Blown head gasket repair costs can have a surprising range based on the mechanics you are working with and the make and model car you have. Any head gasket repair job is going to be relatively expensive because of the required labor to get to your head gasket.
The head gasket is basically in the middle of your engine so you have to take off just about everything on top of your engine to get to the gasket. If you have an inline 4 cylinder, or incline 6 cylinder engine, this job may not end up being so difficult. Removing the head on this type of engine includes simply draining your engine fluids, removing the intake and exhaust manifold, the cooling hoses the timing chain or belt and maybe a few accessories to make more room to work.
If you have a V6, V8 or boxer engine, getting to the head gasket can be significantly more complicated. In these type engines, you actually have 2 head gaskets, one on each side of the engine. If you’re replacing the head gasket on your vehicle you should always replace both of them to make sure your engine stays balanced. Also, since you already have the majority of the engine taken apart to replace once gasket, it is cost effective to do the other one at the same time. With a “V” style engine or boxer engine, head gasket replacement costs can be 2 to 3 times the amount simply due to the extra labor associated with getting to the head which is more inaccessible on these vehicles.
The other thing that can significantly increase your head gasket repair cost is what other damage was caused when the head gasket started leaking. The drastic temperature changes along with the pressure of combustion leaking into different areas of the engine can cause problems with your cooling system and cause permanent damage to your engine block or cylinder heads. Since the head gasket has to retain the high temperatures and pressures of combustion, it needs to make a very tight seal between the cylinder head and engine block. If the surface of the cylinder head and engine block aren’t perfectly flat, then it can be difficult for the head gasket to make a good seal.
This is where costs can really add up for head gasket repair. If your cylinder heads are warped, cracked or pitted it can take a significant amount of machine work to get things back to where they need to be. Even worse, if your engine block isn’t flat or has been damaged, it will need to be removed and machined as well. Since the shops that will do that kind of work are usually specialty shops the prices can be extremely high. If you decide not to check your block or head for damage you also can end up with a leak even in your brand new head gasket.
There is a way you can avoid all the labor of taking apart your engine and the expensive inspection of engine parts for damage. BlueDevil Pour-N-Go Head Gasket Sealer is a chemical sealing agent that you can add to your engine coolant to seal the leaks in your current head gasket. BlueDevil Pour-N-Go Head Gasket Sealer is a non-particulate sealant that can seal the leak in your head gasket without removing any equipment from your motor. BlueDevil Pour-N-Go Head Gasket Sealer can even seal a leak if your block or head is warped.
For more information about BlueDevil Pour-N-Go Head Gasket Sealer visit our production information page here: Pour-N-Go Head Gasket Sealer
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29 responses to "Head Gasket Repair Cost"
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I poured half a bottle in my acura 3.2cl. Will it work?
Norman-
Yes, half of a bottle of the 32 ounce BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer is the proper application for a 3.2 L Acura. Overall, the product carries a success rate that is over 90%.
Thank you!
-BDP
The other day i was driving my 2007 ford fusion SE v6 4 door and just out of nowhere my temperature gage just went all the way to could. Then there was this sound coming from the back of my car like kinda a rattling kinda like a diesel engine sounds and so i pull over and turn the car off and then started it again and ot stop tell i started driving again and then it came back and i could not tell what it was the temperature was still all the way could so i was like what ever just keep driving im almost to somewhere i can really look at it so i got somewhere and turn it off for about 15 20 minutes and i started it again and it was cool and the temperature gage was back to the middle where it supposed to be so i went on and drove my car and i went a few more miles not even that fast no more then 35 40 mph and then out of no where i was coming to a stop light to turn and then the car just stop and the brake just lock up i could not push it down like i should so i waited and then i try to start the car again amd then it would not turn on or even turn over dor anything and on the dash board it kep showing the brake light and beeping and so then i turn it off and wait more it would not do anything at all so i keep tapping on the brake and nothing so i push on it and push really hard and it work the 2nd time i pushed on it really hard and so i turn the key over nothing so i waited for about 10 minutes and it started again and i drove it to a near by parking lot and park it then i opened the hood and i check the coolant and it was empty so i put some coolant in it and then some water and then i stop ot went down to nothing i put more and more water and waited and put more then that time out of nowhere it started shooting out the left side of the engine block and started sising a lil bit then it shot out more from the same side on the left if ur facing the front of the car and so then a hole lot of stuff started going on the ground of where i was at it just started pouring out on the ground so i was right in front of a oriellys and i went got some more coolant and just waiting for it to cool down i have just had my coolant pump and my water pump and a gasket and like 2 or 3 hoes change like not even 3 months ago the guy at the auto parts store said that it was a blown gasket there’s nothing you could do besides take it to mechanic and never replace but I was at the well start up my car again and that drove it 3.5 miles to where I live so I can park it because it was no truck and be able to come get me in time cuz I have to go to work how is it that I have blown head gasket and something’s wrong with the pump or something if I just had it changed what can cause that is it bad work from the mechanics that worked on it before or what is it from can you please give me information any information you can thank you
Michael-
Thank you for asking about your Ford Fusion. Based on your description, it would be difficult to say exactly what was the root cause of your issue. If the thermostat was sticking or faulty, which could be evidenced from the temperature gauge fluctuating and reading cold, and may have restricted flow and caused the engine to overheat and in turn, causing a blown head gasket. It’s also possible a blown head gasket or warped/cracked heads is what caused the water pump and hose replacements If combustion/exhaust gases are pumping into the cooling system, the system is being over-pressurized and circulation of water/coolant would be restricted. The pressure may have been so great in the areas you replaced that caused them to start leaking in the first place. You can always bring the vehicle back to the shop to see if they can shed more light on the situation.
Thank you!
-BDP
my car is stalling does that mean my head gasket is blown???…cos now my car is over heating… and how much is a brand new head gasket cost for me Subaru Legacy gt tt waggon…
Ian-
Your vehicle stalling out and overheating does not necessarily indicate that you have a blown head gasket, however, it is a possible symptom of that. Have you had the vehicle diagnosed? Are you noticing a loss of water/coolant? Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.
Thank you!
-BDP
I have a 96 Honda Civic And I believe that my head gasget is blown due to over heating and because I’m a woman and did not know. My car was smoking so I pulled into a gas station and I put water in the radiator without coolant not to mention water was cold but it brought down the temperature until driving further it smoked up and over heated I pulled over to the side had help off course and coolant was put in. Now it did bring the temp down but driving it home it was starting to over heat. Are there any options of a way that I can fix the predicament that I am in, or am I totally SOL at the moment and need to get a new car? By the way this happened yesterday any advice would help. Thank You
Juliana-
Thank you for asking about your Honda Civic. Based on your description, we recommend using the BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer (https://store.gobdp.com/head-gasket-sealer-38386/). As long as the vehicle will maintain idle for a full 50 minutes, and you are not losing more than a quart of water/coolant during that 50 minute idle, you would be a great candidate for the product. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any other questions.
Thank you!
-BDP
I have a 1995 Honda lx. It overheated and stalled on the highway coming to a complete stop. I got to the side snd openned the hood. No dmokd or steam. What does that mean?
The radiator was replaced and now it still is running hit. Mechanic says maybe the gadget is blow. How likely is it the engine block is cracked?
S Holmes-
Please contact our tech support team at 888-863-0426. We would be happy to discuss the symptoms that you have seen with the vehicle to help diagnose the problem.
Thank you!
-BDP
I have a 08 honda oddassy and it started to over heat. I replaced the thermostat, but still overheating. I took it to a garage and they diagnosed it saying it was the water pump and timing belt. They replaced that and the day I brought it home on a Friday, it started to leak antifreeze took it back Saturday for them to check it. They call Monday and they said they think there was a air pocket in the radiator and said they fixed it. When I got there to pick it up it looked like it was leaking antifreeze again but they said it was not from my van. When I started it, it was shaking and got worse when I turned the wheel. Then started to blow white smoke coming from the tail pipe. They said that I blew a head gasket when I pulled out. Shouldn’t they have caught this when they went over everything the first time?
Millie-
Thank you for asking about your Honda Odyssey. Unfortunately, a vehicle can overheat for a number of different reasons. When you originally brought the vehicle in, after replacing the thermostat, replacing the water pump would have been the next logical component to replace. Unless the garage was seeing white smoke coming from the tail pipe or water/coolant mixing with the engine oil, it would have been difficult to diagnose it as a blown head gasket at that point. From the sounds of it, you may have combustion/exhaust gases blowing into the cooling system, which would give you the same symptoms as an air pocket in the system.
As long as the vehicle can maintain idle for a full 50 minutes, and you are not losing more than about a quart of water/coolant during that 50 minute run, you would be a good candidate for the BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any other questions.
Thank you!
-BDP
My car is a 2007 Subaru and it is not overheating according to the temperature gauge but if I drive on the interstate or for any distance white smoke starts coming from underneath the hood. When I pop it open there are no leaks or holes in the radiator but it seem as though there is a small oil leak and the hot oil is causing the steam. Is this a head gasket issue?
A-
Thank you for asking about your Subaru. A white smoke/steam would indicate water/antifreeze burning, where a blue smoke would indicate oil burning. Are you noticing a loss of oil? Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.
Thank you!
-BDP
I have Mitsubhishi Lancer Ex 2011 model and having an issue of over heating. Checked the radiator, water pump, engine oil, radiator fan and all seems ok. So what could be the issue and how much it is going to cost for repair.
Alan-
Thank you for asking about your Mitsubishi Lancer. If you are not noticing a loss of water/coolant, you may want to test the thermostat to ensure it is opening at the proper temperature. You can remove the thermostat and place it in boiling water to test it. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any other questions.
Thank you!
-BDP
I have a 2001 PT Cruiser 2.4. When I start up my car and drive a bit, I notice a slight amount of white smoke out of my tailpipe – nothing crazy but I can notice it in my rear view. As I drive my car tends to overheat, but then the temperature levels back out if I hit the highway. However if I let it idle too long it will overheat and sweet-smelling white smoke will come out from under the hood – my coolant burning. I had heard about replacing my thermostat, but the more I read I’m thinking it’s my head gasket. Should I try the sealer? & if it’s not the head gasket, would the sealer damage my car at all?
Sophia-
Thank you for asking about your Chrysler PT Cruiser. Based on your description, as long as you are noticing a loss of water/coolant, it would be appropriate to use the BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any other questions.
Thank you!
-BDP
hi, i seem to have an oil leak around the top of the engine. not leaking on the floor and no other problems re:noise. no milky substance in the oil as someone asked. symptoms don’t sound like head gasket, but i’m no mechanic.
Michael-
We agree, it does not sound like you have any of the tell-tale signs of a head gasket leak. We recommend using the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak for your oil leak. You should expect to start seeing results after approximately 100-200 miles of driving.
Thank you!
-BDP
hi, i have a 05 ford e450 super duty 6.0 that is blowing white smoke and losing coolant(no visible leaks) will your product work in my diesel engine ?
Ronald-
Thank you for asking about your Ford E-450. Yes, the BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer is safe and compatible to use on diesel engines. Be sure to follow the cooling system capacity table on the back of the bottle to ensure the proper amount of product is used.
Thank you!
-BDP
I have a 2008 Ford Expedition 292500 miles, the engine has a diesel knock to it at idle and today checking the oil the dipstick was normal, but when I went to add some oil the filler tube and oil cap had a light-colored goop with the consistency of peanut butter. Will your product help in this situation and what steps should I take…
John-
Thank you for asking about your Ford Expedition. Have you noticed a loss of water/coolant? Have you tried running an engine flush to get rid of any potential engine buildup? Please contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 so that we can get a little better understanding of the vehicle’s condition and be able to make any appropriate recommendations.
Thank you!
-BDP
My 07 F150 got stuck in 4 low. I didn’t even put into 4 low only in 4 high. So that was strange. Than it wouldn’t come out of 4×4. Thought I got out or atleast 4 low. Dfiven35 miles an hour my speedometer went up to 90 than a load noise almost like gun shot and bunch of smoke came out of engine. Lost heat it’s misfiring but still starts and does not overheat??? What could it be??
Jacob-
Thank you for asking about your Ford F-150. If you continued to drive he vehicle in 4 wheel drive on flat, smooth and/or dry roads, it would have caused issues to the drivetrain, and have adverse effects on the front axles, differential gears and even the differential case, itself. If you heard a loud noise as a result, it was more than likely one of these components breaking. We’d recommend bringing the vehicle in for inspection. The only remedy would be to have the offending component replaced.
Thank you!
-BDP
I have a 2016 Jeep 4cylinder Latitude. There is a small leak around the head gasket. You can see the stain, but nothing is visible leaking out. Will your head gasket sealer solve my problem?
Ted-
Thank you for asking about your Jeep Latitude. The BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer is specifically intended to treat water/coolant leaks. Unfortunately, it should not be used as a preventative measure/maintenance. If you are not noticing a loss of water/coolant, the vehicle would not be a good candidate, at this point, for the Head Gasket Sealer. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 to discuss in more detail.
Thank you!
-BDP