VP Blown Head Gasket

[HSVVP]

Hey,

I currently have a HSV 92' vp enhanced commodore which unfortunately has blown a Head Gasket.

My mechanic friend tells me that if i have it replaced the other one may fail (as the v6 has 2 heads). The car doesn't owe me much due to the ignorance of the previous owner, so i have some money to spend on it. Yet i dont know if it is worth it or what to do. I think that the next option would be to replace the engine, which is a stock 3.8 v6, untouched by HSV. So i think there would be plenty around....

Your thoughts and opinions on what to do would be apreciated.
Thanks, Jack.

[sik_dose]

I replace the head gaskets on my VN v6 last year, its not that hard. just alot of un bolt and bolt up. depends how many km the engine has and if its cheaper to just get a new engine.

[HSVVP]

Ill admit it has a few Ks but id still like to keep the car. Either by replacing the heads or a new engine... any ideas of how to source an engine?

[Vlad01]

ebay, I got an engine 89,000 on it. stocked away in a shed for over a decade. 200 buks

[sik_dose]

shop around some wrecking yards. Only consider an engine that you can see and hear running and has less than 150 XXX km. there not very expensive so thers lots of them out there, so look hard enough and you should be able to get something pretty good.

[HSVVP]

Yeah thats what i thought but at the moment theres nothing up on ebay. You got a good deal!

Although i may know a little bit about it... Im no mechanic and would be unable to replace the head gaskets let alone the engine. How much do you think these would cost to get done?

Thanks for your help

[sik_dose]

Engine change over around $600. I wouldent buy an angine off ebay unles i was going to rebuild it my self. Your best bet is to go to some wreckers and see engines running.

[HSVVP]

Ahk ill have a look around. Thanks

[levymetal]

changing the engine is easier than changing the headgaskets

but yeah if you do replace the headgaskets, make sure you do both at the same time. on a v engine you should always do both.

if you're not doing it yourself then i would say that getting a changeover engine installed would be cheaper than the mechanics doing the headgaskets.

[HSVVP]

Oh really? Thats interesting. Because i would prefer to put a reconditioned engine or something in it instead.

And yeah i know that i would need to do both sides - even though only one head of the v6 was blown, if the other wasn't replaced it would become a weak point.

[Vlad01]

I didn't think the gasket sets came in singles. I have only ever seen pairs in a set.

[HSVVP]

Yeah exactly, so i know that if i decide to change the gaskets ill have to do both.