Oil in the radiator?!

[steveo_uk]

Hello and Happy new year to everyone!

I have just picked my 1.1i saxo up from the garage after having an annual service.
The guy said that everything is ok but he found evidence of oil in the radiator. I asked him what that would be caused by and he said that it could be the head gasket...BUT.....

He said not to worry because its very common for these cars and they useally end up running just fine!

I haven't noticed any problems with it and I don't really want to spend £300 fixing the head gasket if its going to keep me running for another year and a bit (thats how long i need the car for whilst at uni.)

Should I be concerned?

[Cammy]

i would be, or you could flush the coolant out a few times, then leave it a few days of hard running and go back and see if you can find traces of oil, you never know if it was a woman or a man who had i before and knew nothing of where to put the oil.

Herd of someone filling up the wrong ones before.

[kcsaxo]

my mate had the same problem on his 1.1 and it ran for a couple of years until he got rid of it, there was nothing wrong with the head. apart from the oil has it had any other problems such as a flat spot when you put your foot down? if not it 'should' be fine but dont qoute me on that.

[steveo_uk]

Forgive my stupidness kcsaxo but whats a 'flat spot?'

[kcsaxo]

when you drive off, does the car at any time seem to halt and then lurch forward? that's a flat spot where there is a delay in producing power in the rev band. its not a definite answer to your problem but that can be a symptom of a head going. if its not obvious, then i wouldnt go searching for the problem as it will get you paranoid.

[steveo_uk]

Nope. Nothing like that. I have had the car for 2 years now and take care of it, never drive like a twat, service it yearly etc. Never had a problem with the car at all. Its only done 76thousand miles.

Its been really good to me but it only cost 800 when I bought it and is probably worth very little now.

Don't really want to spend 300 on a new head gasket if its going to last me for another year and a half (when I finish uni and can afford a brand new car).

So you guys think I shouldn't panic just yet? And just keep an eye on it?

[Jim-Bob]

Mine went at 68,000 miles, head gasket was destroyed apparently just crumbled when the head was taken off :n:

If you don't do many miles then i would be tempted to save the £300 and put it towards a new car, may mean the car is only good for scrap though when the time comes to get rid of it...

Your choice really mate.

James

[xxo0pko0xx]

flush your engine mate and replace the coolant. once youve bled it check to see if your coolant drops or not. if it does ur heads blown. also keep a eye out for sludge in ur rad and look for mayo on your fuel cap. this will be caused by the head corroding and little the fluids getting into the wrong tubing.

tbh a headgasket sounds dauting but tbh i would reccommend speaking to rauchz. its a faily long job. but not the most difficult providing you keep your nuts bolts etc lablelled and have a haynes manual HG kits hit barely £30 however while youve got the engine open you could replace other vauable parts IE waterpump, cambelt and so forth.
:D
best of luck dude

[TU-Tuning]

It does sound like Headgasket failure. Should you want it done I can do it for £175. That includes me coming to you (in Cardiff), fitting a new cambelt and tensioner and headgasket replacement.