please not the head gasket............

[geordie1980]

ok, i'm panicking now.........

i just had an MOT done for my 1984 1.8 carb 80 saloon aswell as a service. While it was in a got the cam belt changed and had them do a pressure test on the coolant system as i seemed to be losing water but couldnt tell where from.

Anyway work was done all happy and drove home etc then a few days later took it back in because i felt the rear drums hadnt been adjusted properly. When leaving the garage this time there was almost immediately white smoke from under the bonnet but i didnt have far to go so carried on. Now when i fire it up and run it i can see the smoke is coming from seeming the back of the block near the manifold but cant see clearly as the air filter is in the way. Also when the engine is cold squeezing the tope radiator hose seems to make a squirting noise from the same area but again i cant see where. sooo............

Please tell me there is some hose that it could be on the left hand side under the air filter that it could be or ill cry if i have to get the head gasket done!!!!!

Sorry for the long winded question but i dont want to have to end it's life prematurely!

john