Help! I don't want to scrap a beautiful cabriolet

[calista]

The temperature on my 1996 cabriolet shoots up after ten minutes. I think that means the gasket is gone (or nearly gone?). It seems such a waste to scrap it - Does anyone have any suggestions of how much it might cost/who might want to fix it?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[zollaf]

hello and welcome.
price depends on what engine your cabby has really, so if you can tell us it would help.

[fourringsrus]

As Zolly says we need to know the engine size and code and a little more info on the symptoms.

[calista]

Hi sorry - it's a v6 2.6 litre engine
thanks

[zollaf]

ok, might be the head gasket, or one of them, but could be a thermostat. does the radiator get hot ?

[phil miller]

could even be the water pump mate, as zollaf has said see if the rad gets hot and go from there mate

[fourringsrus]

Another that joins up , asks a half ***** question and does not go any further, winds be up to buggery

[calista]

I'm not sure what that post by fourringus is referring to.
I am basically looking for a mechanic who will offer me a good deal to get the car on the road again. Any takers? I live in Islington.
Thanks

[Eshrules]

fourringsrus (or the ring expert as I like to call him <sniggers>) is referring to your lack of detail - You're looking for help but appear not to be helping yourself, providing only the bare minimum detail and ignoring people's questions.

The best way forward for you would probably be to book it in with a decent independant garage and get a thorough diagnostic carried out as (no offence intended) you don't appear to have a clue what's wrong with your car, nor where to start.

[calista]

OK well thanks for that. I don't really have much of a clue because I'm not a mechanic, which is why I signed up to this forum. The only question I haven't answered is whether the radiator gets hot, but I'm afraid I don't know how to tell that.

I have had two mechanics look at it. They both said they have done as much as they can without spending alot of money. I presume that means that it is a head gasket but they can't tell without spending the money, which is my problem.

I was really looking for someone who might be interested in helping me to fix the car at a decent price. I should have been clearer on that in the first instance, if at least to avoid the flak.

[fourringsrus]

OK well thanks for that. I don't really have much of a clue because I'm not a mechanic, which is why I signed up to this forum. The only question I haven't answered is whether the radiator gets hot, but I'm afraid I don't know how to tell that.

I have had two mechanics look at it. They both said they have done as much as they can without spending alot of money. I presume that means that it is a head gasket but they can't tell without spending the money, which is my problem.

I was really looking for someone who might be interested in helping me to fix the car at a decent price. I should have been clearer on that in the first instance, if at least to avoid the flak.

Calista, I meant no offence toward you, it just looked like you had ( as so many do ) only joined to extract free help, but had taken a week to respond till now.
I'm not an offensive falla and apologise if my remarks were taken that way.Your car being a v6 will have 2 head gaskets

To your car, you can tell if your radiator gets hot by feeling if there is heat coming from it, which will show itself by being warm.
Sorry , being sarky, a little light hearted forum banter.

Some checks you may be able to make for yourself without being a mechanic
1, look into the tank where you put water/antifreeze, which on your car should be under the bonnet near to the windscreen on the passengers side, and see if the water is a clean watery fluid , possibly pink.
It should be clean pink water.
If you can see an oily creamy gunk in the water, a bit like mayonnaise you may have an issue with a head gasket.
If you pull the dipstick for your oil level, on your car this is a large orange ring handled pull stick on the drivers side of the engine, under the bonnet.
You should find just oil ( clean and gold if recently changed, or maybe a bit black if service is due ). If the oil dip stick shows a lot of the aforementioned mayonnaise you may have an issue with the head gaskets.
If you open the oil filler cap, on your car this is a round black twist off cap just on top of the engine and almost directly above the dip stick on the drivers side and will have a picture of an oil can on it.
The oil filler cap may have a very slight showing of the mayonnaise but this can sometimes be acceptable if it is only a slight amount.
The mayonnaise/creamy gunk I have mentioned is the affect of your engine coolant/water/anti-freeze mixing with the engine oil and emulsification occurring
This can happen when a cylinder head gasket goes and allows the 2 fluids to meet, and they shouldn't.
The above checks should be made with the engine SWITCHED OFF AND COLD, for your own safety and should take you less than a minute to complete

If the above tests seem beyond your own ability or a bit daunting, you really should have the car looked at by somebody you can trust not to rip you off and to give you a qualified opinion
It doesn't sound like whomever looked at your car has been very helpful and it would be a shame to scrap a lovely cabriolet based on not really knowing if it has a serious problem or a simple sensor/sender issue

Again if my comments previously made offended you or any other forum user it was not my intention.

Good luck

[fourringsrus]

There are may other causes for over heating also ie, dud water pump ,dud thermostat, blocked or malfunctioning radiator or its' hoses, electric faults in relation to the switching on of your cooling fans etc, etc and I don't mean to send you up the head gasket worrying route unnecessarily, so please have a reputable mechanic look at the car informing him that you want a diagnosis first, not a massive bill.

[fourringsrus]

There ya go , another 8 days and............................................... .................

[fourringsrus]

Another 7 days...........

[zollaf]

and counting.....

[fourringsrus]

Another 13

[Eshrules]

I'm not sure what that post by fourringus is referring to.
I am basically looking for a mechanic who will offer me a good deal to get the car on the road again. Any takers? I live in Islington.
Thanks


Maybe he found the right deal :naughty:

[fourringsrus]

Possibly, but I usually do my best to finish off a thread when it reaches a conclusion and thank those who helped.
I'd wager that this one is just another non courteous, free info grabbing ,waste of rations who never would have used any given advice anyway.

[zollaf]

certainly looks that way. maybe esh is correct and he (or she ? ) found a mechanic and just hasn't bothered to tell us. maybe it was someone on this forum that helped him (or her) you never know. maybe the car is cube shaped and heading for china though, to return as cheap tat.