Think my head gasket has gone :(

I've just started my car for the first time in two years. It has alot of white smoke coming from the exhaust. So I'm thinking that the head gasket has popped? There's no water in the oil though, when I pull out the dip stick, the oil looks fine. Could it be the head gasket? or would it be something else? Can't drive it to the garage just yet…No Tax or MOT. Thanks

EDIT: It's not overheating or anything. The temp gauge hardly moves.

Could be head gasket. Is it thick white smoke? Does the white smoke clear after a period? if so prob just build up of water in the exhaust, if not then check coolant level after its been running for a while if your losing coolant I'd go with head gasket. you could also check to see if the cooling system is pressurising by squeezing a coolant pipe whilst warming up but still cool, if the pipe is hard and the cap whooshes when removed but the coolant is still cool then the system is pressurising. A cracked cylinder head will give you the same symptoms though, it may be worth getting it crack tested whilst you get the head skimmed, that is if it's the head gasket…

The smoke calms down after a while, and it's more smoke when the choke is on. I'm just going to have to get it checked out at a garage to diagnose the problem. Hope it's not the head. Can't afford like £350 for a head gasket change haha

Sack £350 off and get it skimmed and do it yourself as its not a daily can take your time! It's really not difficult.

Ooo, might have to attempt to do it myself then. Might give the cambelt a change whilst I'm at it lol. And if I fuck my engine up, I can always buy a replacement engine of eBay for about £120 haha. Thanks

I would if not daily driven. Lots of help and most been covered already. May aswell have a crack mate.

Aye I will do. I shall buy all the stuff needed next payday. See if I can get a cheap torque wrench from some where. Thanks for your help

ebay! need 40nm and 60nm, get instuctions in the head gasket set and the sequence pattern.

try the above before being drastic and swapping heads though lol.

lol yeah, well I don't get paid till 3 weeks time, so I'll start the car daily and see if the white smoke disappears. Hope it does. Cause I started it for the very first time yesterday, and there was heaps of white smoke, but when I started it today, there was no where near as much smoke, so fingers crossed and what not

Leave it running and check if your losing coolant and if it stops then.

It's not pure white smoke, it more greyish

Chances are it's a build up of water in your exhaust and possibly a bit rich hence grey smoke, if the smoke smells sweet and pretty thick and steamy then head gasket. If it's grey and stings your eyes n nose, it's running Rich. Run it up for ages if the fan kicks in and the temp gauge is norm and your not losing coolant then don't worry, if you can take it out for a spin somewhere local and not far then do that too, it'll warm it up better and clear her out.

Aye, Thanks Turns out it's not the head gasket, thank god! I've started to start her up on a daily basis and just let her idle and luckily the smoke has gone now. It's booked in on Monday for a M.O.T/service and a tune up. So fingers crossed it'll be running smooth once again. Can't wait to get it on the road! Still can't believe I own a Golf MK1, been wanting one for years now lol

good stuff! it's cool to hear that another Mk1 is back on the road! What year and model is yours? have you any pics?

'83, it's only a 1.3 though. It's my first car so couldn't afford a GTI Plus, it's hard to find a straight GTI, Most have been rallied or thrashed to a inch of it's life and most have probably seen the wrong side of a hedge in it's life. Ayye, I've got photos, I've been wanting to upload them to here, but haven't a clue how lol.

Ahh, there you go

cool that looks tidy! should post it up in the newbie forum if you haven't already. I have an 83 1.3 driver, had it about 6 years now, paid £125 for it, had been parked up for about 3years, the paint work was all dull and the inside 2inches deep in water with a thick coating of mould everywhere, spent a weekend cleaning it up and replaced a perished fuel hose which was causing it not to run and it went straight through the mot, happy days. You wouldn't get that with many other cars…

Yeah I'm going to, if and when it passes it's MOT . Sweeet, 3 years and full of water? did it not rot through? Mines been stood for about 3 years too! Paint work looks as good as new. Pretty much started up straight away too (well, after I fitted a new downpipe, choke pipe thingy, new alternator and battery haha) it started off rough to begin with, but now it's running pretty nice, considering. It'll run even nicer after it's tune up on Monday . Paid £730 for mine, wasn't too bad, no rust at all. Done some work to it already, like the above, changed the windscreen seal (due to letting water in), took out the whole interior to check for rust (None, yayyy!) Painted the whole of the floor pan in Hammerite to prevent rust, took the bumpers, spoilers and eyebrow off. Added new indicators on the front I take pictures everytime I change something on it, ready to upload on to here D Did you change the gear linkage on yours? I'm debating wherever to change mine or not, the gear change seems pretty tight and what not