Another sad day!

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:34 pm

With everything pointing to HG failure, (getting tested this pm), the GTi Auto will have to go. It'll probably be broken next week (will have to remove personal number plate first) and the Tax cashed in. I will be having quite a few bits of it, including alloys/bolts/tyres, headlights, fog lights and mouldings, front splitter, tailblazer (if I can get it off), headrests, K&N filter, Magnecore HT leads, high power bulbs and anything else Mark at Edwards will let me have that I can remove...

Alternatively, I will sell the car whole but with all the above on, I think I would be asking too much. It's worth more in bits TBH.

PM if you are interested in sorting something out with me.

I'll update you all on the test result this afternoon. (If it passes OK, then I'll probably keep it, although it does need quite a lot of work).

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:17 pm

A sad day indeed, lets hope all works out

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:23 pm

What symptoms lead you to suspect this Phil?

Even if it is, surely it's worth doing if the rest of the car is good? Aside from getting the head skimmed, it's just a dismantling and reassembly job after all. (You said you wanted to get further involved in DIY

)

Good luck with the test this afternoon.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:05 pm

It is definitely head gasket failure. The test conducted by my friendly neighborhood mechanic confirmed it's well-stuffed. The car is overheating nicely now. Difficult to start when hot at the best of times, but managed to get it back here.

The list of other work to undertake is so long it will be broken.

It was in need of: Repair and welding of rear n/s including seams and inner arch, repainting (along with new bumper), electric fuel pump and return pipe, fuel line, rear spheres, front and rear discs and pads, suspect engine mount, radiator, thermostat. Cosmetically, needed some help with the paintwork elsewhere too. And the radio doesn't work anymore...

That, combined with the fact it has been used daily by us for 33 months and covered over 15,000 miles in that time, it's done very well (mostly local stuff - and done at about 20mpg most of the time which isn't so good). Time to let the old girl rest in piece(s).

Off to Edwards asap.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 5:31 pm

Phil - any chance I could buy the bolts for your speedlines please?

Oh - re-read your post - not to worry then.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 8:32 pm

The car; less alloys, front splitter, sunroof deflector, K&N filter, battery, HT leads, front headrests, tax disc, rubber mats, bulbs, front fogs and headlights, now resides at Edwards, Billericay.

For anyone that's interested, it has decent front struts, and the rear arms are OK too. The transverse box and back box are only 4 months old.

Just contact Mark to put your name against them if you want first dibs.

Not exactly happy (but in a strange way relieved). But needs as must.

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:14 pm

In retrospect, putting up with 20mpg (sign of a definite fault with carburation) is probably what has caused the HG failure and possibly other problems as well.

It's had a good life though Phil

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:33 pm

Thanks. But 20/22 mpg around town in an 8v GTi automatic is not unusual IME and on a run the car achieved 33/34 mpg quite happily. The trouble was using the car as a daily hack when it might only be covering 6-12 miles in a day I guess. Also I think, as the car had had synthetic oil all its life, switching to semi-synthetic (Castrol Magnatec) 6,000 mile ago seems it might have hastened the gasket failure?

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 3:25 pm

I think you fell out of love with it - and it died of a broken heart

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 3:37 pm

NOT TRUE. It was Liz's car and she (we) loved it. We looked after it. Just sometimes things go wrong which are just too expensive to fix.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 3:43 pm

Only joking Phil - I'm sure many would have given-up a long time before.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 4:09 pm

No worries. You are right though: especially after the second 'no fault' accident last December.

The yoof who smashed into the BX and then drove off, was caught. I went to court as a witness because he pleaded Not Guilty

. But he didn't want to attend court so they found him guilty in his absence.

Punishment? £100 fine and 6 points. Doesn't seem quite enough to me but hey.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 4:28 pm

You could always divert past his house on the way to the breakers - scrape his car right down the side - then straight in the crusher hehehe

Paul296 · Post by **Paul296** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 4:50 pm

Really sorry to hear about the demise of your lovely 8v Phil

- I'd be gutted. I try to tell myself 'it's only a car' but don't seem to make much progress with not becoming unreasonably attached to them - particularly when they're are Citroens!

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 6:05 pm

I have always been excited by the demise of my cars - it means there's going be a new one to learn to love

(or hate)