106 GTi Head gasket gone?

[DuncsGTi]

My 99 GTi has started to overheat, misfire under load and drink coolant, got a garage doing a sniff test this afternoon but I'm pretty certain the HG has gone

Now, I have been living outside the UK for the last 4 years so have very little idea of the cost of labour here any more. How much (ballpark figure) should I expect to pay to have the HG, Head bolts, cam belt, pulleys and water pump replaced (plus oil/filter/coolant)

Buying the parts from GSF comes in at about 180ish and I cant see it taking more than 4.5 hrs by a competent mechanic?

[Vimto156]

krisb is very well regarded, http://www.krisb.co.uk/ he has prices up on the website.

[StoatInACoat]

You have email.

To add - has the car overheated? I would strongly advise you stop driving it and you need to know what condition the head is in.

[Kitchski]

Where abouts are you located?

[DuncsGTi]

Im in the South West atm, got the car back from the garage today, no compression on 3&4 so I reckon my head is knackered

From what I'm led to believe, it will probably be cheaper/easier to drop in a replacement engine rather than stripping and reconditioning the head.

[Kitchski]

Well we're in Hampshire - very reasonably priced for workshop labour.

A replacement head will do. Yours might still be alright, but you won't know until it's stripped and pressure tested.

HAving said that some engines go very cheap, so could be worth just buying an engine and taking what you need.

[megamaniac]

DuncsGTi said:

Im in the South West atm, got the car back from the garage today, no compression on 3&4 so I reckon my head is knackered

From what I'm led to believe, it will probably be cheaper/easier to drop in a replacement engine rather than stripping and reconditioning the head.

Have the head done,why put an unknown quantity engine in? IMHO 2nd hand engines can be too much of a gamble.

[DuncsGTi]

I've found a 60k mile engine from a rear ended car, £320 delivered and I have a new alternator and starter motor on my old engine. I think I will just take a chance on the replacement engine and put a new cambelt, pulleys and water pump onto it.

[Rossdagley]

could have taken the opportunity to replace it with a very low mileage jp4 lump.