Help - does this sound terminal?

[danbeier]

Last week or so bit of white smoke...but was told this could be normal in cold weather.
Yesterday drove home, then tried to start few hours later, a couple of 'clunks' then nothing. Tried again today - 'clunks' - nothing else. Not battery - replaced couple months ago.
Could it be starter motor?
Checked oil - greenish / browny sludge. Coolant smells strongly of oil. Does this sound like something terminal? Could this be connected to 'clunk' sound or just coincidence?

Should add last few weeks been losing coolant to leak at expansion cap / around expansion tank - topped up with water and coolant whenever flashing light came on. Was ok for longer journeys until stopped, then it emptied itself of coolant. Mostly used for short 2 mile trip to work so was going to address the issue this coming week.

Last weekend was stuck for a bit in the snow (it was great in the snow - my Scirocco was one of the only ones to make it up a hill on the A61 nr Chesterfield but that's another story) and is possible it overheated a bit then...then drove this week though. Was a bit difficult to start and aforementioned smoke though.

Any help / likely probs much appreciated.
Thanks

[gtsteve]

I'm no expert but loss of coolant and oil smell from expansion tank points to head gasket to me, also could explain the smoke. I have had head gaskets fail in the past and had similar symptoms.

Hope I'm wrong but its not the worlds worst job just time consuming.

[Gaz GT2]

No expert either, but had the exact same symptoms with a corrado once, and it was indeed the head gasket, so head off, skimmed, new gasket set and bolts and timing belt while i was at it and it was as good as new all it cost bout 100quid and a weekend of work

[danbeier]

Many thanks guys - discovered I still had RAC cover from home, so called them out. Got it started - he is sure headgasket too - the 'clunking' seems to have been caused by water leaking into places it shouldn't do and feezing...makes sense as he squeezed a few pipes and then the clunking changed to an awful grating sound before it started...

Anyway..drove to my great local garage I've used many times as I'm afraid I have neither time, skills or tools to be changing headgaskets - so hopefully they'll be able to look at it next week.

[gtsteve]

The crunching was probably frozen water in pipes and water pump as no antifreeze due to water loss.

Hope all is sorted soon

[dreleask]

sounds lik head gasket, however, i wouldnt get the head skimmed as this makes the engine go through head gaskets like its going out of fasion! instead if i was you i would get a refurb head from TSR and one of their metal (steel i think) gaskets!

[Nate]

get them to check the head for still being flat and true. if it is, just bang another gasket in and a timing belt kit (needs doing as they'll have to take the old belt of to get the head off) only a few hours labour and the bits then

[danbeier]

Thanks Nate will remember to check that as that would def save some money on parts and labour!