Fiat Pandas

I've been a bit quiet for a while, but my recent encounter with a blown head gasket on my 2004 Fiat Panda has inspired me to start writing again!

The clue should have been the presence of water in the oil when I checked it recently, but at the time my mind was completely elsewhere - so I was kicking myself a few days later when the car completely died.

Initial prices from garages, including a Fiat dealership, were close to the £700 mark, including towing it to the garage. Luckily by shopping around, we found a reputable local garage that could do the job for close to £500.

Apparently blown head gaskets are a reasonably common problem for Fiat Panda's, so it's worth knowing what to look out for, and you may spot one or more of the following:

- Really rough running.
- Oil resembling a milkshake and mixed with water.
- Bubbles of air entering the radiator.
- Leaking radiator.
- Coolant or oil running from head.
- Spark plugs may pick up the colour of the coolant.
- Low compression may mean a blown head gasket (although there might be other causes)
- You might see water if you put a piece of cardboard about an inch away from the exhaust (while the engine is running)

And what's the result?
Firstly you'll need the head gasket sorting, which is the sort of thing that's beyond most driveway mechanics (including me). Then there's a good chance you'll also need to replace the radiator, water pump and thermostat - a reason to stop driving the car as soon as you get suspicious, and check out exactly what's happening!

On the bright side, the mighty Panda is back on the road and running as well as ever. And that's despite the fact it's also now wearing the scars of two collisions after people decided to reverse into it...