Head Gasket Failure @ 21k

[Justin85]

Hi,

Car has done 21k and was three on the 15th March!

I am pretty sure that the head gasket has failed on the 'Roc. Got in it earlier and it wouldn't start - it wouldn't turn over and the MFD displayed something like "EPC Fault" momentarily. I turned the key again and the car started, but ran rough, although there were no warning lights/messages. I turned it off and started it again and it idled fine with no warning lights. Backed out of the space and drove off but noticed clouds and clouds of white smoke from the exhausts.

I stopped the car and could see lots of sooty water in the exhaust tips. Coolant level was a bit low and there is evidence of mayo in the filler cap. RAC came out and diagnosed head gasket as expected but couldn't tow it as it was too low to go on the dolly. As I want it to go to a dealer for diagnosis and repair (and they are all closed/unable to have the car dropped off out of hours) I have had to leave parked up 20 miles away to be recovered on a low loader on Monday morning.

Hopefully the dealers (non-supplying) will be able to help get decent support from VW. Any tips/ideas on chances of getting VW to sort it out? Needless to say it has a fVWsh and was serviced two weeks ago.

Regards,
Justin.

[snapey]

How did they diagnose it as a head gasket failure? Leak down or compression test?

Mayo around the filler cap is normal in this weather, if it's on the dipstick than you've got a bigger issue.

[Justin85]

It was "diagnosed" at the side of the road where I stopped it.

I guess the combination of large clouds of white smoke, bubbles in the expansion tank and the coolant level decreasing as we watched the car idle made the head gasket the prime suspect.

It does do short journeys in the week but regularly gets exercised at the weekend. It seemed to generate more white sludge in the few minutes it idled for earlier.

Are there any known H/G or turbo issues with these engines?

Thanks,
Justin.

[snapey]

I don't think I've heard of a single head gasket letting go on a EA113 in over 5 years. Turbo's seemed to be more common in the early days, butI'd have thought the issues would have been dialed out by now.

Either way, hope you get it sorted!

[James321]

It doesn't sound promising but hopefully it's turbo related and not the head gasket, it would be a much cheaper fix if it was!

[Justin85]

Hopefully the dealer will be able to help when we get it there on Monday. I would also anticipate some support from VW given the cars low mileage and relatively low age/proximity to warranty period. I have to say I wasn't terribly encouraged by the attitudes of the three dealers I spoke with yesterday, but will put that down to them all wanting to them all wanting to get away from work on a Saturday.

Justin

[SMB]

Hopefully the dealer will be able to help when we get it there on Monday. I would also anticipate some support from VW given the cars low mileage and relatively low age/proximity to warranty period. I have to say I wasn't terribly encouraged by the attitudes of the three dealers I spoke with yesterday, but will put that down to them all wanting to them all wanting to get away from work on a Saturday.

Justin

Default answer on contribution will be no as its just out of warrantty but keep pushing, I got an 80% contribution for a weeping radiatior once just past warranty. They started at 30% iirc.

[spiderman]

Hi mate, did this ever get resolved ? Reason I ask, I also have discovered a milky creamy substance on my oil filler cap. Apart from this, car runs fine. I'm thinking more along the lines of condensation though. Could you lets know how you got on ?

Thanks

[SMB]

Mayo on the filler cap this time of year is almost certainly just moisture in the oil from short journeys and the engine never fully getting warmed through. Unless you are seeing other signs I wouldn't worry about it, just look and see how old the oil is and perhaps change it. But it will likely return if you are doing short journeys. The op was the only instance I've ever heard of of head gasket failure on this engine. There may have been others but it's rare.

[spiderman]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. It was last serviced in the summer and done around 3000 miles since. I also sent a pic of the filler cap to the VW service dept and they have said condensation aswell (if no other obvious symptoms).
Cheers

[flashash]

Mine has this too checked it this morning

[flashash]

Think mine is slowly losing coolant. Not on minimum but close to it. Should I be concerned. Warranty runs out in Feb.

[Cuprabob]

You need to check the coolant level first thing in the morning when the car is stone cold over a period of time to determine whether you are actually losing coolant. The level varies quite a bit depending on temperature and when the car was last run.

If you still think you are losing coolant, then first thing to do is have the coolant system pressure tested and take it from there.

[flashash]

Cheers bob will do. I only do 8 mile round trip to work never really have a long drive. I have been keeping an eye on the coolant for a while as I new it was low. It was serviced in august so I presume coolant must of been at max then and now it's near the minimum mark.