Please convince me the damage is terminal

[Midnight Blue]

As you probably know I have been told by my garage that I have ‘cooked’ my engine and need a replacement. I am sure they know what they are talking about – they are the only local garage I will trust with my Puma – but I would like to run it by those on here who know about Puma engines because I need to be convinced.

My heater started playing up on Sunday morning driving across country to the A14 and eventually stopped working altogether. I assumed the HCV had failed but the garage asked if I had checked the temp gauge ……. No, I didn’t, the thought didn’t enter my head.

I joined the A14 and drove about 30 miles at between 75 – 80. A couple of times I got a slight ‘dip’ as if I had on turned the air con – I tried pushing the button but the light didn’t come on. Then the revs really dipped so I slowed up and pulled into a layby 50 yards ahead. As I reached the layby I saw a white smoke screen in the rear view mirror and as I turned off the engine the engine warning light appeared on the dash, smoke poured out from under the bonnet accompanied by a smell of burning oil.

I phoned the breakdown service and then got out and opened the bonnet. Oil had splattered over the engine cover, it looked as if it had come from somewhere behind the oil filler cap iirc. There was also a puddle of something in front of the near side tyre. When the RAC guy arrived he asked if the puddle had come from my car. It must have done because there was a black oily residue on his trailer when he unloaded the kat. He tried starting the engine – it turned over but no compression and he suspected the cylinder head gasket had blown.

Please will you convince me that the damage is terminal!

 

[evilrob]

It's not terminal in that it *can* be repaired, but it will involve dismantling the engine, skimming the head as it will have warped due to the heat and putting back together again; not cheap. Ford ETIS reckons the labour is 6 hours to remove the head and refit.

It will work out cheaper just to sling another engine in there.

 

[Midnight Blue]

Thanks Rob - that is all I needed to know. I tend to get treated to the 'little woman syndrome' when I ask!!!

 

[PumaNoob]

Its going to be hard for anyone to say for definite, but if there is absolutely no compression, then its either a VERY bad headgasket failure, in which case youll have had coolant in your cylinders (possibly the cloud of white smoke you described), so a few seconds of that can damage the liners, at 3-4k rpm, a few seconds is a LOT of strokes. But if it didnt run for too long, and the temps didnt reach too hot, you may get away with a cylinder head skim and a new head gasket. Without looking at the car i personally wouldnt like to say one way or the other. At worst, excessive heat would have been created, and could possibly have damaged pistons, piston rings, valves and valve seats, amongst other things, so although most is repairable, a recon engine or low mileage engine would probably be a cheaper alternative.

 

[Midnight Blue]

Thanks, PumaNoob. I have Ian G on the case for a replacement engine - I just needed convincing k:

 

[martinthrapston]

might be worth changing the clutch aswell at the same time k:

 

[Midnight Blue]

Yes, Martin. The garage said I should have a new one while the engine was out.