Impending disaster?
Discussion
Hello everyone,
for quite some time I've been lusting after an S1 111S for sale near where I live. I think I may like the extra power over a standard S1 but I don't really like the poor history and maintenance of the car (which is basically sitting in a garage since 2012).
I also took some photos and by looking attentively tonight i saw this (see circled in red): could this be sign of an impending disaster? HGF?
Let me know what you think. Thanks!
for quite some time I've been lusting after an S1 111S for sale near where I live. I think I may like the extra power over a standard S1 but I don't really like the poor history and maintenance of the car (which is basically sitting in a garage since 2012).
I also took some photos and by looking attentively tonight i saw this (see circled in red): could this be sign of an impending disaster? HGF?
Let me know what you think. Thanks!
I don't think so. The pressurised channels are a long way from the the outside of the engine - when the head gasket goes, it's almost always between two internal channels so there is no external indication of the fault except for water in the oil and/or vice versa. The bit you have circled is a long way above the head/block interface anyway, I think that's just the cam-cover gasket.
Head gasket failure is hardly a disaster. If you can't afford the car to throw up the odd ~£400 bill, the Elise probably isn't the right car to be buying.
Head gasket failure is hardly a disaster. If you can't afford the car to throw up the odd ~£400 bill, the Elise probably isn't the right car to be buying.
Edited by kambites on Thursday 28th April 08:09
Difficult to tell from that angle. If it's oil in the coolant there will be a viscous yellowy substance stuck to the inside of the header tank (and/or oil filler cap); it has a similar consistency to mayonnaise. If the white bits are hard, it's probably lime-scale (you shouldn't really use hard water in the coolant system but people do).
If you're really worried about the gasket you can get it gas tested. If you're worried about it, given that the cam belts will need replacing anyway if it's been sitting idle for four years, get the head gasket checked at the same time because it's considerably cheaper to sort it while the belts are off anyway.
If you're really worried about the gasket you can get it gas tested. If you're worried about it, given that the cam belts will need replacing anyway if it's been sitting idle for four years, get the head gasket checked at the same time because it's considerably cheaper to sort it while the belts are off anyway.
Edited by kambites on Friday 29th April 08:46
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