Hyndai I10 engine using coolant - bad diagnosis?
Discussion
Need some help checking a garage isn't trying to rip my mum off.
She has a 59 plate I10 that has been using coolant slowly over the last few weeks. We were monitoring it and it was using roughly 100ml every 100 miles or so. I couldn't spot any obvious leaks and there were no telltale drips underneath it after a longish run or if it was left standing either. It had it's MOT two weeks ago and passed with just an advisory on the tyre wear and one on a rusty brake pipe.
Last week though it started to use more coolant and yesterday it used a litre in 26 miles so it was taken to the local garage a mile away from her. They drew a blank on any leaks so he got a friend to give a second opinion and now they want to replace the engine! The report has come back saying that it's pouring coolant through the exhaust and only running on two cylinders but mum and dad have both said it was running fine, plenty of power with no smoke, steam or leaks it was just using coolant. Dad used to race vintage cars and has rebuilt whole cars before so knows his way around a car and my mum isn't stupid car-wise either and they both think it sounds fishy. I moved the car around 3 days ago and it started and ran fine, I'm suspecting the head gasket has gone drawing coolant into a cylinder.
They've used this garage for a long time but recently locals have been mumbling about his prices going up and suspected unnecessary work being done too, we've had no issues until now but this smells a bit fishy. Surely if the engine has gone it would run rough or give some sign it was unhappy but as long as you keep the coolant topped up it runs fine. It's done 68k so shouldn't be worn out yet!
Does it sound like the engine's gone or a head gasket as I/we suspect? Dad's going to ask the garage to whip the head off and look inside as he trusts the owner but not his mate.
She has a 59 plate I10 that has been using coolant slowly over the last few weeks. We were monitoring it and it was using roughly 100ml every 100 miles or so. I couldn't spot any obvious leaks and there were no telltale drips underneath it after a longish run or if it was left standing either. It had it's MOT two weeks ago and passed with just an advisory on the tyre wear and one on a rusty brake pipe.
Last week though it started to use more coolant and yesterday it used a litre in 26 miles so it was taken to the local garage a mile away from her. They drew a blank on any leaks so he got a friend to give a second opinion and now they want to replace the engine! The report has come back saying that it's pouring coolant through the exhaust and only running on two cylinders but mum and dad have both said it was running fine, plenty of power with no smoke, steam or leaks it was just using coolant. Dad used to race vintage cars and has rebuilt whole cars before so knows his way around a car and my mum isn't stupid car-wise either and they both think it sounds fishy. I moved the car around 3 days ago and it started and ran fine, I'm suspecting the head gasket has gone drawing coolant into a cylinder.
They've used this garage for a long time but recently locals have been mumbling about his prices going up and suspected unnecessary work being done too, we've had no issues until now but this smells a bit fishy. Surely if the engine has gone it would run rough or give some sign it was unhappy but as long as you keep the coolant topped up it runs fine. It's done 68k so shouldn't be worn out yet!
Does it sound like the engine's gone or a head gasket as I/we suspect? Dad's going to ask the garage to whip the head off and look inside as he trusts the owner but not his mate.
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