03 Jimny overheating problems - Cumbria / South Lakes

Hi all,

We have a 1.3 Petrol 04 reg Jimny.
Purchased last May.
Running fine over the summer for a few months and the failed with a heating problem diagnosed as an worn out radiator,
Radiator was replaced by local garage and back on the road for a couple more months all good.
Overheated again and the bottom of the radiator was blown out and loosing coolant.
Back to local garage and repaired and back on road for a couple of weeks.
More coolant being lost - this time from rear passenger side of the engine - core plug.
Back to local garage and repaired and back on road - replaced leaking core plug behind exhaust manifold.
More coolant being lost - this time from the radiator again.
Back to local garage and the radiator has blown out again.
Local garage now suspect an 'internal pressure issue' and proposing the way forward is a second hand engine!

I think the local garage have given up on the poor Jimny......
I'm looking for a second opinion on the above, and a better solution than trying to find a second hand engine with unknown history.......
Where do I start with the above?
Anyone recommend anywhere in Cumbria/South Lakes to have a look/opinion/repair on the Jimny please?

Many thanks
JC 

Your head gasket has probably failed.
The "blown out" radiator and chasing constant leaks suggest that cylinder gases are entering the cooling jacket and over pressing the system.
As a side issue check your radiator cap isn't jammed.

It's easy for a garage to check for head gasket issues or you can get DIY kits, so use one of these routes to determine if this is the problem.

If it is the head gasket options exist from getting it fixed to replacement engine, cost will depend upon availability of engine and if you want to DIY or get a garage do it. Confirm what it is first, but head gasket failure is a Jimny thing.
 

It will be difficult to know if the head gasket was the original cause or whether the head gasket went as a result of the first over-heating, either way Scimike is right, it will have a blown head gasket now, between one of the cylinders and the water jacket.

There are a couple of quick way to check, run the engine and see if you see telltale bubbles of air in the coolant or if it is chucking excess coolant in to the over-flow reservoir.

Look at the water, is it very cloudy or oil in it?

Look at the oil filler cap or dip stick, is the oil emulsified?

Or, take the plugs out, three of them will have brown deposits on them and one might be 'washed' clean, that will be the cylinder that has blown.

Do you get a lot of white smoke/steam from the exhaust?

Finally you can get some test kits that show if there head has gone. I have never used one of these, but think they are reliable.

Regarding a head gasket fix or a new engine, a head gasket will be cheaper in terms of cost and labour, even if you have to get the head skimmed and there is always a risk with a second hand engine that it might have some faults.

Robin

I might be in a similar situation! 
Purchased my 55 plate Jimny in the Summer. A week ago engine overheated and the cause was a leak in the radiator just under the radiator cap.
When I bought the Jimny I was told it had a new radiator fitted 6 month prior to me buying it. I purchased a new radiator and fitted it myself. 
I was surprised that the new radiator didn't come with a radiator cap so I used the old one.
I have since got a new cap as I was told that a faulty radiator cap can causes overheating and leaks in the cooling system.

Now concerned that the fact my Jimny has now had two radiators replaced within the last 6 months means I might also have rush out and get a test kit to check if my head gasket has blown.... 
 

The thing is that an m series engine will run virtually forever without any issues but if for some reason it does overheat, say because of a block in the radiator for example, then that first overheat will almost certainly take the head gasket with it and then cause repeat overheat making it worse and worse.