Is a head gasket usually greasy or could this be a sign of an oil leak & must I replace the entire gasket?

Question

I just took my 1996 Nissan 200sx to a mechanic because of a small oil leak that happens only when I leave the car on for a while. The mechanic said right away that the reason for the oil leak is because of the head gasket, and then he pointed out the grease. I told him if it was just a seal and he said that these types of gaskets are whole, and that I would have to replace the whole thing which would cost $200 for the part alone. Does this sound right? Is it really the gasket and if so, do I really have to replace the whole thing? How much would the labor cost for a job like this? Thank you all for your help!

Answer 1

If you want to find out the cost of a head gasket, why not call an auto parts place such as AutoZone or Napa in your area to price them. All you need is the make, model and possibly engine size for them to tell you. The head gasket does come as one piece and replacing it can be labor intensive depending on the build of the motor. If you want to see a general picture of a head gasket go to

http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=DAUS,DAUS:2006-10,DAUS:en&q=1996+nissan+head+gasket

As far as costs go, well that depends on your location. Dealerships usually have "blue book" prices for different jobs and mechanics work on hourly commissions. If the book says the job takes 3 hours and the mechanic finishes in 15 minutes you will still be charged for 3 hours of work. A dealership mechanic in my area earns roughly $45-50 an hour. "Shade tree" operators usually are cheaper but not by much. You could call the local Nissan service department and ask the labor cost to replace the gasket. If this is where you checked to begin with, why not try another dealership.

Good luck.

Answer 2

You would be surprised how much the gasket can cost. You not only have to replace the head gasket but also the valve cover gasket and probably the intake and exhaust gaskets. As well as other seals and small gaskets. However, I don't think it's very common for an oil leak to be caused by a head gasket. Keep in mind your car is 11 years old so there are a lot of possible places for oil to be leaking. I would suggest going to another garage and getting a second opinion.

Answer 3

First sign of a leaking head gasket is white smoke out the exhaust. When a head gasket breaks, water goes into the oil causing the smoke. The price he quoted is way too high. Labor would be high because it takes a while to get the head off. Then, most places will have the head machined to make sure it seals correctly. call an auto store for the part price. Probably under $50.

Answer 4

You will have to replace the whole gasket like he said.

Did you happen to notice white smoke coming out if your exhaust. water in your oil and etc. These are two ways you can tell of you do have a blowen head gasket.

Cost a easy 550 or alot more.

Answer 5

There's only one way to tell if you have a head gasket leak. Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap and look for a creamy/yellow goo. If there's no goo then the mechanic is dodgy, don't ever go to him again. If there is goo then the head gasket is a big job because they have to "Skim" the head on a machine to get it level again. It might be cheaper to pick another engine up. I did :)

Answer 6

no such thing as a 200 dollar head gasket, unless the head needs machine work. also usually these wont leak oil, but it is possible. i would get a second opinion.

Answer 7

There are NO partial gaskets--and no easy fix to leak problems--loosen up the wallet and fix the car right