GU 99 2.8lt TD suspected blown head gasket

[Jamesandlizk]

Can anyone help.
I think I have blown a head gasket.
I recently purchased my 99 gu and since I bought it, it blows smoke on start up only.
I doesn't use oil at all.
Took it for a drive to the Nango National Park and since then it has been using water.
Can anyone tell me (I'm a first time diesel owner and female) if I should be able to take off the radiator cap whilst the car is running.
In all of my other cars (all petrol) you are able to start the engine and remove the radiator cap without water spewing everywhere.
Is it the same in diesel engines? Does this mean I have a blown gasket?

Please no abbreviations as I am sure I won't know what they mean, sorry to be painful.
Thanks for any help you can offer.

Cheers,
Liz

[Petit caillou]

Hi Liz,

Look if you have bubbles in the expansion tank ?
do you have the heater in the cabin ?
do your GU has dificulties to start the morning?

Regards
Petit caillou.

[Jamesandlizk]

Hi Liz,

Look if you have bubbles in the expansion tank ?
do you have the heater in the cabin ?
do your GU has dificulties to start the morning?

Regards
Petit caillou.

I have no heater in the cabin, never understood why as the air con works great.
No real problem starting it in the morning.
Got me stumped, was driving it today and lost power with water spewing out of the overflow bottle. The roadside assist guy tested the radiator to see if there was any trace of diesel but there wasn't so he said prob not a head gasket.
Got it towed home and the engine light is on and it's running like a pig, like it's running on 3 cylinders instead of 6. Got me f$$$ed.
Mrs is very pregnant and just spent the last of our dollars on this car, any tips would be great.

[97_gq_lwb]

They do crack heads and even bores.
But i would do some thorough testing before removing it .
compression test cooling system pressure test etc

[Jamesandlizk]

They do crack heads and even bores.
But i would do some thorough testing before removing it .
compression test cooling system pressure test etc

Thank for the advice, any idea what they will run me?

[threedogs]

Is there white goo on dip stick???
Wouldn't start thinking big bucks yet


Could be any number of things, water pump, radiator, even loose belt maybe

[Jamesandlizk]

Haven't checked since it only happened a few hours ago and it's dark out, just wondering if there is when I check tomorrow what are your thoughts on what it is?

[MC97GQ]

James and Liz,

I think your best bet is to take it to a radiator/ cooling system specialist ie: Natrad. It could be something as simple as a dodgy radiator cap, buggered thermostat or it could be a head gasket, cracked head etc.

You will get a multitude of opinions here from your description, but unless you take it to someone who does this stuff all the time you could spend big dollars chasing this problem. But always remember to get a second opinion, especially if they are talking big dollars for repairs.

I hope it all goes well and good luck with your pending arrival.

Mark

[Petit caillou]

Hi James and Liz

I'm pretty okay with MC97GQ.

- When the engine is running you bubbles in the expansion tank?
- The plug is pressurized to about 1 bar, it may be defective.
- Is the temperature gauge rises?
- The calorstat may be faulty or the water pump, ...
- The return hose coolant is it hard or soft ?

regards
Petit caillou.

[Jamesandlizk]

Hi James and Liz

I'm pretty okay with MC97GQ.

- When the engine is running you bubbles in the expansion tank?
- The plug is pressurized to about 1 bar, it may be defective.
- Is the temperature gauge rises?
- The calorstat may be faulty or the water pump, ...
- The return hose coolant is it hard or soft ?

regards
Petit caillou.

No bubbles, the temperature gauge was at half way a second before the water started coming outta the thing but as soon as I lost power and it started dumping water the gauge went all the way up, once I got it home the gauge had gone back down so I am assuming that it's working.
The hose is soft not hard and brittle no cracks it's all holding water.MC97GQ thanks for the advice mate and also on your good wishes.
Let's hope we can figure this out so I can at least drive her to hospital!