I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by Sadlonelygit »

And............?
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by mangocrazy »

Still waiting on the call...
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by mangocrazy »

Just got the call and....
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The radiator's fucked!
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But it seems like the head gasket is OK... Once the new rad is fitted then further cooling system testing will take place,
but it looks like the old girl is not yet quite ready for the scrap heap. :D :D :D
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by mangocrazy »

Van now home (having parted with £641.40) and besides the new rad has also had large amounts of the gear linkage replaced (5th and reverse were getting very, very hard to select). So it's time to take it on a medium sized journey to see how it responds...

Sheffield to Tamworth (AP Workshops) with the Falco in the back next Thursday? Sounds about right...
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by weeksy »

Hey that's not a complete disaster then :)
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by KungFooBob »

Told you it was just a leak :p
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by mangocrazy »

weeksy wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2024 4:14 pm Hey that's not a complete disaster then :)
No, just par for the course in trying to keep a 22 year old van on the road... :D

Not happy with the misleading diagnosis from the French garagiste, mind. He jumped to the wrong conclusion and worried the shit out of me.

But anyway, all's well that ends well... :D
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by demographic »

Well, a fresh rad and few bits and bobs seems like a result to me.
Nice one.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by mangocrazy »

demographic wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2024 5:45 pm Well, a fresh rad and few bits and bobs seems like a result to me.
Nice one.
Yeah, I'll take that any day of the week. Way preferable to the alternative.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by demographic »

Whats the rest of the van like?
If it's in half decent condition I'd just keep chucking bit's at it til its knackered.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by mangocrazy »

demographic wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2024 7:19 pm Whats the rest of the van like?
If it's in half decent condition I'd just keep chucking bit's at it til its knackered.
Not bad for a 22 y.o. van. Underside seems solid enough, van has done 260k miles but engine still feels strong. I'm intending to do just what you describe. Had the head gasket really gone then that would realistically have been time to consider options but I appear to have found a get out of jail card that's not free, but comparatively inexpensive.

These things are renowned for doing starship mileages. A mate who now lives in Germany bought an ex-AA van like mine a couple of years before I did from the same dealer. His is still going, and he drives all over Europe in it.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by demographic »

Yeah, bloke came upto me at a service station a while ago (trying to buy my Hiace) said he knew of a Hiace that had done 700k with just two clutch changes.

Mines done 240k and is a bit rough looking but still trogs on well.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Get yourselves a rusty old Merc!

https://mercedesblog.com/this-is-the-me ... ilometers/

3.4 million km in 28 year is 120,000km a year though - which feels alot. Cab driver though.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by KungFooBob »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 4:09 pm Get yourselves a rusty old Merc!

https://mercedesblog.com/this-is-the-me ... ilometers/

3.4 million km in 28 year is 120,000 a year though - which feels alot. Cab driver though.
I'm sure I once read that American MB dealers are encouraged to buy mega high mile cars from punters to show off in the shops.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by weeksy »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 4:09 pm Get yourselves a rusty old Merc!

https://mercedesblog.com/this-is-the-me ... ilometers/

3.4 million km in 28 year is 120,000km a year though - which feels alot. Cab driver though.
It's not a van ?
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Correct.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by demographic »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 5:32 pmCorrect.
Dunno about Mango but I'd struggle to fit my massive toolsafe on any car.

Well, it just wouldn't happen. Plus an old Merc might do one thing but modern ones seem full of dead tech and I wouldn't tough one with a ten foot pole.
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Re: I have a horrible feeling my T4 van's head gasket is toast

Post by mangocrazy »

All the genuinely long-lived and tough engines were designed and built at least 20-30 years ago. They weren't festooned with emissions gear (EGR, DPF etc.) and were built to do big mileages. I'd list the VW 2.5 Tdi in my van as one of them, along with the 2.0 HDi Peugeot, the 5 and 6 cylinder diesel engines in late 80s/early 90s Mercs, the VW 1.9 TD, Volvo's 2.4 D5 and Ford Duratorq engines. There are plenty more, but they are all 'old' technology.
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