Guys have any of you ever blown your head gaskets? How hard is it to fix, and more importantly how expensive it is parts, etc?

 

If you have to ask how hard it is to fix, you probably don't have the tools or the skill to do that job. You HAVE to torque the heads when you retighten them, you HAVE to adjust the rockers right when you put it back together and you HAVE to be VERY clean or when you get it all back together you'll spin a bearing (might anyways from the coolant in the oil if it got in it).


That being said.........the best way to learn is to dig in and do it yourself! There are some good write ups on doing head gaskets and such on the net. In my opinion the best by far is www.shbox.com . Shoebox comes on here pretty regularly so if you don't understand his instructions you can ask him in person. There are also alot of people on here who can help when you ask a ? if you can follow instuctions well.


As far as price........it can be pretty expensive to have someone else do! I did it on my girlfriends 99 Grand AM (POS ) about a year in a half ago and it cost me $300ish. You need to have the heads resurfaced when you take them off too. That's probably gonna be $50-$100 then all the gaskets. Which ever way you go it's not gonna be a $50 fix. I'd say between $300 (done by you) and $1000 (having it done by a shop). Have fun!

 

Like the other guy said, the gasket needs replacing, the head needs to be disassembled, resurfaced & flattened, reasembled, everything needs to be cleaner than hell, new intake & head gasket, exhaust gasket (hopefully you don't break off a bunch of exhaust studs) then if you have a torque-to-yield head bolts, you need new ones, rocker adjustment. That's about it - Lots-O-fun !

And, No, No one's ever blown a head gasket before.

 

And don't forget to do the right side (the one that is blown) as I have done it the worng way Though most people do both anyway.

Rich

 

yeah thats just crazy to do one side. you're half way there already. would you want to take it all back apart to do the other side, or just do them both at once?

 

and dont do like i do and take your car apart for a year or two.... and put a turbo on it and get way over your head