was driving at 80km/h when i saw a spray on the windscreen. not knowing what happened i assumed it was from another car cleaning its windscreen. kept going for about 5-10minutes, then had to stop at lights. car died. wouldnt restart. temp gauge didnt move and no warnings. got towed home. found crack in top of radiator. so i replaced the radiator, and because it was due changed spark pugs, oil and filter.

tried to start it after this. it took a bit of turning over to start but managed too. if i gave it throttle, coolant spewed out of the reservoir cap. and while idling drops of liquid were dripping from the tail pipe.

could this mean a blown head gasket and bad thermostat??
(gasket for dripping, thermo for coolant rush)

didnt check compression because battery was low. needed to jump start it to get it in the garage to work on it and to connect the battery charger.

i did find a grey grit stuff in the radiator reserve. i am assuming thats head gasket material.

is it necessary to take the head to a machine shop to check it or can it be done by me. i would like to do it start to finish this weekend. i can get a thick piece (10-12mm, 25/64" - 15/32") of glass from work as a flat surface.

what do you seal the gasket with? if anything? or do before you put it on? do you use thread locker on the bolts?

thanks. help is appreciated.

Some of the symptoms ( water goin off the reservoir f.e. )indicate a POSSIBILITY of a head gasket...
Byt I am not a mechanik to advise you further...

IF
you deside to take it appart I would recomend that a machine shop "levels" it ( sorry not familiar with englich terminology )because even if it is slightly bented that your eye may not be able to see, you will be sortly doing it all over again...
When I blown mine about a mont ago, my mechanic told me NOT to use again the same head bolts but get a set of new ones, since when you bolt them they "strech" a bit, ofcourse with the special tool that measures the tightening torque..

I for myself I am NOT going to put a thermostat again... I prefair to wait a little bit longer in the morning..

I dont think they sealed the head gasket with anything since the gasket haw that metal rings, but I was not present to verify that..

Since you are propably going to take the motor apart I would advise to change the water pump if you have it there for a long time

and last but not least
I changed ALL and I mean ALL hoses flanges e.t.c. e.t.c. many of them were about ( if not aldeady ) leacking, specialy the metal one on the left side looking the engine from the front..

Costly and much labor, but wouldnt you prefer to do it all at once, instead of having problems again and again and again???

pull the thermostat first and replace it. I would do a compression check first BEFORE YOU pull the head, water will come out the tail pipe that is from yout CAT doing it's job. if the head is warped it will have to be resurfaced by a machine shop. I would have all the vavles checked also.when you drained the rad. to replace it was the cooled coolant color ? or oil in it ? not the reserve.

it looked a nice green colour. no oil. oil was fine too.

did the water pump about 2000kms ago. so it should still be fine.

did a wet compression check.
cylinder #1-100psi, #2-80psi, #3-85psi, #4-100psi

so i believe a new head gasket is needed.

do you have to seal the gasket? or is it just straight bolt in.