how can u tell when ur cyloinder head gasket has gone and howe much will it cost to get it replaced? i?

Answer 1

What kind of car?

Answer 2

1. look in the radiator reservoir for oil or bubbles, and smell in the reservoir for exhaust gases.
2. check the end of the oil dipstick for froth caused by water mixing with the oil.
3. if the radiator hoses pump up very hard when the engine is reved. Try squeezing them with your hand to check.
4. Look for clouds of steam from the exhaust.
5. Your heater probably will not work or may leak water into the car making footwells wet.
6. Your car may well overheat very quickly.
7. Try spitting on the rocker cover. If it fizzes and boils away then you are definitely overheating even if the temp guage says not ( sometimes a blown head will pressurise the water system and stop the water getting near the temp sensor so will not necessarily register as an overheat.)
Any of these would indicate a blown head gasket or cracked head. You are really expecting to see a few of these symptoms with a cracked head or blown gasket. Other faults which can give head type overheating symptoms are failed water pump common on some bmws, jammed thermostat and blocked radiator.
If it is a head gasket it`s a big expensive job so be sure. It involves taking the head off of the car, having the valves removed, the head is skimmed by an engine machine shop then the valves are re assembled and ground in. The head is then replaced with a new head gasket and usually you would replace the cambelt and tensioner at the same time as well as changing the oil and filter and renewing the radiator coolant. In the UK if you went to normal high street garage for this job you would probably be charged £800 for a homegrown car and maybe £2500 for a Jap car or BMW. If the head is corroded or cracked then add the price of a recon head to that £300 to £1000. It`s bad bad news all the way I am afraid. If the car is only worth a couple of thousand dollars then I suspect you would save a lot of hassle and money by scrapping it and getting another. Put up another question with your symptoms and car type and I might be able to help more. Title the question "my car has these symptoms is it head gasket?" Good luck

Answer 3

Usually the first sign that the cylinder head gasket has failed is either white or dark smoke in the exhaust and loss of power. White means coolant is leaking into the cylinder; dark means oil.

The definitive diagnostic test is a compression test, where the mechanic measures the pressure in each cylinder as the crankshaft rotates. The pressure will vary depending on the compression ratio of the engine -- 10:1 should produce 130-140 psi for example.

In a "healthy" engine, the compression values for all the cylinders should be roughly the same, plus or minus 5-10 psi. If one or more are markedly less, or all are MUCH less than the expected value, something is badly wrong and the engine will need to be torn down.

The cost will vary widely depending on the engine and how much *stuff* is bolted around it; a modern fuel injected turbo V-8 with air conditioning will just take longer (and cost more) than, say, a straight-six Plymouth Valiant from the 60s.

Answer 4

Check your oil first (use your dip stick ) and if it is sludgy and grey / brown then that is a sign that the head gasket has gone,also watch your water consumption, it goes down fast with a blown head gasket as the water is leaking into the engine.Also ask someone to watch your exhaust...if its smoking a lot this is also a bad sign.Average cost is about £500 to fix ...so its a major repair job........or time to get a new car!

Answer 5

One of the easist ways of checking for a blown head gasket, is to look at the oil. Pull the dip stick out and if there is a grey/Brown sludge in the oil then that is a sign of water in the oil, caused by a blown head gasket.

The price of getting it fixed varies depending on what car and the age of it. Also if you're taking it to a garage it'll cost a lot more than getting the oparts and doing it yourself.

Only try it yourself if you know what you're doing as you will cause loads more problems if you don't, Meaning a bigger bill to fix.

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
how can u tell when ur cyloinder head gasket has gone and howe much will it cost to get it replaced? i?

Answer 7

Poor idling, overheating, if you remove the oil filler cap and look inside it (the cap not the engine) and see a white mayo like substance it's likely your head gasket is shagged.
Replacement costs vary enormously, best bet is to go to a good independant or two and get some quotes.

Answer 8

If you have sweet smelling white smoke (steam) coming out of the exhaust or milky engine oil, it's a blown head gasket. Replacing it yourself would cost around $100. Having a shop do it would significantly more.

Answer 9

Simple - Remove the head. Cost can vary from 20 if you do it yourself to a couple hundred by taking it to a garage. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to replace a head gasket. Goto a library and reference Chilton's auto manual for step by step instructions.

Answer 10

over heating
white smoke coming from exhorts
water oil mix in engine or expansion tank
lots of ways to determine head gasket fault
cost well about 500 euros here in Spain
you have to send them off to be checked & scimed

Answer 11

Oil in water or water in oil. Start engine from cold and immediately remove cap on expansion bottle. If there is pressure then you are getting combustion gasses into coolant signifying headgasket failure. Steam from exhaust is another sign.