Fulvia 1600 Coolant leak

[Paul Greenway]

Advice sought please!

My 1600 Sport has a coolant leak and I have at last sourced the problem. Water is escaping finely through the engine block so would imagine that a gasket has gone. I found it a couple of weeks before the GNW so filled it up with K-Seal Ultimate hoping it would do what it said on the bottle & seal it, alas it did not work and has covered the engine with a rusty coloured film. The car still runs well and I have not noticed any lack in power but I am now fed up of topping it up (3 times on way back from GNW) so it desperately needs surgery.

The question is, do I let my local known mechanic sort it- they are very good, reasonable and work on many 60's, 70's & 80's cars amongst the moderns including an Alfa 1750 GTV, E-Type, Pagoda, Stag, Elan, MGB, Jag's, DB6, various RS Fords and a Merak but I haven't seen any other Lancia's. Or do I send it to a Lancia specialist who know the cars, will (hopefully) put it back together properly and give peace of mind although distance and expense could detract.

If I go for the former, I will provide the servicing & mechanical parts as I have done previously, but do I need a full set of gaskets for this job & get them all changed whilst the head is off, would the timing chain & water pump be better done at this visit & is there anything else that would also need doing too?

at the same time I will also get the annual service & MOT completed.

[rogerelias]

Hi Paul, difficult to see in the photos, but it looks like the head gasket is leaking, if so simple job, just check the head for corrosion and check that its flat, garage should do that anyway.water pump should be ok, as if it wasn't you would know by now, get the garage to check the chain if you are concerned, but mine has done just over 100k and when i did my head gasket it was fine. Hope that helps. The garage you mention seem old school and know what they are doing. Cheers Roger

[lancialulu]

I cant see from the photos but 1600's have a weakness in the block around and forward of  the rear carbside cylinder head stud - do want to worry you but the block can crack in this area. It is weldable but obviously the engine needs to be stripped.

If head gasket then check the head for flatness and use 12.9 cap bolts to 24ft lb torque....

[davidwheeler]

If it is cracked, consider cold metal spraying - it is less likely to cause problems with distortion than welding.   It has done wonders with my Lambda block.

https://dycomet.co.uk/cold-metal-spray/
https://www.chaseengines.co.uk/
Talk to Nick Gilfillan and mention my name - these guys are brilliant.

[Paul Greenway]

Roger/Tim/David,

Thanks for your comprehensive responses, I am going to send to the local garage and find out exactly what is wrong before deciding how to proceed, hopefully it is the simple head gasket replacement and not a cracked head.

Cheers,
Paul

[lancialulu]

 not a cracked head.

Cheers,
Paul

Not a cracked head - most unlikely but I have a fully refurbed one for sale if necessary..... The block is the weakest link

[Paul Greenway]

Hopefully these are better photos of where it appears the coolant loss is coming from

[lancialulu]

Seems gasket....

[Paul Greenway]

Seems gasket....

Phew! Hope you're right Tim 

[rogerelias]

My money is on the head gasket, I used wellseal on both sides of the gasket when I changed mine, touch wood, doesn't use any water or oil ,keep us posted

[Paul Greenway]

My money is on the head gasket, I used wellseal on both sides of the gasket when I changed mine, touch wood, doesn't use any water or oil ,keep us posted

Will do Roger.