Head Gasket ....Do it my self or ?

how much do i save if i am to change the head gasket myself with a few buddies helping then to have it fix at shop?


I believe my head gasket is broken because one of the spark plug isnt firing and its wet when i take it out(also smell like wd-40). and im losing coolant pretty fast.

so can someone tell me how much do i have to pay for a shop to change OR how much i have to spend if i do it my self?

we are no experts but we have the Car manual for my escort

MY car is 96 escort lx

THanks

The job to change the head gasket is approx. $1000
depending on the shop and the labor rate. You can do the job for the price of a gasket kit and a few hours. Just be very careful to follow all directions as outlined in the book and make sure you torque the head properly.

Since your head gasket is blown, make sure to clean the block and head thoroughly and be careful when timing everything when you put it back together. Should take about 4 to 6 hours to do if you have never done it before.

Sounds like you are guessing about the head gasket... you might want to make sure about it before you go to so much trouble. Maybe try a compression check.

1000 dollars !? WOW thats USD right? if its that much i think i will probably do it my self I think a set of gaskets for escort is about 200 dollars canadian right? which includes the manifold gaskets and stuffs....also, my friend said i should replace the timing belt too since its very easy if im changing the head gasket. He also said i should take the head to a machine shop to have it serviced.


About the test, i already taken out the spark plug #4 and its abit wet and smell like wd-40 and im losing coolant pretty fast. isnt that a very good indication of a blown head gasket? BTW, I DRive very slow and i dont accelerate fast i dont understand why the head gasket is broken....can anyone think of some reason?

If you are losing coolant and suspect a bad head gasket you should check your oil too.... just crack the nut to let it leak out a bit... if there is coolant in there it will come out first.

You don't need to buy a whole gasket set... a head gasket, exhaust and intake gasket will run about $50 USD. You will also want new head bolts which could be about $30. A timing belt and water pump... about $30 and $40.
If you are doing this yourself be sure you also have a torque wrench and are familiar with the tightening procedure when putting the head back on... I suggest you have a manual handy $10.

Hmm... you never said what car this was for, and now I see your registration info says you have a Honda Prelude... so my prices may be inaccurate.

Anyway, since you have to remove the timing belt to get the head off you may as well replace it, especialy if it is more than or near 60,000 miles. It is good practice to change your water pump while you are in there so you don't have to take all this stuff apart again in a couple weeks when it goes bad... Murphy's Law, you know? If you opt not to change it then it will go bad the day after you put the car back together.

It is not recommended to reuse head bolts... the parts store guy should hit you up for those when you ask for the gasket anyway.

Also.... DO DRAIN THE COOLANT FROM THE BLOCK. Don't just drain the radiator. There is a plug on the block that you can remove with an allen wrench to drain the coolant. If you don't do this, when you lift off the head coolant will spill in to the cylinders.

Lastly... if you have some people helping you then this may be easier to do...
You can skip a few steps from the manual to save time... if this is in fact an escort you should be able to lift out the head with the intake and exhaust manifolds still attached. If you can, then you will save a little bit by not having to replace the manifold gaskets. This is easier to do when you have helping hands that can lift it out carefully.

hey thanks and yeah i drive a 96 escort lx 1.9 liter. Is it very easy to replace the head gasket compare to other cars? because you said i dont even need to take out the manifolds i can just take out the head with the manifolds attached right? but will i be able to access the head bolts with both manifolds attached?

also, do you know if i should put some silicon on the gasket? or i am not suppose to?

Does anyone know a wetsite with pictures of an escort getting the head gasket replaced?

Finally, you said i should crack the oil plug and see if coolant comes out first....what happens if i dont see coolant? does that mean my gasket isnt broken?

THANKS

When you crank up the car, what color is the exhaust? If its white, that's steam from coolant getting into the cylinders. If its not, then you *might* be alright, but I'd definitely reccomend checking the compression. a Gauge is only $20 and the procedure is in the haynes manual.

I think thsi one is fairly easy, the biggest PITA really is dealing w/ teh timing cover/belt etc which all has to come off to get it removed. You'll find the A/C compressor is in a really annoying location, may be worth it to just remove it (careful not to disconnect any lines though!), I found myself cuyrsing it many times.
No RTV/sealant.
Don't know of a website but the info in the Haynes is reasonably good.
Once you have the head off, take a good look at it both on top and bottom for wear. These heads are notorious for dropping valve seats. If it looks pretty crummy, it may be worth your time to go ahead at that point and remove the exhaust/intake manifolds from it, and take it to a machine shop - they'll check it out real well, and rebuild it if necessary. This could cost another $250ish, but if it needs it it'll add many miles to your future. Just a thought.

If yer not familiar to thuis level of auto work, this is not something you'll finish in a Saturday, even w/ buddies helping. That being said, enjoy getting the experience, you'll be glad you have THAT later.