over heating

[Paul16v]

my nova gsi has started over heating during normal driving and if i put heaters on it does cool it down alot but as soon as i switch them off it goes straight back up. and there is lots of pressure in header tank.

i ve blead the cooling system done a compression test(160psi on all cylinders)
i changed the radiator aswell and its still doing it!!
there is slight mayo on oil cap. but that could be down to little use and damp weather.
i think it could be head gasket failure but the compression is still ok.

any ideas

oh and its 1.6 gsi
cheers

[Stuart]

Alex's nova had a high pressure cooling system for a while.. ages infact then all of a sudden it let go... the headgasket was to blame as it had broken between a cylinder and a water way but only slightly so a compresison test showed nothing and oil+water wasnt mixing etc.

[craig green]

same here. Ive had my GSi go like that.

Does it start first time when cold (ie morning)??

[slammed saloon]

just whip the head off and check mate it takes no time at all on those:thumb:

[Paul16v]

yeh it just went all of a sudden.so your probably right it is head gasket.
one went on my saxo vts and the lost all compresion in 1 cylinder!!
that was easy to work on so i expect the nova should be as easy if not easier???

looks like a weekend job!!

[Paul16v]

yeh it just went all of a sudden.so your probably right it is head gasket.
one went on my saxo vts and the lost all compresion in 1 cylinder!!
that was easy to work on so i expect the nova should be as easy if not easier???

looks like a weekend job!!

[slammed saloon]

mate novas are unbelievabley easy to do engine work on. on my old 1.4 took the head off, stripped it, fitted noew stem seals n re lapped valves n rebuilt it all in just over 4 hours

[Stuart]

if the gasket has gone the head will need to be skimmed. so thats nolonger a weekend job unless you have askimmer lol

[slammed saloon]

says who? you dnt need to skim the head unless it is warped

[Stuart]

generally if the gasket goes then the head is warped.. i know its not a hard and fast rule but hey.

the one i did that went like this (pressurised coolant) had to have a load taken off it since it had annealed and technically collapsed.

every job is different and needs measuring up etc. but i was highlighting that its nota simple head off and on in one day thing since the head can warp.

[slammed saloon]

ok mate i wasn bein a t*** but i do head gasket changes at least 1nce a week at work and if the head isnt warped we dnt skim them n we generally never have comebacks unless its a k series they usually come back for an engine in bout a month lol

[Stuart]

ive never had a K series go on me after a HG change ;) well not due to the HG anyway lol

[slammed saloon]

i work at a landrover garage so the engines are on more strain because the freelanders have permanent four wheel drive bt we often have them go after theyve had hg change lol there s***

[Stuart]

thought the LR k series Hg was better than the rover one..

[slammed saloon]

theyve just upgraded them again there now something like 6 layer with another film sheet type thing u put on top of it then refit the head, but before i think the only difference was the dowels

[CP]

Head gaskets go on older cars through deterioration combined with hard driving more than anything else. IMO you don't NEED to skim if you are just using the engine as a std day to day runabout - prolly the least of your problems. But if you have or are going to mod it for xtra power then not having the head checked for warpage, pressure tested, de-coked and lightly skimmed would be tempting fate...

[Paul16v]

just looked at the car today and theres a pool of water underneath and looks like its coming from water pump! i never noticed this before as its always been wet when i was checking the over stuff.

so i'll try a water pump and cam belt and see if that fixes it if not its head gasket.

[mikey14sr]

The rover k series is a wet-liner design, when you remove the head bolts they're over a foot long because they also hold the liners up. If these engines go again shortly after a head gasket change it's usually because the liners have moved during the previous work, and the seals have been disturbed. to cure this is a full re-build job, and getting the liners back in perfectly can cost a bit of money plus you dont know if all's well until it all back together and running, therefore it's easier, quicker and cheaper to bung a new engine in.