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[Chewy]

Anyone know the price for a head gasket set for a `99 2.5?

[Dazzler]

What are your symptoms......
A pattern gasket set is around £75

[Darth Loo-knee]

Anyone know the price for a head gasket set for a `99 2.5?

Quiet rare the head gasket goes on a V6 mate.

[Chewy]

Symptoms are :- Pressurised coolent, exhaust gas smell from header tank, white steam from exhaust, mayo under oil cap, mayo on dipstick, and the car doesn`t like turning over anymore, takes three or four attempts to start

Thanks for the replies

£75 doesn`t seem that bad, paid more for a renault one

[Dazzler]

Symptoms are :- Pressurised coolent, exhaust gas smell from header tank, white steam from exhaust, mayo under oil cap, mayo on dipstick, and the car doesn`t like turning over anymore, takes three or four attempts to start

Thanks for the replies

£75 doesn`t seem that bad, paid more for a renault one

That does kind of sound like a head gasket problem

[cem_devecioglu]

to be sure try compression test ..

[tunnie]

head gaskets on v6 only fail if neat water is used in the coolant, and its thrashed dailey.

[Chewy]

Hi cem, i havent got access to equipment to do a compression test, but i think the head gasket has gone, the car overheated after the aux belt came off due to bearing failure just got to get my head around stripping the top end off,  is it one of those jobs where you need to have "special" tools(not including torx male and female)

[Dazzler]

Hi cem, i havent got access to equipment to do a compression test, but i think the head gasket has gone, the car overheated after the aux belt came off due to bearing failure just got to get my head around stripping the top end off,  is it one of those jobs where you need to have "special" tools(not including torx male and female)

No apart from the torx bits i dont believe that any other special tools are required.

[cem_devecioglu]

Hi,

its a simple test..sparks out..and one pressure gauge..

after you crank the engine a few times for pressure build up and read the final value..

I think worth trying..before all that expense..

[Chewy]

Hi all
Thanks for your replies, Ill have a look for a pressure gauge to do a compression test, other than that its out with the tools again in the freezing weather!

[cem_devecioglu]

Please check this link

http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repairqa/engine/ques056_1.html


some important part

"Low compression in one cylinder usually indicates a bad exhaust valve. Low compression in two adjacent cylinders typically means you have a bad head gasket. Low compression in all cylinders would tell you the rings and cylinders are worn and the engine needs to be overhauled. "

[albitz]

if you change the head gasket ,you will need the cam locking tools to put the cambelt on with

[JamesV6CDX]

A few notes:

1) Compression test will not be conclusive

2) Tunnie is right, lack of antifreeze is usually the main cause of HG failure, (it's a corrosion inhibitor) but it's down to the length of time it's run without antifreeze, more than how hard it's driven.

3) While I agree with mr LooKnee that HG failure is rare on the V6, I have seen it happen twice (on badly maintained cars) and strangely it's always been the passenger side one that's gone.

Ensure you fit genuine or Elring exhaust manifold gaskets on re-assembly, pattern ones work OK but apparently longevity is nowhere near as good as genuine ones. DONT refit if there is as much as one snapped stud - get it seen to by a machine shop. Use genuine camshaft seals too and genuine camcover gaskets. Don't forget the camcover O rings.

While the heads are off I recommend you remove the valves, fit new stem seals, and lap them back in. Do the paraffin test to ensure suitable valve seating.

Top end Gasket kit is £49 from Trechii on ebay + £12 for head bolts, which you must replace without fail.

Head bolt tightening sequence from memory is 25nm, 90deg, 90deg, 90deg, followed by a recommended 15deg tolerance turn.

This is a great opportunity to reseal the oil cooler, and replace it even, if the car has been run for ages without the right coolant mix.

Also, use genuine GM doughty washers on the coolant bridge, and preferably new bolts. They are cheap, and the old bolts can break on a badly maintainted engine. Pattern washers leak.

[knitware]

"3) While I agree with mr LooKnee that HG failure is rare on the V6, I have seen it happen twice (on badly maintained cars) and strangely it's always been the passenger side one that's gone."

My head gasket went on my 2001 2.6.  The car has a full MD service history and the gasket went at around 56k. A cloud of white smoke at start up, white smoke under heavy acceleration and exhaust in the coolant. Once removed, both off to be sure, I looked at the gasket and head  and you could see a slight scorch and a ‘channel’ where the water was escaping. It was very minor but was causing the coolant to burn off and all the other problems associated.

It maybe rare but this can happen to any car, regardless of maintenance. It is a perishable item after all so please do not be blinkered just because it is rare for it to happen or it only happens to thrashed poorly maintained cars, it doesn’t.