225 maybe head gasket failure

Discussion in 'Mechanical - Engine, Gearbox, Exhaust etc' started by JJZ, Sep 23, 2019.

  1. JJZ

    JJZ

    hi guys can somebody give me some advice as to what has caused this to happen the car is a 225 cup took my car to the garage a couple of days ago to get the cambelt and water pump changed and when i got the car back i looked at the expansion tank and seen all this froffy stuff in there and when i took it for a spin i could smell petrol and i noticed when i started in the morning it would run rough for a few seconds and the car got really hot. but the temperature gauge didn’t move it just stayed where it always has so i took it to a renault specialist near me and he said it looks like coolant has mixed with oil. your head gasket has gone i thought [emoji189] nightmare so i got in the garage now so they can do some pressure tests and see what’s going on could the garage have over tightened the belt by any chance and thus causing the head to lift. i welcome all feed back thank in advance jason.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  2. JJZ

    JJZ

    so guys i thought [emoji189] i would update this post so just got the car back recently from being in the garage (reno tech) local garage where i live so they did some investigating with oil being mixed in the coolant and turned out it seemed to be the head gasket in the end. so they stripped engine down and said there seemed to be a very small leak. so i agreed to get the work done but car is running amazing now iv noticed a lot more power in the top end and low end and it just purrs it’s like a brand new car again what a difference while they did the head gasket i also had a new cambelt kit new auxilary kit and a new expansion tank fitted when they were doing the head might as well makes sense really happy with the way things turned out car is running amazing looking at getting a de car fitted and not sure on what map to go for stage 1 or stage 2 iv got an itg kit fitted in the bumper and also got a brand new 70mm airtec intercooler to be fitted so just need de cat and new injectors and a map thanks in advance jason.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    Ian Hughes likes this.
  3. Nice one mate, I’d do injectors, decat and recirc valve then a live map somewhere like EFI in Runcorn
     
  4. JJZ

    JJZ

    hi ian thanks for reply [emoji4] ye car is running really well very smooth it’s had a remap already cars got full miltek exhaust except de cat and an itg kit and is running 235 bhp i got a print out when i purchased the car so just need injectors and de cat and iv got an 70mm airtec intercooler to go on should be looking at 270 280 bhp surely thanks jason [emoji4][emoji1303]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  5. I'd have thought that power is quite easily achievable with the bigger injectors thrown in.
     
  6. JJZ

    JJZ

    hi guys took my car for an mot on friday and it failed on emissions it has a full miltek exhaust except for the cat the cat is standard is this up to the garage to pass this with his discretion or are they just being picky i will put a photo of the exhaust i have thanks in advance jason cd37cb525f0f5aa2bc68a83771c76584.jpg


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  7. matt e

    matt e South East RSM Area Rep

    which exhaust you have doesn't effect the emissions unless you have a decat, did you get a copy of the exhaust emissions test.

    you could try something simple like cataclean to try and pass or you might need a new cat
     
  8. JJZ

    JJZ

    hi mat the garage have had the car all weekend i will phone them on monday for a copy. the cat is standard could there be a leak in the manifold or the standard cat because the head gasket was only done a month ago so that would explain the leak maybe now that there’s more power coming from the engine thanks jason


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  9. JJZ

    JJZ

    am quit surprised the the garage never checked the manifold or the cat or had them pressure checked when they did the head gasket i guess that would explain the emissions must be a leak [emoji848]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  10. matt e

    matt e South East RSM Area Rep

    so it failed on exhaust leak or was it emissions?
     
  11. JJZ

    JJZ

    garage said it was emissions then they asked me if it had been decated andi said no it hasn’t just has the full miltek exhaust with standard cat so am confused [emoji2369]jason


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  12. The exhaust should not make a difference, i have a full 3 inch Miltec on my mk3 with a cat still fitted and it's sailed through two MOT's

    Just need to take it for a good run before the MOT, to get it up to full temperature
     
  13. JJZ

    JJZ

    i took the car into the garage on friday they didn’t phone me on friday tea time. so i thought they must have been busy so i phoned them saturday morning and they said it failed on emissions then they asked me if it had been decated and i said no which it hasn’t this is the same garage that did the head gasket a month before so am a bit confused because all the other garages it’s been to it has passed with the miltek exhaust and standard cat so i don’t no what’s going on with this garage. if the cat is leaking or the manifold shouldn’t they have checked these when the head was of jason


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  14. take it somewhere else to have it retested
     
  15. JJZ

    JJZ

    i think i might have to if they don’t pass it. it just seems a bit fishy to me if it is leaking from cat or manifold they are responsible because there back tracking on them selfs cus the turbo has got to come of again to get to the cat or manifold. jason


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  16. With a cat fitted it should pass, even if it's mapped, so it might be something they have or haven't done
     
  17. JJZ

    JJZ

    that’s what i’m thinking [emoji848] ian it’s got to be something they have done cus there the ones that’s had the head off last time.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  18. Is it driving okay, still getting full power ???
    can you here any exhaust blows ???
     
  19. matt e

    matt e South East RSM Area Rep

    take it to a place that just does mots and take it for a long run before
     
  20. JJZ

    JJZ

    it drives ok seems to get full power can’t hear any exhaust blows. but i did notice the other night when i went for a spirited run i could smell burning in the engine bay and when i stood by the passenger door you could smell it like it was over heating new water pump and auxiliary kit was done at the same time as the head gasket and expansion tank is new but temperature gauge never moved.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  21. JJZ

    JJZ

    might be exhaust gases escaping into the engine bay that what i could smell.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  22. The lower bolt on the cat to the turbo is a bitch to get at!

    I thought I managed mine but it's blowing quite badly so I've ordered some obstruction spanners to help access it!
     
  23. But if the garage has supposed to have done a head gasket job, sounds like they have skipped something
     
  24. JJZ

    JJZ

    that’s what i was thinking [emoji848] ian if they had the head off or maybe a loose bolt on the cat or manifold or maybe the cat could be blowing and they didn’t think to check it while the head was of i don’t really fancy paying the labour again to take the turbo of just to get to the cat or manifold which they should have checked the first time round.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  25. JJZ

    JJZ

    when i was in the engine bay last week as well one of the coil packs was loose on top of the spark plug so i had to tighten that it almost was coming if that’s how loose it was so i tightened that up just gives you an indication doesn’t it.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  26. JJZ

    JJZ

    i think what agreen said makes sense because when the garage phoned me and asked i it had been de cated he said the cat is a nightmare to get to sounds like the garage shot himself in the foot there.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  27. I would say that its almost impossible to get the turbo off without undoing the cat.
    There's not a lot of room around there and if they had the head off then they would see that there's a cat there, its hard not to see it, its huge.

    The turbo doesn't have to come off to sort the gaskets, it can be accessed from underneath, you have to remove the drive shaft to get the cat out.
     
  28. JJZ

    JJZ

    maybe that what the garage meant ian when they phoned me and said the cat was a nightmare to get to thanks for all advice. jason [emoji1303]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  29. I think it's worth taking it somewhere else and having some fresh eyes look at it!

    Getting the cat and the turbo off really pushed me to my limits! If I was to do it again, I'd just take the engine out!
     
  30. I took the head off of a mates Megane 225, took me 4 half days to get the head off, in the end i pulled the engine and box out in one, after i rebuilt the head, it took about an hour maybe two to get it all back together and then about 6 hours to get it back up and running.

    It is so awkward to get at the bolts etc, let alone getting stuff off of the engine and it is so much easier to to the cambelt
     
  31. JJZ

    JJZ

    just spoke to garage this morning guys it has passed the mot something to do with the cat he said it looks like it’s been welded or something so they put some paste on it to seal it to get it threw the mot. but i think [emoji848] it could be that bottom bolt by the cat that they were struggling with i suppose there not gonna tell me the real truth. when they did the head it took them 3 weeks to do it. i did mention getting it de cated and they said it’s a bugger to them threw but that’s what id love to do and then some 630 injectors and a remap CGR decat maybe.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  32. Sounds a bit fishy to me, first iv'e never heard of a Cat breaking, they are so strong.
    Now one of the bolts on the bottom flange snapping then yes, that's more than likely whats happened and now they have gummed up the gap.

    Is this a garage you have used often ??? if not then i would suggest searching for another, i have one up the road from me, used them for years and years, so i don't get the BS from them, they tell me whats happened and we make a decision from there.

    The Mk2 is easier to get the cat off of, the mk3 is a nightmare apparently, (sent it to the garage up the road :laughing::laughing:) top and bottom engine mounts off, wheel off drive shaft out and tilt the engine, putting a decat pipe in is easy.

    3 weeks for a head gasket :openmouth: how many hours did they charge you for ???

    I have a decat pipe that i will probably sell, as i have another, that one has to be modified so using that, its all heat wrapped as well.
     
  33. If you go for a decat, go for a 2.75".

    The existing 2.75" I had split at the weld at the turbo (miltek) so i went for a 3" to replace it. Doesn't seem like much difference, but being slightly fatter has made it even harder to get to the bolts we're talking about!
     
  34. JJZ

    JJZ

    i’ll post a copy of the mot. what it failed on and the emissions test you might have to zoom in a bit tell me what you think. 795ead6ce49e3ea05b2017df5e2f7e19.jpg 2f5d381f5036de1c447dea430ea84fbc.jpg


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  35. JJZ

    JJZ

    this is the second sheet emissions test. 5bb440052f2dc16784d1ed7f81b26268.jpg


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  36. Sorry Jason
    I don't have a clue what that is all about, mine always passes this test :laughing::laughing::laughing:

    Sure that if its not up to temperature that also has a detrimental effect, also if the leak was on the bottom joint that is after both Lamba sensors, if it's on the turbo gasket its before the Lamba sensors, i don't get it :confused::confused:
     
  37. JJZ

    JJZ

    i don’t get either ian but it has passed so all is good i guess whoo laughing laughing laughing....


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  38. JJZ

    JJZ

    i’s it possible to fit a de cat and have it mapped so it can pass an emissions test. or would it be better to fit a sports catalytic converter down pipe i know these are a lot bigger and more expensive probably more awkward to fit as well when it comes getting to the bolts decisions decisions.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  39. How about having a cat that you can swap into the mid section?

    Would be a lot easier than taking the existing cat on and off.
     
  40. JJZ

    JJZ

    that does sound better and a lot easier i guess is that what your doing adgreen.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

  • Share This Page