Best option for a Blown Head gasket

[morricio]

Hi Guys,

Just wanting some general advice. (I'm new)
I have a Holden Commodore 2002 VX Executive S2 Wagon and i live in Sydney.
It has 223,000km on the clock.

I drove it up the F3 with some friends last weekend and it has blown a head gasket. NRMA towed it to Morrisett. The NRMA repairer said to fix or replace the engine will cost about $1400. (The Labor part of that is $800). Now considering it's out of rego in a month and we paid $2000 when we got it a few years ago, we probably aren't going to get it fixed. Unless someone can convince me otherwise?

There are some things in the back of it i need to go collect - but after that's done, what do you recommend i should do with it? Fix it? Put it for sale on Gumtree? Sell it for parts? Get a wrecker to pay me to collect it? The car still starts and i can still move it around a little bit, but not much obviously. I want the most return for the vehicle as possible.

Obviously the car is stuck there (Morrisett is 100km from home), i'd like to get it back to Sydney and deal with it here but that's probably not going to be possible, unless i can tow it with another car? (I don't want to pay $500 to have it towed back home)
Some advice would be great, i'm willing to spend a bit of time, (but not money), to get the best outcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[franklinfrog]

'Willing to spend some time'..... can you fit a replacement engine yourself? Out with the old and in with the new.

A new car is going to cost more than $1400 so a good condition second hand engine might be a good way out if you're pretty happy with the car otherwise.

If you decide to abandon it, just call some wreckers to come collect it, they might give you $300-$400 for it but no more than that. If it's not at your home, don't bother with gumtree or ebay, after a month or two of tyre kickers and scammers on oil rigs you might get $450.

Fix it or get rid of it quick.

 

[iChris]

Don't count on getting your money back by selling it. After all, it's a old VT wagon that's not drivable and the vt are a dime a dozen.

Personally if it was a neat and tidy car with no other problems, I would drop a recon engine in it and drive it for another 230k.

 

[jughead1]

Minor point, but the OP does say it is a VX, not a VT.
Still, I recently had my heads done, and it cost me $1,200 (mobile mechanic, who works the Central Coast, so can do the Morrisett job.)
PM me if you want his phone no.

 

[Brett_jjj]

Are you 100% sure its a blown head gasket? If its a V6, the inlet manifold gaskets are a very common item to fail on these engines, and when these blow/leak, they can cause similar very symptoms to a blown head gasket, (coolant leaking into engine etc) If it were the inlet manifold gakets, its fairly easy and cheap to replace these. Id get a compression test done on the engine first, just to confirm 100% that the head gaskets are the actual cause.

 

[theghostoftime1978]

if ur short with cash, try rislone head gasket fix, get it from supercheap for about $70 a bottle, if that fails then ur up for a new gasket but might save you $1200

 

[Lex]

Best option for head gasket. (whats another car going to cost you?).

Hi Guys,

Just wanting some general advice. (I'm new)
I have a Holden Commodore 2002 VX Executive S2 Wagon and i live in Sydney.
It has 223,000km on the clock.

I drove it up the F3 with some friends last weekend and it has blown a head gasket. NRMA towed it to Morrisett. The NRMA repairer said to fix or replace the engine will cost about $1400. (The Labor part of that is $800). Now considering it's out of rego in a month and we paid $2000 when we got it a few years ago, we probably aren't going to get it fixed. Unless someone can convince me otherwise?

There are some things in the back of it i need to go collect - but after that's done, what do you recommend i should do with it? Fix it? Put it for sale on Gumtree? Sell it for parts? Get a wrecker to pay me to collect it? The car still starts and i can still move it around a little bit, but not much obviously. I want the most return for the vehicle as possible.

Obviously the car is stuck there (Morrisett is 100km from home), i'd like to get it back to Sydney and deal with it here but that's probably not going to be possible, unless i can tow it with another car? (I don't want to pay $500 to have it towed back home)
Some advice would be great, i'm willing to spend a bit of time, (but not money), to get the best outcome.

Thanks in advance.

What's it going to cost you to replace it? & what are you going to get for your money?
What is general condition of car? Is all panels straight? How much work has already been done?
I bought my car vt commodore wagon s1 mid September last year. Paid $3000. I thought it had 6 mths reg. ran out Oct. month later. It also had no roadworthy. It cost another $1100 to roadworthy.
I'm from Melb. went to Wagga to visit my sister. No problems. 1/1/13 was going to Brisbane to visit friend.6 hrs out of Wagga car **** itself. Coonabaraban. About 6 pm.Being New years day nothing was open. Motel was across road from where car broke down. $115. for night. Tow truck took car to mechanic next day.
Mechanic wanted $3000. to put second hand motor in it. & maybe a week to do job.
I thought about it. Just returned to Melb. on bus (another$215.) I've been told to get a half decent car you spend $10000. Spend a couple of grand & you end up with another piece of ****.
So i bit the bullet & had car transported to Melb. (another $1000.) Local wreckers wanted $550. for motor, $550 to fit. $50. to pick it up from home. They also reckon radiator was shot. (It never boiled at all) There was $50. for something else. Can't remember but remember $1400 all up.
Well motor ran like crap. I got car back 25/1/. I only got about 300 km out of tank. I took car back numerous times. I lost count. I couldn't do work myself i lived in caravan park. But by April I'd had enough. I had worked it out, the inlet manifold was leaking. Bought gasket set s1 v6. It was wrong set. Motor was s2. Got end gaskets ($28.) Cleaned runners on inlet manifold & plenum. It took me a day to do this. Now & again it would leak from thermostat housing, i would keep torquing it down. They had put a new gasket & thermostat in. But because it leaked now & then thought I'd put new 1 on. Well there was corrosion on small hole. So hole was bigger. Went back to wreckers & they gave me another 1. It turned out it was of vx. Another day to clean it. More gaskets as vx manifold was different vt. Manifold to plenum. It ran better but not quite there. New spark plugs & leads ($44.) May coil pack & dfi ($175.) New fuel pump & sender ($105.)June new throttle body with sensors ($175.) New oxy senors ($110) Getting better, but not there yet. Then moved to Geelong.mid June. Early Sept. autotrans service with new real seal ($210). Supposed to be low pan but deep pan with low pan filter & pick up. Dosen't change down going up hill now. While at mechanic's for service they informed me diff was on way out (noisey). I think i have 1 of those lined up. Early October I'm putting new injectors in. Hope thats last of it, till next motor service.
Sorry i went on. But it was worth all work i've done. I've learnt heaps. I've also put in cruise control myself ($60.) Also steering wheel audio controls ($70. with proper clock spring. Calais radio $40.). As stated think it was well woth it in end.
Hope you have an easier time than i did.
All the best to all Lex
Tranny s

 

[Lex]

Best option for head gasket. (whats another car going to cost you?).

Hi Guys,

Just wanting some general advice. (I'm new)
I have a Holden Commodore 2002 VX Executive S2 Wagon and i live in Sydney.
It has 223,000km on the clock.

I drove it up the F3 with some friends last weekend and it has blown a head gasket. NRMA towed it to Morrisett. The NRMA repairer said to fix or replace the engine will cost about $1400. (The Labor part of that is $800). Now considering it's out of rego in a month and we paid $2000 when we got it a few years ago, we probably aren't going to get it fixed. Unless someone can convince me otherwise?

There are some things in the back of it i need to go collect - but after that's done, what do you recommend i should do with it? Fix it? Put it for sale on Gumtree? Sell it for parts? Get a wrecker to pay me to collect it? The car still starts and i can still move it around a little bit, but not much obviously. I want the most return for the vehicle as possible.

Obviously the car is stuck there (Morrisett is 100km from home), i'd like to get it back to Sydney and deal with it here but that's probably not going to be possible, unless i can tow it with another car? (I don't want to pay $500 to have it towed back home)
Some advice would be great, i'm willing to spend a bit of time, (but not money), to get the best outcome.

Thanks in advance.

What's it going to cost you to replace it? & what are you going to get for your money?
What is general condition of car? Is all panels straight? How much work has already been done?
I bought my car vt commodore wagon s1 mid September last year. Paid $3000. I thought it had 6 mths reg. ran out Oct. month later. It also had no roadworthy. It cost another $1100 to roadworthy.
I'm from Melb. went to Wagga to visit my sister. No problems. 1/1/13 was going to Brisbane to visit friend.6 hrs out of Wagga car **** itself. Coonabaraban. About 6 pm.Being New years day nothing was open. Motel was across road from where car broke down. $115. for night. Tow truck took car to mechanic next day.
Mechanic wanted $3000. to put second hand motor in it. & maybe a week to do job.
I thought about it. Just returned to Melb. on bus (another$215.) I've been told to get a half decent car you spend $10000. Spend a couple of grand & you end up with another piece of ****.
So i bit the bullet & had car transported to Melb. (another $1000.) Local wreckers wanted $550. for motor, $550 to fit. $50. to pick it up from home. They also reckon radiator was shot. (It never boiled at all) There was $50. for something else. Can't remember but remember $1400 all up.
Well motor ran like crap. I got car back 25/1/. I only got about 300 km out of tank. I took car back numerous times. I lost count. I couldn't do work myself i lived in caravan park. But by April I'd had enough. I had worked it out, the inlet manifold was leaking. Bought gasket set s1 v6. It was wrong set. Motor was s2. Got end gaskets ($28.) Cleaned runners on inlet manifold & plenum. It took me a day to do this. Now & again it would leak from thermostat housing, i would keep torquing it down. They had put a new gasket & thermostat in. But because it leaked now & then thought I'd put new 1 on. Well there was corrosion on small hole. So hole was bigger. Went back to wreckers & they gave me another 1. It turned out it was of vx. Another day to clean it. More gaskets as vx manifold was different vt. Manifold to plenum. It ran better but not quite there. New spark plugs & leads ($44.) May coil pack & dfi ($175.) New fuel pump & sender ($105.)June new throttle body with sensors ($175.) New oxy senors ($110) Getting better, but not there yet. Then moved to Geelong.mid June. Early Sept. autotrans service with new real seal ($210). Supposed to be low pan but deep pan with low pan filter & pick up. Dosen't change down going up hill now. While at mechanic's for service they informed me diff was on way out (noisey). I think i have 1 of those lined up. Early October I'm putting new injectors in. Hope thats last of it, till next motor service.
Sorry i went on. But it was worth all work i've done. I've learnt heaps. I've also put in cruise control myself ($60.) Also steering wheel audio controls ($70. with proper clock spring. Calais radio $40.). As stated think it was well woth it in end.
Hope you have an easier time than i did.
All the best to all Lex