Overheating, coolant loss, oil and water mixing, low compression, snapped cambelt or timing chain damage? We diagnose the fault properly, remove and inspect the cylinder head, arrange machining where needed, and rebuild it the right way.
Overheating and coolant loss can be caused by many things other than the head gasket:
We diagnose before quoting because guessing at head gasket problems can get expensive quickly. Diagnostic from £59 — comes off the bill if you proceed.
If the head is still flat and the valves are healthy, a gasket replacement is enough. Includes new gasket set, head bolts, fluids, pressure test and reassembly to torque.
Needed when the head is warped, valves are damaged, valve seats are worn, or the engine has suffered cambelt/timing chain failure. Head off, machined, valves and seals replaced, rebuilt to spec.
If a cambelt or timing chain fails on an interference engine, the pistons and valves can collide. The result is often bent valves, damaged guides, low compression or cylinder head damage. In many cases the bottom end survives, meaning a cylinder head repair or overhaul may be more cost-effective than a full engine replacement.
We strip and inspect first. If the head is the only damaged part, we'll quote a head overhaul. If the damage extends to pistons or rods, we'll talk you through whether a partial rebuild or a full engine recondition makes more sense — based on the photos and findings.
Related work: cambelt replacement, timing chain replacement, engine reconditioning and diagnostics.
We regularly deal with cylinder head and gasket problems on diesel cars and vans including BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen, Ford, Vauxhall, Renault, Peugeot, Citroën, Transit, Sprinter, Crafter and Vivaro engines.
| Service | From |
|---|---|
| Cylinder head inspection / diagnosis | £59 |
| Head gasket repair | Quote on request |
| Cylinder head overhaul | £499 |
| Snapped cambelt / timing chain damage repair | Quote on request |
Final price depends on the engine, head condition, valve and seat work needed, and whether timing components must be replaced as part of the job. Written quote first, every time.
Classic signs are overheating, coolant disappearing without a leak, white smoke, mayonnaise-like sludge under the oil cap, oil and coolant mixing, and pressure building in the coolant system. We confirm using a sniff test (combustion gases in coolant), compression and leak-down testing.
Often, yes. Bent valves and damaged guides are repairable in a head overhaul. The bottom end usually survives. We strip and inspect first, then quote.
Yes. We replace damaged valves, recut the seats, fit new valve stem seals and pressure-test the head before reassembly.
Often only the head. After cambelt or timing chain failure, the bottom end (block, crank, bearings) usually survives. We strip first, then advise — head overhaul is often a fraction of the cost of a full rebuild.
Skimming is machining the head's mating face flat. Heads can warp from overheating; refitting a warped head with a new gasket guarantees the gasket will fail again. We send heads to local engineering shops for skimming where the inspection shows it's needed.
Three to seven working days depending on engine, machining and parts. We give a realistic timeline with the written quote.
No — driving with a failed head gasket can crack the head, contaminate the bottom end with coolant, or destroy the cat. A small repair becomes a full rebuild fast. Park it up and call us.
Yes. Transit, Sprinter, Crafter, Vivaro and most major van platforms — head and gasket work is routine for us.
Yes. Cylinder head work is covered by our standard 12-month parts warranty. Engine reconditioning carries a 6-month parts and labour warranty as standard.
Send us your reg, symptoms and any photos or videos. We'll tell you whether it needs diagnostics, cylinder head work, or a full engine rebuild.