Head gasket repair gone wrong

[jm169]

I have a rover 200 1998 1.4 16v. 55000ish miles.

The head gasket blew up while I was in Scunthorpe, I live in York (prob. about 50 miles). I have breakdown cover but not recovery so my car was taken to a garage near where it broke down.

They repaired it, I drove it back (it felt slightly dodgy on idle on the way back, I think I stalled it once or twice). When I came to start the car it wouldn't start. There was still oil everywhere in the engine compartment so I checked the ignition and I was getting good sparks. I towed it to my friends house, as he has a drive I can leave it on. While we were towing I managed to get the engine started. When we got to his house I noticed that water is leaking slowly from the engine, and the water in the header tank is slightly brown. But the engine felt ok to drive.

The garage who fixed it keep on saying they'll come and sort it out and pick it up, but they've said they'd come and get it every day for a week and I'm fed up and want my car back. I don't want to tow it that far.

I've done a fair bit of car repair type stuff in the past, nothing involving taking the head off, but I do have most of the tools. I've read the bit in the haynes which shows how to do that, and it doesn't seem too bad.

Basically does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? It does just seem like he hasn't put the head back on properly. Should I buy a compression tester and check the cylinder compression? Or should I take it to a garage. Anyone know of a good garage in the York area?

Any advice gratefully recieved,

John.

[jonnyclaridge]

No way would I attempt to do it myself - there's a good chance that you will mess it up even more!

Also, if the garage who bodged it in the first place see that you have been messing with it yourself, there's no chance that they will want to sort it out for you.


I would get on to the garage until they come and fix your car and do what they have been paid to do (i.e. fixed your blown head gasket) which they obviously haven't done yet!

[Amagoza]

Problem is the car sounds like it was taken to a load of cowboys!

Ideally you want them to fix it but in all honesty not sure if I'd want them to touch it as they did such a bodge doing it in the first place.

I think you're only course of action is to keep on at the garage until they sort it out.

I assume you paid for the work to be done and it wasn't under some sort of RAC type cover.

[Greg]

Yeh, like jonny says, unless you're willing for them to have no responsibility to fix it then don't touch it.

Insist that they collect the car, or that they offer you a refund. Don't be afraid to contact the Citizens Advice Bureau (wtf: sp?) or Trading Standards, but do give them a good chance to fix it first. It will strengthen your case

[rover416si]

By all means let them do it as you already paid them...don't attempt it yourself. Is the engine running fine now? The leak could be water pump. If so the coolant will leak down from the crank pulley side of the sump.

[Respot]

I presume that the choice of repairer was the recovery drivers - if so then complain to your recovery company - see what they will do about it, at the very least they should collect the car for free and take it back to the garage and oversee any further repairs to make sure you are completely satisfied (if they are a professional recovery company that is)

DaveH