182 problems-head gasket?

[Tomoose]

Hello everyone,

I'm having a few problems with my 182 cup. It started running very badly last week, really bogged down and started sounding like a Subaru. I took the car to the garage who plugged the car in and found a destructive misfire on cylinder 3. A new coil pack and plugs were fired and found not to be te root of the problem. Water was found on the spark plug in cylinder 3 and there is some water in the exhaust so the mechanic said it was likely the head gasket had gone. I limped the car back and it got very hot and smelly and check engine light started flashing.
I've arranged for the head gasket to be changed elsewhere and I'm a little confused which tools I'll need. I'll have the belts changed whilst I'm down there and it seems it's wise to change the dephazer too even though mine isn't noisy.
can anybody advise if I'll need a cam locking tool or a tool which allows for cam timing adjustment please? Also will I need a pulley locking kit?

Does anybody have these bits of kit they'd be happy to hire out at all please?

Has anybody had a similar problem with their 182?
Thanks, Tom

 

[Chip-mk1]

VERY rare to have a headgasket problem on a F4R engine.

Yes you will need cam locking tools to do the head gasket.

 

[Lal B3N]

I would take it somewhere like 519 or BTM before letting any back street kind of garage diagnose/attempt to fix it. Especially when having to replace the belts.

 

[Tomoose]

Ok I will take it somewhere for a second opinion. Thanks very much

 

[Addicted]

The main point to take away is not a second opinion but a reputable garage due to how many people mess up the cambelt job!

 

[Daniel]

I'd be taking it to a specialist (depending on your location) off this forum before throwing all that money on it. That's over £1000's worth of work surely?!

Iirc, Renault themselves suggest there is minimal tolerance (if any at all!) for skimming the head on an F4r engine. And has been pointed out, its very rare to see one fail due to a headgasket.

I've had 30+ 172/182's and have never ever had a headgasket problem.

 

[Tomoose]

Yes I have heard before that it's very rare for a head to go, I'm hoping it's something more straightforward! I'll have a look through the sspecialists and see who is local to me. I can't take it far as I don't want to damage it further! Thanks for the advice

 

[Daniel]

Where do you live?

 

[Tomoose]

I live between Banbury and Coventry at the moment, but the car is in Coventry

 

[MartinR]

TCR

http://www.totalcontrolracing.com/

 

[Tomoose]

Thanks Martin I will take a look

 

[Dan519]

Probably needs a set of leads. Won''t be heeadgasket. the water will be from someone washing the engine (very stupid thing to do unless you plan of taking it apart and drying it all out afterwards)

 

[Chip-mk1]

Or it will be oil from a leaky cam cover seal not water. Lol.

Even if you assembled the engine with no head gasket the water isn't going to end up on top of the plugs. Lol.

 

[Tomoose]

Hi guys, good news. I went back to the car yesterday and it was back running fine again. Very strange! I've changed the plugs as they were a bit worse for wear, fingers crossed that's sorted it. Seems to be running fine again today and there's no other signs of any head gasket issues. Thanks for the advice everyone

 

[Chip-mk1]

Good news!


Keep an eye on it, cause if its oil down the outside of the plugs form a leaking cam cover seal, it will keep happening.