Blown headgasket - what else can be done?

[Mr_Slim]

As the title says - i blew the headgasket last week. no warning, the temperature just flew up and that was it. i even stopped driving not even 30sec after i got the temperature warning. but unfortunately these things happen on old cars. mechanic says it was probably a cracked radiator that caused it.

either way, i'm up for a ****load of money, because i know nothing about fixing cars and have to pay the local mechanic to do it for me. they are pretty good with pricing though. now while the heads are off, is there anything else you recommend doing on a car that has done 230,000kms? to be honest i don't know very much (if anything) about this sort of thing, which is why i'm asking basic questions lol.

Port and polish, shaving the heads come to mind - what does that do?

i could get a cam installed, but i think that's a little out of my price range

any non-performance things i should get them to do? anything i should tell them to look for - to tighten up or replace?

Thanks for your helps

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I'd be looking at the timing chain, tensioner and balance shaft. Porting and polishing or shaving the heads is pointless unless you go for the big cam, stronger bottom end and look at stroking or charging it.

[nathans1987]

is it a v6 or v8? what did it run like befor? smooth no smoke not tapping noises. when they get it apart they'll be able to check engine wear in bores and heads etc. if its a v6 and in good nic i'd just get them to put it back together, a v8 maybe a cam but that will cost baout a 1k with a tune.

[Mr_Slim]

yeah its a V6, and like you said i think the Cam will be slightly out of my price range. Fixing the headgasket is expensive enough as it is!

i literally had no idea this was coming though. to be honest i don't check the temperature gauge every 5mins, but i had no other warning... wasn't running hot that i know of, wasn't using anymore fuel, wasn't running any different to usual. i was just coming over the harbour bridge and the alarm for high temperature came on, and the needle kept on rising....

[PaRaDoX]

I'd be looking at the timing chain, tensioner and balance shaft. Porting and polishing or shaving the heads is pointless unless you go for the big cam, stronger bottom end and look at stroking or charging it.

dude :P no

FI heads wont do much as your already cramming boost in there and it dosnt matter how it flows much

you ill gain from a port and polish N/A

while your down there i reccomend a full VRS kit, and new valve springs,

ACL VRS kit contains
Valve stem seals (your are probbly shagged)
Inlet gaskets (i bet they're shagged aswell)
thermostat gasket
PCV breather gasket
rocker cover seals
headgaskets
exhust gaskets
inlet valley seals

this kit can be had for $110... and its all easily installable once your down there... valve springs

but are you sure you've got a blown headgasket?, if i were you id get your mechanic to do a compression test first to tell you if your down on compression, ive done a few headgaskets on my own car and its not a easy job but it surely isnt a hard job, working flat out i reckon it'd take me 1 day

i did new engine seals + headgaskets and it made my car 1/2 second quicker down the quarter

[samuels]

As the title says - i blew the headgasket last week. no warning, the temperature just flew up and that was it. i even stopped driving not even 30sec after i got the temperature warning. but unfortunately these things happen on old cars. mechanic says it was probably a cracked radiator that caused it.

either way, i'm up for a ****load of money, because i know nothing about fixing cars and have to pay the local mechanic to do it for me. they are pretty good with pricing though. now while the heads are off, is there anything else you recommend doing on a car that has done 230,000kms? to be honest i don't know very much (if anything) about this sort of thing, which is why i'm asking basic questions lol.

Port and polish, shaving the heads come to mind - what does that do?



i could get a cam installed, but i think that's a little out of my price range

any non-performance things i should get them to do? anything i should tell them to look for - to tighten up or replace?

Thanks for your helps

depends on how much you have to spend
it depends on how hot it got and if any warpage occured,you may have to have heads planed,whilst minimum,this will increase your compression,but thats not the aim of the exercise,it's to have a flat level surface on your head.also if you get your local mechanic to do the work for you,he will check valves,guides,springs etc,etc,and he will advise you if they need doing.but theres nothing really to doing head gaskets yourself.
one simple test,well theres 2 -3....just depends where it's blown ....if blown,easiest one of them all is ....fill radiator up with water,start car up,let it warm up ,use a rag,after turning motor off,slowly undo pressure bottle /radiator cap,until pressure has been released,start car back up,if it's bubbling flat out...blown head gasket,other way is.... plugs out,crank over,see if water shoots out your plug holes,if not,while plugs are out do a compression test..if you have that type of gear,otherwise your local mechanic knows the routine...
also while heads are off,get the piston slap checked......good indicator of engine wear(bore wear)

valve stem seals are replaced as part of a head repair job anyrate,as the mechanic will also want them crack tested...highly recommended -for any type of head.
if it was blowing an oily smelling smoke,thats one sign of buggered stem seals

[samuels]

yeah its a V6, and like you said i think the Cam will be slightly out of my price range. Fixing the headgasket is expensive enough as it is!

i literally had no idea this was coming though. to be honest i don't check the temperature gauge every 5mins, but i had no other warning... wasn't running hot that i know of, wasn't using anymore fuel, wasn't running any different to usual. i was just coming over the harbour bridge and the alarm for high temperature came on, and the needle kept on rising....

thermo fan working?

[PaRaDoX]

i agree on that one, do those tests , a non working thermo fan will or even thermostat thats jammed will cause the car to overheat.. be worthwhile sticking in a new thermostat

so get cracking,

1) coolant test
2) spitting liquid test
3) compression test

also you might want to drop the oil and inspect it, last time i replaced my headgaskets the oil was cooked

also another thing, check at the top of the bore for a lip, this also indicates engine wear (no lip = better)

[Mr_Slim]

just spoke to the mechanic, apparently the car is pretty buggered. really cooked it apparently. thats what i don't understand though... i only got the running hot warning about 20sec before i stopped the car and turned it off.

but what is done is done. the mechanic has even suggested it might be cheaper to put in a new engine, if i can get a good one. he said both heads might be totally gone, and at $600 a piece (inc labour i think) it might end up cheaper to buy a new engine and fit that.

then the question is to buy another buick, or do i get an ecotec? if i'm gunna spend a ****load of money either way, i'd probably rather have an ecotec. but seeing as once again, my lack of car repair skills means someone would have to do the whole job for me, means that this would be pretty damned expensive too.

on top of that, i've already ordered an LPG kit for VP, so i might have some issues there too. but yeah i might start looking for a cheap VP V6 engine

[samuels]

just spoke to the mechanic, apparently the car is pretty buggered. really cooked it apparently. thats what i don't understand though... i only got the running hot warning about 20sec before i stopped the car and turned it off.

but what is done is done. the mechanic has even suggested it might be cheaper to put in a new engine, if i can get a good one. he said both heads might be totally gone, and at $600 a piece (inc labour i think) it might end up cheaper to buy a new engine and fit that.

then the question is to buy another buick, or do i get an ecotec? if i'm gunna spend a ****load of money either way, i'd probably rather have an ecotec. but seeing as once again, my lack of car repair skills means someone would have to do the whole job for me, means that this would be pretty damned expensive too.

on top of that, i've already ordered an LPG kit for VP, so i might have some issues there too. but yeah i might start looking for a cheap VP V6

no personally i wouldn't go ecotec...
if your up for at least new heads,have you considered aluminium heads,$1000.00 the pair,don't think they come with valves etc,they can be supplied,when purchasing,i priced an AC-Delco exchange motor last year,$3200,i can't remember if that was a long/short,have you got an engine reconditioning workshop in your area,might pay to get a quote off them for an exchange motor,or rebuild yours with what you want...