Ford fiesta head gasket failure

Fiesta with a head gasket failure
Fiesta with a head gasket failure
New head gasket being fitted
New head gasket being fitted

This 2006 Ford Fiesta came in with no water or coolant in the header tank. When this happens to a vehicle, and it has been driven a bit of a distance more often than not it is a sign that the cylinder head gasket has failed.

This particular gasket sits underneath the cylinder head (top part of engine) and above the bottom part of the engine. (In laymans terms you could describe the gasket as the 'filling' between 2 pieces of bread)

When the car is driven without coolant in it the top of the engine overheats, causing the gasket to warp and therefore leaks water into the engine area. The oil and water start to mix together and eventually causes damage to the engine.

Usually before further damage is caused the car may start to stall and the temperature gauge will start to go into the red area as a warning sign that there is a problem.

As a knowledgeable garage we know that there are various ways that these head gaskets can be replaced. If not replaced properly the head gasket will fail again, sometimes within days.

When we replace a head gasket we remove the top of the engine (cylinder head) and send it away to be tested for damage. If it is okay we arrange to get it re-skimmed to 'smooth' it out.

We then start to refit or replace all necessary components.

We fit a new head gasket set along with various other items such as head bolt set, cam belt and water pump. We replace with fresh coolent/antifreeze. We check over the radiator for any damage or wear. We replace any drive belts.

Finally we flush through the engine to remove any contaminated oil before replacing with fresh oil and a new oil filter.