change head gasket.

[ossie cossie]

I have some green gunk stuff on the side of my engine on the same side as the exhaust manifold, The coolant in the engine is green, and it needs topping up about every 22 months about quarter litre. It looks like it is coming from the head gasket as it is only on the cast iron block not on the alloy head. My question is if i was to change the head gasket what parts would i need to put it all back together, IE obviously a head set and head gasket, should i change the cam belt? and should i fit new stretch head bolts. is it best to get cometic or would standard be ok it has a 330bhp conversion.
It has been like this for about 3 years now and i think its about time i did something about it. As it seems to be getting worse. Also it doesn,t cause any dramas just annoying, the motor still runs just fine. I dont use the car very much in the 5 years i have had it its only done about 12,000 miles.

[Ben Purnell]

definately need new bolts, cambelt kit (belt, tensioner and pullies), you might as well go for a top gasket set as you will need new inlet and exhaust etc... probably

[ossie cossie]

definately need new bolts, cambelt kit (belt, tensioner and pullies), you might as well go for a top gasket set as you will need new inlet and exhaust etc... probably

I understand i need a belt, but the tensioner and pullies ???????????

[cosmagedon]

You get the tensioner as a kit with the cambelt usually, i would go for a ybp small turbo headgasket and genuine fored stretch bolts.

[Ben Purnell]

I understand i need a bely, but the tensioner and pullies ???????????

when did you last change the belt?

I would always do mine when changing unless they are very much new already

[ossie cossie]

Tha belt was changed about 4 years ago but only done 12,000miles since then.

[Ben Purnell]

to be honest I would change them then, the last thing you want is the tensioner going. I always change mine every 5 years or if it reaches the mileage quoted, for the sake of a few more pounds its nice to have a bit of piece of mind.

don't forget to budget for a head skim as well

[Mark Barber]

dont forget it will need pressure testing too and an oil and filter change i use a wrc 4 layer gasket
everytime you may need some exhast manifold studs because they are sometimes snapped

[dom123]

or if it aint broken dont fix it!!! best opinion, my friend drumed this into me, and now ive used my escos so much in the last 4months and enjoyed every minuite... normal i would have it off the road everyother week now i just plod on and use it!!

my old saph use to use half a litre of water everyweek! and i'd use it about 100 miles a week, i had the car nearly 2 years and it never let me down once!! never worried about it... sold it, now the new owner took it all to bits and hasnt had it runing, as far a know and he's had it over a year... it was the most reliable car i ever had...

my escos now has a tiny bit of mayo in the oil on the cap drives fine theres not a chance i'm taking it apart untill it lets go...