Pain in the Head

[Barnabyp]

Last Monday i was in cornwall on holiday, I had just spent the day at the beach and A & E with my brother who had broken his foot on the beach. It was around 11pm just outside penzance when steam started pouring out of the bonnett. I rushed round the front to find the expansion bottle was pouring out water and steam. Without thinking i opened the lid, spraying boiler coolant over my arm and everywhere (dum i know). The steam carried on for about 10 minutes and i filled the radiator with water and topped up the coolant. I tried driving again but the engine still overheated.
My arm is now throbbing so i phoned the AA who sent someone out, arriving at 12:20. He has a look and decides the head gasket is shot and needs replacing. I decided to get him to tow it to Perranporth where i'm staying so that i can sort it out from there in the morning. £65 later we arrive at around 2:30. the next day i phoned a Surf Dealer who put me on to a local garage who fix surf's in Newquay. Another tow to the garage and i get the phone call that the Head Gasket is obliterated and the Head is cracked in four places. They said they could get it done by friday. I was meant to go home on wed so i decide to stay on longer to wait. The head was meant to be delivered thursday but securicor cocked up! it arrived friday midday. The garage sent it to get skimmed and got it back around 5pm. They call me to say that they wouldn't be finished til tuesday as they shut over bank holiday. I was stuck without a car in Cornwall on one of the most busy weekends trying to find accommodation. None to be found, so i took the train home with my wife £95. I now have to go back to collect the car this saturday. I have just been to A&E about my scalded arm which is now in bandages.
I am feeling very fed up and about £1600 down from when i started the holiday.
Hoping that i will not hate the surf when i get it back. Is it likely to happen again now that the original head has been replaced? I can't afford to go through this again.
Soory for rambling.

[jotto]

Last Monday i was in cornwall on holiday, I had just spent the day at the beach and A & E with my brother who had broken his foot on the beach. It was around 11pm just outside penzance when steam started pouring out of the bonnett. I rushed round the front to find the expansion bottle was pouring out water and steam. Without thinking i opened the lid, spraying boiler coolant over my arm and everywhere (dum i know). The steam carried on for about 10 minutes and i filled the radiator with water and topped up the coolant. I tried driving again but the engine still overheated.
My arm is now throbbing so i phoned the AA who sent someone out, arriving at 12:20. He has a look and decides the head gasket is shot and needs replacing. I decided to get him to tow it to Perranporth where i'm staying so that i can sort it out from there in the morning. £65 later we arrive at around 2:30. the next day i phoned a Surf Dealer who put me on to a local garage who fix surf's in Newquay. Another tow to the garage and i get the phone call that the Head Gasket is obliterated and the Head is cracked in four places. They said they could get it done by friday. I was meant to go home on wed so i decide to stay on longer to wait. The head was meant to be delivered thursday but securicor cocked up! it arrived friday midday. The garage sent it to get skimmed and got it back around 5pm. They call me to say that they wouldn't be finished til tuesday as they shut over bank holiday. I was stuck without a car in Cornwall on one of the most busy weekends trying to find accommodation. None to be found, so i took the train home with my wife £95. I now have to go back to collect the car this saturday. I have just been to A&E about my scalded arm which is now in bandages.
I am feeling very fed up and about £1600 down from when i started the holiday.
Hoping that i will not hate the surf when i get it back. Is it likely to happen again now that the original head has been replaced? I can't afford to go through this again.
Soory for rambling.

Hi,
Sorry to hear about your bad luck, but the good news is the Head should not go again. The new head should last the life of the surf as it is slightly modifided from the original.I had mine go just before christmas but since it has been done its been as good as new with no problems.

Once you get it back the silly grin will reappear so just relax and enjoy.

[Koi]

Last Monday i was in cornwall on holiday, I had just spent the day at the beach and A & E with my brother who had broken his foot on the beach. It was around 11pm just outside penzance when steam started pouring out of the bonnett. I rushed round the front to find the expansion bottle was pouring out water and steam. Without thinking i opened the lid, spraying boiler coolant over my arm and everywhere (dum i know). The steam carried on for about 10 minutes and i filled the radiator with water and topped up the coolant. I tried driving again but the engine still overheated.
My arm is now throbbing so i phoned the AA who sent someone out, arriving at 12:20. He has a look and decides the head gasket is shot and needs replacing. I decided to get him to tow it to Perranporth where i'm staying so that i can sort it out from there in the morning. £65 later we arrive at around 2:30. the next day i phoned a Surf Dealer who put me on to a local garage who fix surf's in Newquay. Another tow to the garage and i get the phone call that the Head Gasket is obliterated and the Head is cracked in four places. They said they could get it done by friday. I was meant to go home on wed so i decide to stay on longer to wait. The head was meant to be delivered thursday but securicor cocked up! it arrived friday midday. The garage sent it to get skimmed and got it back around 5pm. They call me to say that they wouldn't be finished til tuesday as they shut over bank holiday. I was stuck without a car in Cornwall on one of the most busy weekends trying to find accommodation. None to be found, so i took the train home with my wife £95. I now have to go back to collect the car this saturday. I have just been to A&E about my scalded arm which is now in bandages.
I am feeling very fed up and about £1600 down from when i started the holiday.
Hoping that i will not hate the surf when i get it back. Is it likely to happen again now that the original head has been replaced? I can't afford to go through this again.
Soory for rambling.

As said it should be fine, as long as they have fitted a NEW head, not a recon, stitched or repaired one. Me to suffered this, I still have the Surf and love it.
Just make sure before you drive it home it has been properly bled of air. Front & back heaters to hot, would suggest that when you pick it up put both heaters to hot drive it a mile or so (before it gets hot) then stop and check coolant levels.

[Vagrant No2]

The garage sent it to get skimmed and got it back around 5pm.

Hang on , you say the head has been away for a skim . You do not skim a NEW head ! . Are you sure it is a new head ? . I do not want to worry you but the only recommended fitment by these guys on here is a new head .

Rick

[Guest]

Like Rick says, make sure that they fitted a new head not a second hand one (which would sound like why it had to be skimmed). New heads do not need skimming, they come from the factory fully finished and flat within the correct tollerances.

If it is a second hand there is no guarantee that it will not fail again, however having said that there is no guarantee that it will fail. Some of these heads don't fail for some reason even though it seems a lot of them - probably about 4 years worth - were a poor design.

Check with the garage what they actually did, did they fit a new or recon head or even a second hand one that they may have had lying around. For £1600 you should just about get a new one fitted as fitting of a new head seems to range from there to about £2000.

Cheers

[Smurf]

I have just done my head and one place was supplying unskimmed heads that come in from Japan. My head also cracked in 4 places, have now done about 500 miles since rebuilding it and it is superb!!

[4 runner surfin]

sorry to what happened that was excactly what happen to me when we went to cornwall for new years but f#%$ing aa said i didnt have the right member ship so called a recovery truck 300 pounds later and another week another 900 pounds for the new head gaskets/ belts etc but was staying with friends and a mechanic i used to work with so we done it outside in the rain haha.. on new years eve took the head to machine shop and he said the usal throw it away etc and he can get it in about five days but its been great since touching wood v quickly

[Barnabyp]

Thanks, hopefully it will be ok. I'm picking it up tomorrow. should be back to scaring old lady drivers within the week.