headgasket or f*cked bottom end? HELP

[cwspellowe]

No bother mate I will just keep my 20 years experience to my self in future. Good luck

Is there any reason you're being a bit of a dick?

Keep your 20 years experience to yourself. Given the community that we are, i'm sure there's communally more knowledge than you have, especially with regards to an engine many of us have dissected countless times. Yes a compression test is the simple answer, but not if you don't have a gauge. Given the fact that most garages want to charge you for the test too, the free options are always the easiest.

OP, mind and get the head skimmed if it's pressurising, or at least checked with a straight edge. I never bothered skimming mine as I was in a rush for FCS and it lasted about 100 miles, never again.