Long time 306 admirer, Recent buyer.

[LTD]

Hi! Im Leon, 26 and just passed this August. I have no idea why I waited for so long.

First car, £175 Rover 214i. I understood at the time that it was going to last a month at most, But was happy to just get on the road in literally anything that could be classed as a car. So two months later, It vomits all over its self and I roll it on to a roundabout and it gets scrapped.

Decided then to buy something I liked, So looking for 306s, Found my current car. A 1.4 Phase3 LX. 97,000miles and £450.
(I'd upload photos, But my phone wont allow it , Basically your standard dark red P3, No alloys.)

I found this forum when it came to trying to pass my MOT, Managed to do a bit myself such as replacing CV boot, Drop links, and the simplest stuff like Spark plugs and Air filter. It also needed a new Cat and handbrake cables (Done in a garage because until i get good equipment, im not going under my car).
Ive learnt alot in the last couple of months and am hooked on self repair. Although, Its gone a bit downhill. Still not passed MOT because of emissions.
Today after checking my levels (have done several times since buying) I found the dreaded mayo on the cap of my coolant.
So my luck isnt the best right now. Considering an engine swap (But ill save that for another post.)

Short version: I like 306s, I bought a 306, Its dying, I'm trying to fix it, Ive learnt alot from it though. I should spend a little more money next time.

Anyway! Hi!

[Niall]

Welcome
Right your car will be a TU engine'd car which are renowned for struggling with emissions. Get a new cat on there, get some clean fuel in there and rag the tits off of it. Before you take it to its MOT, drive it like its stolen and get that cat glowing hot. Aftermarket ones are normally cheap crap and don't work as well as a standard one so need to get them red hot to work.

With regards to HGF, id flush the coolant system, refill and keep an eye on it. It may be it had failed before, the previous owner had it done and the garage just didnt bother flushing the coolant. Just keep an eye out for other symptoms as well but worst case, if you do have to do a HG on one of these, they are so easy!

[Herby7]

Welcome . I had a ph2 1.4 when i first started driving. The mayo on the cap i had with mine but that was due to short journeys constantly in its life had only done 50k . As Niall has said do the flush of the coolant system . The last mot on mine before i got rid of it they had to rev the bollocks out of it for ages before it passed om emissions lol.

[Mole man]

Hiya amd welcome along

[bashbarnard]

Hello and welcome as Niall says get a good quality cat on it get it hot on way there wil go through emmisions fine. Cheap ones won't cut it

[Piggy]

The mayo may just be build up of condensation from short cold journeys...so dont give up hope yet

And welcome

[7057sam]

Hello and welcome

[LTD]

Hi guys, Cheers for the responses.

Ive done a quick flush of the cooling system today, waiting to get a product to do it thoroughly tomorrow. Noticed I've also got black gunk in there too, so I'm guessing it being just condensation is a long shot?
Also a nice shiny oily part on the front offside of the cylinder head.

Also replaced the cat twice now, First one, even with a good heating up didnt really do much, So got a Klarius on now, Although the garage i went to insisted that spending more than i already had wasnt needed. I think this one has cost them about £65. Told them i was willing to spend ~£100 though.

Niall, How easy would the replacement be? Everywhere I've read says I have to get the head skimmed, Which is what im avoiding due to the cost of that. Is a simple replacement of the gasket fine?

[Niall]

Head skimming is something that pisses me off. If you've over heated the car and its warped then of course, get it done. If the head is checked to be truly flat though then why bother? Your just creating more work and taking more material off of a head but yet some insist it still needs doing....even though the head is dead true.
Take the head to a proper machine shop and ask them to check it. Its 5 minutes work and if it doesn't need skimming, don't do it!

[Eeyore]

Black gunk isnt condensation.

Should be easy enough to change the head gasket changed on the TU. You dont have to get the head skimmed if its already straight. You should be able to get somewhere to check it for you! Remember youll have to do the cambelt to do the head.

[LTD]

Ah I see! cool. Well ill get that checked!

Ill let you know how it goes!

[j-n-88]

Hello and welcome

[LTD]

Finally managed to pass the MOT now.

[Bassman85]

Finally managed to pass the MOT now.

hi and welcome mate congratulations on the MOT. Did the cat sort it or did you end up doing the HG?

[mr_fish]

Welcome, your not far off a few others of us who are in Exeter.

Congrats on getting through the MOT.

[LTD]

Finally managed to pass the MOT now.

hi and welcome mate congratulations on the MOT. Did the cat sort it or did you end up doing the HG?

Hi, cheers. Yeah, well I think the garage probably did their best to push it through, but the cat helped. I've put up a project thread now in which ill be writing up all my other work on the car. I plan to get the head gasket situation sorted asap. (just waiting on the funds!)

Welcome, your not far off a few others of us who are in Exeter.

Congrats on getting through the MOT.

Thanks! Yeah, I've been up with my band, played in the Cavern a few times. Much better place than Plymouth!