Cylinder bore damage

[OM605]

Car is a 2000 Citroën Xsara 1.6 16v that belongs to a relative. TU5JP4 engine, less than 100,000 km. The story is that it started smoking heavily on start up and go through a ton of coolant. The oil was a milkshake but it wasn't that bad. Removed the plugs to see what was lurking in there. 3 cylinders were fine, but i could scrape a bunch of rust and water on one piston. Of course the cooling system looks shockingly bad, filled with liquid rust. Decided to pull the head to see if the headgasket is the issue and to have a look at the cylinder. Here it is:

Not sure you can see it but the plating is falling apart, i could peel if off with my nail. Headgasket appears to be fine. I think the issue is just corrosion or caviation eating through the sleeve. What do you think?

 

[Cujet]

That is impressively bad. Was it the head gasket? Did the car overheat?

It seems like that has been a problem for quite some time. With that kind of coolant into the cylinder, I'm surprised it did not hydro-lock and bend the connecting rod.

Come to think of it, does the piston come up as far as the others?

 

[twX]

I don't think the sleeve could be so corroded that it could allow coolant to seep through. It's got a thick bit of block behind it. It could be: 24-year-old coolant -> overheating -> warped head -> coolant in cylinder. Or maybe the head gasket isn't as good as it looks.

In any case, not sure the specific cause matters. I think the lesson here is to change the coolant once in a while, and to not top it off with tap water, especially in an iron block engine.

 

[OM605]

Come to think of it, does the piston come up as far as the others?

I don't know how but it does! and i've been told that i was impossible to crank the engine because it was locked (it wasn't) but i understand it was full of water.

Was it the head gasket? Did the car overheat?

I have no idea, maybe before my cousin took ownership.

It could be: 24-year-old coolant

Oh yes, the coolant has never been changed, i have never seen anything as bad!

I think the lesson here is to change the coolant once in a while

 

[joekingcorvette]

I would think it would be really shiny if the rings and pistons fit like they should. It doesn't look good at all. My big brother had a brand new Chevrolet Citation and we would call it a Citroen hahaha.

 

[KrisZ]

Looks like it sat for a while. That could’ve been the cylinder with the valves open and moisture got in somehow. Or perhaps coolant was already leaking into this cylinder and that’s how it was parked.

 

[meep]

My opinion - this one is not long for the world. I mean, if it runs you might get 10 minutes out of it, kind of bad.