Engine problem after head gasket repair

BRIANSMITH1985

MEMBER
2010 VAUXHALL ZAFIRA
1.6L
2WD
MANUAL
60,000 MILES

Hi there,

I recently had the head gasket on my car repaired. Since I have had it back I have noticed a considerable lack of power. As an experianced driver, I know to change gear by listening to the engine, however, I have noticed that I am having to change gear at much lower speeds. This is most noticeable on the motorway where normally I would sit at 80mph the engine would be at 3500 RPM, now the engine reaches 3500 RPM at 70 mph. Is this to do with the head gasket repair and how easy is it to fix?

Many thanks in advance

1 Reply

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

MECHANIC
1,136 POSTS

Id have to say that the timing may be off slightly and is probably caused by the timing belt being improperly installed when the head was put back on. The ease of the repair depends upon you. If this is a reputable shop then id take it back to them and tell them your trouble. If theyre not so reputable, then id have it to another shop for a proper diagnosis. You may even see about getting some sort of reimbursement if its proven that theyre at fault. Otherwise, just have the original shop fix it at no added cost. We are all humans after all and make mistakes. Give them an honest chance. If all else fails let me know and we'll go from there