Head Gasket Replacement

azastroman

I suspect that engine coolant may be in my oil. I have been pointed to the head gasket as being the problem. How quickly does this need to be taken care of?

alcan

Make, model, year, engine size, mileage???

Mr_Shiftright

I am troubled by the word "may". Who is diagnosing and why aren't they sure?

If there really is coolant in your oil, yesterday wouldn't be fast enough.

mrdetailer

If you truly have coolant mixed with the oil it is very serious. Is the oil milky? Was the oil analyzed?

I wouild check service bulletins for you car at

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/servicemmy1.cfm

They may have some information on this. I had a Dodge with head gasket issues, and 5 years later they came out with a TSB that recommended placing on a different valve cover. Problem fixed. It used to have to be replaced every year, now it has been 3 without a drop of oil leaking.

Cost of valve gasket replacement between $65 and $100 for me. I have heard it as high as $225 for others.

Personally, even if it's just oil I think it should be fixed, quickly since the cost is low compared to having a new engine. I had a friend who didn't repair it and a piston cracked. Afterwards, have the engine steam cleaned. It disappates heat better when cleaned, and helps minimize the chance for electrical fires.

isellhondas

What does a head gasket have to do with a valve cover gasket?

Mr_Shiftright

I think he means the different valve cover didn't allow moisture in, which would cause a mis-diagnose of a head gasket problem, because you might see some water residue in the oil.

swschrad

I would be real, real leery of just pulling the head and slapping down another gasket. there could be cracks that contributed to it, or that resulted from overheating. the head may have warped, and another gasket is not going to do anything for you at that point. and I thought I might have had one on my pickup, but I just had a glob of [non-permissible content removed] released from a radiator stop-leak that looked like oil on the recovery bottle's fluid. Have it analyzed by a good mechanic with real tools, like an exhaust-gas analyzer, and go with the flow on what is found as they sniff the radiator, dye-test for leaks, check flatness on the head, etc.