Coolant leak / head gasket

Help! I have a 88 Countach with 5k miles that has had some coolant appearing under the car... Since having it if say it would be a few drips here and there but the other day there was quite a large puddle... So I took it to my local mechanic who believes it pry needs new head gaskets since it appears that is where the leak is originating...since I have owned the car for less than 6 months I contacted whom I bought it from since it was not from something I did while driving it. They sound that they will stand behind the car but insist on waiting till I can drive the car ... Here is what they said (Hi Jim,

 

We have similar situations all the time with cars that do not get driven regularly. There is no guarantee that heat cycling the engine will cure the problem, but in our experience in many cases it will. Sometimes it requires a re- torque of the fasteners holding the component where the leak is coming from, in this case the cylinder heads, but often times the leaks just go away when the engine is exercised. )

Has anyone experienced this?? In the mean time I have contacted George Evans and he insists that it will not fix itself and that what is needed is a engine out to properly diagnose and pry new gaskets.

So my mechanic and G. Evans believes it's the gaskets and they need to be replaced while seller believes it could fix itself. Does anyone have experience with this or serious thoughts either way. Anything is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Jim

I would think if the head gaskets were gone, you'd have water in the oil and oil in the cooling system.... Have you pulled the dipstick to see if there is water in the oil? Looked in the cooling system for any evidence of oil?

 

Also, the Countach waterpump has a weep hole that indicates that the rubber seal has parished and allows water to drip out. If that seal fails and it isn't addressed, water will get past the waterpump bearing and into the engine too.

 

I would also think if a head gasket was blown, water would be getting into a cylinder which you could tell by massive amounts of white smoke from the tail pipe. You could pull all 12 spark plugs, look down inside each cylinder with a bore scope looking for water/oil and perform a compression test.

 

Mike

+1. The water pump seal is not a good design.

Help! I have a 88 Countach with 5k miles that has had some coolant appearing under the car... Since having it if say it would be a few drips here and there but the other day there was quite a large puddle... So I took it to my local mechanic who believes it pry needs new head gaskets since it appears that is where the leak is originating...since I have owned the car for less than 6 months I contacted whom I bought it from since it was not from something I did while driving it. They sound that they will stand behind the car but insist on waiting till I can drive the car ... Here is what they said (Hi Jim,

 

We have similar situations all the time with cars that do not get driven regularly. There is no guarantee that heat cycling the engine will cure the problem, but in our experience in many cases it will. Sometimes it requires a re- torque of the fasteners holding the component where the leak is coming from, in this case the cylinder heads, but often times the leaks just go away when the engine is exercised. )

Has anyone experienced this?? In the mean time I have contacted George Evans and he insists that it will not fix itself and that what is needed is a engine out to properly diagnose and pry new gaskets.

So my mechanic and G. Evans believes it's the gaskets and they need to be replaced while seller believes it could fix itself. Does anyone have experience with this or serious thoughts either way. Anything is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Jim

 

 

My head gaskets went on my 88 about 18 months ago.... Tell tale sign isn't water under the car.. It's water in the oil... Start engine... Turn off engine... CHeck dipstick... Chocolate milk equals bad...

 

 

If it is the head, It's nothing you did, or the previous owner did... It is a factor of the low miles, not getting driven enough, and simple age....

i had to replace the head gaskets on my 91 D

it was leaking oil from the forward drivers side head outboard side

the oil galleries are close to the edge of the block/head. i not sure about the coolant passages

perhaps someone can post a picture of a block with heads off

sure its in the interest of the seller to say "it could heal itself"

my experience with machines is no

 

 

I can tell you with lots of experience, head gasket issues are common on these engines. It has to do with age and coolant not regually being changed. They will leak along the outside edge first, and not contaminate the oil. If they go long enough, adventually they will contaminate the oil or worse loose the seal at the fire ring resulting in compression getting into the coolant system.

The QV engines also use an aluminum spacer plate between the head and block. the bottom side seals against the block with an o ring. After many years this o ring becomes hard and can no longer seal, again resulting in a leak externally but not always into the oil.

Hope this answers some questions.

Thank you all for your feed back!!! Really appreciate everything!!!! If I was to replace gaskets what is a best guess as to cost?? Thanks!!!!

Jim

You are best to have one of the reputable shop diagnose it before we jump on the headgaskets. However, with that being said, think about the age of those headgaskets. Even if it is not the heads, it maybe time to plan a major service in 2015.

Thank you all for your feed back!!! Really appreciate everything!!!! If I was to replace gaskets what is a best guess as to cost?? Thanks!!!!

Jim

 

I think you'd be looking at 5k+ just for head gasket job and that's assuming they R&R the engine. But while it's out, they may suggest other things to do. That would be a PITA to do while the engine is in the car