Mk7 EA888 Gen 3 - head gasket

[Andy_D]

Anyone had a head gasket replaced or done it themselves? EA888 gen 3 as in GTI, R, Octavia 3 vrs etc... But very similar amount of work to Gen 2 as in mk6 gti etc...

I'm pretty sure like 99% confident mine is leaking. I've used a borescope to try to get some images but they're pretty crap. Car is on 83k. Sump gasket and upper timing gaskets were leaking a bit but they've now been replaced.

Looking at the work this must be a big big job.... 15 hours plus parts>???

[Crasher]

The book time is 10 hours which is a bad joke, for an experienced tech with everything laid out, all the special tools, a perfect car (no rusted or damaged fasteners), all the parts to hand, real world 20 hours plus stripping the head down, sending for decking, al the cleaning, ressemebely, problem solving etc, up and running has to be 30 hours and if that is if all goes to plan.

[Andy_D]

The book time is 10 hours which is a bad joke, for an experienced tech with everything laid out, all the special tools, a perfect car (no rusted or damaged fasteners), all the parts to hand, real world 20 hours plus stripping the head down, sending for decking, al the cleaning, ressemebely, problem solving etc, up and running has to be 30 hours and if that is if all goes to plan.

Thanks @Crasher. Wow 30 hours... That's even worse than I feared. Although, I suppose the head may not need to be stripped if it is ok and true. The car runs perfect, compression 180 in all cylinders, no water usage. But there seems to be a decent amount of oil appearing along the block / head junction and with everything else ruled out. There is some leaking from the cam cover but it is dried back, not fluid.... What would it be without the head dismantle and strip. 20 hours I guess?

I think I'm looking at £3k. Which is pretty horrific for a car that runs perfect and I've been careful with the maintenance (i.e. doing myself). That's the luck you get given sometime though!!

It would really suit someone who wanted to break the engine open to fully rebuild and it runs really well, looks clean when i did upper cam chain timing cover and sump, no debris anywhere to talk of. Pickup was clean. Bit gutted really.... Not sure exactly what I'm going to do...