Need help ASAP

[zambal]

I have a chance to buy a 93' Geo Metro 4 door. He is asking $400-500 with 91,000. However... the owner thinks it has a head gasket leak. How much will it cost to repair this and how hard is it to replace it in this car. Also how hard will it be to get the timming right again? Is this a good deal? It has new tires, good interior, good glass, and A/C. He said it was leaking oil into the coolent as well...

Thanks!
Mike

[Crvett69]

head gaskets aren't to hard to do, just make sure you replace the head bolts also. gaskets and bolts will gost about $100. if your getting oil in the water it might be a cracked head or block. might be easier to just replace the motor with one of those jap motors. can get them around here for $300. if car needs major motor work i think $400 is to high.
can usually get them for under 200 if bad motor

[Zogboy]

I just put a new head on my 96 metro 1.3,
I have experience and it still took me about 12 hours total for the head. Lots of tight spaces to fit large hands #$%#$

The timing marks are cut on the gears and line up to the top marks.
Be sure to put a new seal on the crank...you will need a gear puller to do that and an impact wrench to take the crank bolt off.

Make sure your spring is not loose or it will come off and destory your new timing belt.....it happened to mine. replacing just the belt is about 3 hours.

Have the head checked for cracks and have it re-surfaced before you put it on the car.