As well as having my car munched by some tyke, looks like my head gasket has gone. Not 100% sure yet, but i lost 3 litres of water the other day from the radiator, methinks through the expansion pipe...

Any idea how much the cost of replacing the head gasket would be, including if it's cracked the top bit...

It's a 8th hand car and i'm not 100% sure that the last owner was honest when he'd said the cam had been done 5k ago... would it be cheaper to get the cam, tensioners and pump done while i was at it seeing as the engine is going to be having major work?

What sort of price guide would you place on these jobs??

Appreciate your thoughts,

Pete.

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Troubled Moonstone owner.

Yep, £600 to £700 is the sort of figure you'll be looking at for a head gasket change including a new cambelt kit and water pump.

Do you have any other symptoms or just water loss? When mine went it was starting on 3 cylinders, struggling to idle and pressurising the coolant.

It might be an idea to get the coolant tested for hydrocarbons. It was obvious with mine though; I took the radiator cap off one day and got a face full of exhaust fumes!

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Rich

just been quoted 400 for head gasket cambelt and pressure tested, is that cheap then?

Too cheap me-thinks

I have just done one and parts cost me :-

Rich W head gasket and bolt set - £120 (peugeot would be about £40 ish cheaper)
Timing belt kit - £85
Waterpump - £55
Head Skimmed - £40 (although my head was reconditioned and cost £200)

That comes to £300 which means whoever is doing it is only making £100 if it is done properly, more likely you will end up with a cheap pattern part head gasket (not mls), new cambelt only not a kit and the old head bolts will be reused,

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Team Supercharged Gti-6™

Mine cost £705 at Carl's (Mech Repairs) and included:

Head gasket set
Head gasket
Head bolts
Timing belt kit
Water pump
Cylinder head skim and pressure test
Oil filter/sump washer
Oil (5l)
Coolant (3l)
Cam carrier sealant

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340 horses