Looking for words of wisdom...

[Kalimantan]

Hi all, im just about to buy my first Surf 2.4 TD 92' and ive done the checks i can for a cracked head ie. oil on water surface in expansion tank, bubbling in expansion tank and any water residue on oil cap. Is there any other simple obvious sign's of a cracked head? And can anyone tell me if i should change any parts once ive bought it to prevent the dreaded head crack...?
Cheers chaps

[TonyN]

Make sure the garage will cover it on warrentee.

You rarely get oil in the water, to normally cracks to the cooling system, be suspisious of it if it needs topping up at the cap on the motor, or a full expansion tank, it sould only be half full. You want to leave it running after a good long test drive, and make sure its not filling the expansion tank up.

[Kalimantan]

Cheers TonyN

[Koi]

not a lot you can do except the routine stuff, oil change, oil & air filter and maybe flusg the cooling system and refill with antifreeze. Just the routine stuff you would do on a car.

[mud-ge]

some times steam can be seen coming out from the exaust i think ,also look for signs of pin holes in rad top the give away is staining or missing paint in small areas where the anti freeze has eaten away at the paint,it wont tell you if the heads gone but mite show up as a fault in the cooling,pressure loss is not a good sign

[Kalimantan]

Once again thankyou guys, keep the advice coming. Im feeling a bit uneasy about buying a Surf due to the problems that could happen reasurance is needed...

[Koi]

Once again thankyou guys, keep the advice coming. Im feeling a bit uneasy about buying a Surf due to the problems that could happen reasurance is needed...

If your going for a 2.4 then find one with a head thats been done with receipts tp prove it. Once fitted with the new designed head you should have many happy miles of Surfing.

Not many do have the exhaust sauna if the heads gone, you may find a loss of power and lower mpg. Water overflows in to expansion bottle, from cold take off rad and start engine if water pours from rad cap then it spells trouble, its not a sure way to tell but pretty good.
All in all just find one with a head thats been replaced with a NEW one there plenty around.

[Pauleds]

Just for your information, when my 2.4 was imported it had only done 70,000kms. By the time it had done 100,000kms (62,000miles) the head had cracked. I have heard of some going earlier than that.
If you get one with a new head make sure it's a modified head, not just a new one exactly the same as the one which has just cracked or you will have the same problem again.
Having said all that, some never crack.

Paul.