the wrong foot.