Head Gasket change - Cost??

[SGN]

Hello folks

Head gasket went today, came home courtesy of the AA. I don't have the room to do this myself, I know this is like asking "how long is a piece of string" but any idea how much this is likely to cost, barring complications.
A ball park figure will do, I'm sitting down and bracing myself.

Cheers
Steve

[jleyton]

Tough luck Steve.

The critical thing is how easy it is to remove the head. Has it been off in the last ten years or so ?

Cheers

Julian

[SGN]

Hi Julian

As far as I'm aware, it had a new pair of heads back 30 odd years ago, but apart from that all I know is they definitely haven't been off in the last 20 yrs. Chances are, they will put up a good fight.

Cheers
Steve

[jleyton]

That's a pity Steve.

I definitely think it would be worth your while finding a Stag expert, maybe with access to a head removal tool, to do the job. All being well they may be able to remove the head in hours, rather than the days or weeks that someone who doesn't know the engine could well take.

Good luck.

Cheers

Julian

Ps Are you absolutely sure it is a head gasket - worth using a block tester to be sure.

[SGN]

I'll get it checked first, but I don't think the symptoms look good, engine misfire, lack of power, an awful lot of steam from exhaust. The misfire was less when the expansion bottle cap was off.
I got plenty of attention, , 3 AA patrols and a police car stopped to have a look.

Steve

[jleyton]

Still could, just possibly, be inlet manifold gasket - especially if you have the type without the drain channels. I hope, for your sake, it is.

Cheers

Julian

[Richard Saunders]

I read somewhere that Enginuity charges around 1,500 pounds. Stag Classics is a bit nearer (but still a fair way from S. Wales). I don't know what they would charge but the end results would be as good as you could get. www.stagclassics.co.uk. Based in Medstead, Hampshire. No connection, but highly recommended.

Good luck.

[SGN]

Hi Julian,
What's the best way to check if it's inlet or Head gasket failure?

Hi Richard
There's a Stag specialist in Newport, about 20 mls from me. But I can't speak to him until Tuesday. Trouble is I have no patience and I want to get it sorted now or sooner

Cheers both
Steve

[grumpy2]

When mine went about 18months ago I talked to several specialist and the ball park figure quoted for one head seized was £1500 or both for £2500. Head not seized or needing replacement/welding was £500

In the end I did it myself (with much help from a member of the forum) fitted a known good full engine from a fellow member off here and sold the damaged unit to offset the cost.

[SGN]

Problem is, to be fair, until they start to remove them it's impossible to give a firm price. £500 is bad enough but £2500 is painful.
A friend of mine just said we can do it in his garage, he's did his last year, looks like I won't have to re mortgage the house to get them done.

Cheers
Steve

[jleyton]

Hi Julian,
What's the best way to check if it's inlet or Head gasket failure?

Cheers both
Steve

Hi Steve,

The best way is to use a block tester - just google 'cylinder head gasket and block tester kit'

Good to hear you've found someone to help, if it is head gasket - now check out Drew's notes on cylinder head removal in the technical section on here.

Cheers

Julian

[MandM]

Sorry to hear that Steve, had mine go shortly after buying the car, full of K seal!, but the job of doing the head gasket was not to bad a job to do if the heads come off ok, mine did not, you don't need to remove the bonnet, I didn't, as only have a single garage and didn't have a safe place to store it apart from the lounge which M was not keen on can't think why. lets us know how it goes.

P.s fit new manifold down pipe studs as it helps when trying to refit it in a tiny garage, locate on one then screw in the other studs, that's what I found anyway

Best of luck, the sunrise is with you

[SGN]

Thanks both, any tips most welcome, I'll give get hold of a tester, fingers crossed it might be the inlet manifold. My mate did his heads last year, so at least he's not working in the dark. I'll get new stud/bolts, I hate re-using old ones.

I'll keep you updated.

Steve

[SGN]

Hi Julian

Just thinking about a block tester, If there are no exhaust gasses in the anti freeze, that would then point to the inlet manifold, or is it still possible it could be the head gasket depending on where it's failed.

Cheers
Steve

[flying farmer]

Almost certainly inlet manifold gasket failure. Head gasket failure leads to the cooling system pressurising for the simple reason combustion pressure will be many times higher than cooling system pressure.

On the other hand, the inlet manifold will be well below atmospheric pressure at light throttle, combined with cooling system pressure will give a potential 30+ psi to squirt water into the cylinder.

First time this happened to me I made the mistake of changing the head gasket, I knew it was the left hand side as the steam came from the left hand exhaust, then read an article in the club mag a week or so later about inlet manifold gaskets and it all made sense. Since then I have made sure I have used the payen gaskets with the slot to avoid this happening again.

The fact that the symptoms improved when you removed the rad cap and depressurised the system also points to inlet manifold gasket.

Best of luck!

Neil