hi all, after a bit of advice. got a 96 323 about three months ago. loved it initially, now seems like i've been sold a complete lemon[:'(]. head gasket went a couple of weeks ago which cost a fortune, also whilst it was at the garage for the gasket doing, some monkey in a HGV side swiped it and drove off... insurance claim pending... but my problem now is when i start it up first thing on a morning it burns oil and smokes like a chimney. I'm a bit loathe to take it back to the garage (at least not back to the same garage) as i'm convinced they're ripping me off what with me being a bird. I've asked a few people i know for advice and the general consensus seems to be that oil is getting into the piston chambers somehow, possibly a cracked piston ring? so i wondered if there were any products out there such as a sealant or something that i could buy to tide me over a couple of weeks/months until i can afford a reconditioned engine. also does anyone know where i could get a cheap drivers side wing mirror? i've checked all the scrappers around west yorkshire and no one has one in. it may take a while for this insurance claim to get sorted and in the meantime i'm having to look over my shoulder as my old mirror was ground to dust under the wheels of the sodding hgv.[&:]

any ideas or comments would be much appreciated.

 

to get it to stop smokinf for a min use a lil engine restore and a bottle of engine honey.Ive had a lot of friends use it and it works wonders. and this is no bull you can get them at any napa or other aauto parts store(I work for Napa) promo any other question just ask

 

Does it stop smoking after running for a few minutes? If that is the case then it would be valve stem seals. These seals are not as major of a repair as a head gasket. If it is a piston oil ring the engine would smoke all the time. There would be no "miracle" additive to add to the oil in this instance. I have replaced many mirrors for ppl that i found on ebay, has worked well for me. On a side note...what is a "HGV"? Never heard that before.

 

thanks for the comments.... its such a shame cos i loved this car a month ago. now i'm thinking i'm gonna sell it and go back to honda with my tail between my legs.[X(]

oh yeah, hgv = heavy goods vehicle