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Here is an engine problem getting ready to get worse.

Problem/Question: Might be helping a freind with this job, going to go for a second hand head as a garage has told him it’s knackered, won’t start anymore. Any tips or pitfalls?

Answer/Solution: Briefly, if you needed brain surgery, would you go to a forum to find out how to do it at home and save a few bucks? With that being said you did not say what type of car it is, but lets talk about changing head-gaskets and how much fun it is. First off, has it been professionally diagnosed? In other words, this is not an educated guess, right?
There are several tests a professional mechanic will run, using expensive diagnostic tools that can accurately locate your problem.

Changing head-gaskets is not a super hi tech operation, but it is heavy work, greasy work and requires several specialty tools. It is also a matter of having an “experienced” eye examine the head, engine block, gasket, piston and other components that may give the idea it is only a “head-gasket”.

Somehow, it never turns out to be as easy as you may have thought. If you do it at ‘home’, than get a factory service manual and study it over and aver until you understand. You may end up not wanting to do the job after all. Just don’t go into it blind, or you will be setting yourself up for a good used engine. In fact we see a lot of engines that are literally ready to blow up, even though it may only need a head gasket, there may be other items hanging from a thread getting ready to fail right after you put a head gasket on the motor. So, it is possible you may need an engine replacement.

That is the beauty of a good diagnosis. you won’t waste time and money on the wrong repair, or on an engine that is not worth repairing. For more information read our Blog or call GotTransmissions.com at 1-877-268-0664.