I've got a 99' Outback 2.5 petrol it;s started using water and there's white gunge at top of the radiator cap,only done 106,000miles and full service history,has a head gasket gone and if so whats the rough cost anybody

 

Yeah, that sounds like typical head gasket issues. The head gaskets themselves are around £160 and would take 2-3days. One day to remove and strip down engine and take heads to get skimmed. Then another day once you have the heads back to assemble and put back in the car. Might roll into three days if you have any unforeseen issues.

While the engine is out and apart you might want to think about what else can be done at the same time. I would recommend new timing belt and water pump if they haven't been done recently. Possibly do the crank seals and maybe even have a look at the clutch to see if that needs doing.

thanks mate it's my first scooby,only bought it as a workhorse for £700 but grown quite attached to it now,any idea on the cost?

Head gasket = £160

Cam belt = £70

Water pump = £40

Thermostat = £15

Front crankshaft seal = £7

Rear crankshaft seal = £15

Head skimming prices can vary

Then most garages charge around £45-£55 per hour, so two days would be around £720 - £880 and three days would be around £1,080 - £1,320

These are only rough prices and labour costs. Parts aren't very expensive but this sort of job is very labour intensive. :(