More 2.2 Petrol stress !! Please help...

[mark_647]

Hello, hope your all good....

First, oil pressure switch goes - spraying oil everywhere, problem fixed no more issues with oil leaks.

Secondly, appears a head gasket failiure - car is on 109,550 and otherwise, still very strong.

Filler cap very white, oil white,ish and water dropping very quickly, perhaps reaching the coolant low warning every 25/30 miles.
However, the coolant was not that discoulored but had bought some crap up into the expansion tank.

Had head gasket replaced at a local garage, also a good friend of a family member. Head gasket clearly failed, marks where the
water/oil ha dbeen tracking across - but on the block (underside) of the gasket. Block and cylinder head checked and assured, no warpage.
One new gasket set and chain later, car sounds smoother than it ever has and pulls very well but a few days later, i notice water has dropped to minimum again. Hoping just air lock or something, I topped back up but it keeps dropping still. Garage have had the car back overnight, drying it out, and pressure tested the coolant system in the morning, holding pressure but dropping minimally (said it was normal leakage through the tester).

Garage say there is definatley no water leakage externally so must be internal and is either a cracked block or head......
***********
Have checked the expansion tank with an MOT tester for hydrocarbons and only reveals about 15 on the guage. This same test was done before
the HG was replaced and it stated straight away 300 !!
By the way, the oil now looks grey !?! Coolant quite dirty as garage flushed it and stated its disturbed more crap and will take a few more flushes to get rid.

Do you think something is cracked ? What are your views on this stressing issue lol ?!?

Also - Car still sounds lovely, smooth and pulls nicely.....

Thankyou for your time, bit of a long read haha

[bigmac]

I would say Head ! get it off have it re skimmed and refit my bro had a very small hairline crack in his head some times they are hard to find,but if i was doing a head gasket i would nearly all of the time get it re skimmed as the heads are alloy and can warp or crack easily
HTH

[mark_647]

Cheers mate - Would you suggest a new head ? Canget a fully recon head for £400 with all the bits ?

Whats the chance of it being the block ?

Thanks, Mark

[bigmac]

I would just see if you old head can be re skimmed mate should only cost £40-£50 cant see it being the block but stranger things have happened,but tbh the garage should of re skimmed the head in the first place regardless if they couldn't see any thing

[mark_647]

Yep, agree - Should have been skimmed....

Am I right in saying the block is cast and head, aluminium ?

Thanks

[bigmac]

Yep, agree - Should have been skimmed....

Am I right in saying the block is cast and head, aluminium ?

Thanks

That is my understanding,i would tell the garage that the head needs re skimming and you will have to use new head bolts they shouldn't charge you imho as this should of been done first especially if they could see where the leak was


some others may reply a bit later there all off getting manicures atm

[mark_647]

lol haha - no worries, thanks for your help.

Im going to whip the plugs out in the min and hopefully will see water maybe?

Not hopefully if you now what I mean, but it would diagnose the problem lol

Thanks for your help, Mark

[petel]

just reading this post,if the oil is grey it suggests that the oil and water are mixing
has the engine wet piston linings as the may have been disturbed when the head gasket was done and the colant is passing the bottm seals into the crankcase
If dry linings ignore my thoughts completely

[mark_647]

Thans petel - Im guessing the head would have to be whipped off to check the linings ?

lol at my wording, if only it was as easy to remove the head as whipping it of sounds haha

[rushy]

Yep, agree - Should have been skimmed....

Am I right in saying the block is cast and head, aluminium ?

Thanks

The Head and block are all aluminium on the Z22SE and YH (2.2 petrol)
The heads have been known to crack, mine did. Its due to an inferior casting method. Also using the wrong antifreeze in an ally lump can really ferk it and have seen a few 2.2 leaking coolant around the spark plug holes under the coil pack. Check you have red/orange coolant first off, then take the coil pack off and see if its flooded under there. If all clear then start looking at skimming the head mate. HTH