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Yup - end of the road it was. Took the car to garage recommended by a friend. Total waste of time - literally. This pair of morons kept the car for nearly seven weeks and said they couldn’t find a leak or make it overheat. When I took it back it, it overheated within five miles heading home. The onl...

Thanks again Peter. I do have the Haynes manual for the car - was just hoping there may have also been a bit of additional visual guidance online. I haven’t given up searching though!

Many thanks for the suggestion Peter. Certainly worth a try. Am currently trying to obtain detailed instruction of how to replace the head gasket - but not having much success! I have the Haynes manual for the car but have been trawling the net trying to find some video info showing the process. No ...

Thank you both for the input re: K-Seal. My problem started with the low coolant issue. I added a bottle of Steel Seal and, sure enough, it seemed to have solved the coolant level drop - wherever it was occurring. I took a short video, before and after, of the coolant filler neck with the expansion ...

So, I appear left facing two choices: replace the head gasket or lose the car. It’s still currently drivable, short distances up to 20 miles maybe before the overheating presents but, obviously, that’s not going to cure itself. No smoke evident, white or blue. No oil in coolant or coolant in oil (ma...

What your saying is put another engine in? Surely the labour cost for that would be much higher than the head gasket repair though ? Then the cost of the refurbed engine also

Further to my other post regarding coolant problem - just been told the head gasket needs doing as it’s pressurising. Quoted £1600 just to get the head off and assess situation from there. Further £600 if new head required. Game over sadly. Car only cost £1150! Such a damn shame as, after rectifying...

Update. Put a second bottle of SteelSeal in and, touch wood, the low coolant warning light has not come back on. Nor has there been any evidence of coolant escaping from the expansion filler cap. However, I have noticed in the last week that, worryingly, on a long drive home the temp started to rise...

Interesting. Thank you for the explanation. Thought all was well - no overspill from reservoir cap happening now and no reoccurrence, thank goodness, of the ‘low coolant level’ warning light coming on. However, after a drive at speed yesterday after I parked up for about ten mins and then restarted ...

Thanks Peter.
What is it that lowers the boiling point - the addition of the steel seal? Why is that then - just curious!

Transpired to be back pressure, most likely from beginnings of head gasket leakage, forcing coolant out the reservoir cap. Finally arrested the problem by using Steel Seal.(Most people are negative about this product but it definitely worked for me) Been about two months now so, fingers crossed, lon...

Update - I finally took the plunge and did the job. Couldn’t stand it any longer and decided there was nothing to lose as the car was becoming almost undriveable. Am pleased to report the outcome was a complete success and the gearbox now changes up/down smooth as silk. I took the valve body off, st...

Probably just under half a litre.
Have noticed there’s also an ominous ‘whirring’ sound present now when running - in the area around the alternator. You can hear it on startup and it continues when idling.
I will check the rad as you suggest. Heater seems to be all functioning - right up to 30c.

Thanks Steve. Yes, after checking when cool the level has dropped a bit - enough to trigger the sensor on the reservoir. (Sensor tests as being good btw) What I can’t get my head round is why, once it comes on at lower speed, it will then go off again once car is being driven at higher speed 60/70 o...

Just did a coolant change for the first time on my 2.0 HDi 110. Been having some very strange issues for quite a while now with the coolant level sensor light intermittently coming on, then going off again, seemingly dependent on driving speed. No obvious signs of a leak so have made the assumption ...