Hello all,

I was not able to save my 240 sedan with 185K miles from a blown head gasket. It all started with a small coolant leak, then it leaked a lot till the point that it lost about a gallon in an 8 mile stretch. Pulled over a Target store, bought coolant and water, filled it up just get get home about another 15 miles ahead. Once I got home checked the coolant level and seemed not too bad. I stopped driving the car until a replaced the water pump gaskets and a radiator hose. Well, too late... the car has excessive coolant consumption and the re seems to be coolant in the oil. I checked the oil stick and it looks very watery. The car has not seem to loose power whatsoever but I notice the engine has a constant vibration when it gets hot.

One consideration is that I have invested a lot in this car already. fixed A/C, timing belt, poly accessory bushings, poly torque rod bushings, new tires, all engine gasket and seals, radio, and recent tune up to name some.

So here are my questions you guys:
Is it worth fixing the head gasket myself or get rid of it as is?
How hard it would be for me to do it? (not too willing to pay a shop $900 for the repair). I have the Haynes and Bentley books and might be able to do it but I am not sure if the engine vibration is a symptom of a blown head gasket or it's a separate issue. There was not engine vibration before all of this happened though.

Send me your thoughts.

Jorge

I will change the head by myself.

Several years before, When I was a colleague student,I got a taurus for almost free. In that time, I know nothing about car except changing oil. When the PO told me it need head gasket and asked me if I know how to fix it. I said "well...It is a car, right?" . Oh,boy.

I took the whole spring break and fix it. Except a powerfull car, I got confidence and many skill to deal with car.

It will take you one week and two weekend to fix it on the first time.

In the first weekend, take the head out.

During the weekday, send the head to a shop to check wrapage and clean. IF it is warped, just drash it and go to JY and yank a good one.

Second weekend, install the head and test drive it.

All you need is a torque wrench and some very common tools.
The most cost is headgsket kit and head bolts(around $120 or less). Head check and resurface is around $60.

I would say, less than 200 bucks, you can bring the brick back on the road and it will service you another 100K miles.


Good luck!

Having done a 16v head several times, I'd do this for sure. Replacing the head is a lot easier than replacing the engine, if you do it yourself.

Get all the tools you need. You have a torque wrench, I recently got the crank holder tool from IPD. If resonably priced, special tools save a lot of time.
Be sure you get a good machine shop, don't let them mill the head flat if it's warped, it will trash your cam bearings at the least.
Make sure you know how to get the head/block interface clean without nicking it.
Hope you have warm temps or heated garage.
--
84 242Ti IPD bars&springs, 89 745 16v M46 IPD bars, 89 744 16v M46 IPD bars, 90 745 AW70, 91 245SE AW70 IPD bars, 93 245 CLassic M47

Hola Choche:
I have done 3 heads myself (and I'm a professor of biology). last one, i just bought a rebuilt head on eBay ($300), took the old one off, shipped it back in the box, bolted on the rebuilt one, torqued to specs and my friend's 1991 245 is still on the road 2 years later.
No le tengas miedo, Chavo!!
el raidman

I'd at least look for a replacement engine.
--
240s: 2 drivers and some parts cars

Have you thought about buying a used engine and putting it in? I suspect that it overall it might be less trouble and less expense. Others might have a comment on this.
--
Mike Brown Greenville, NC 1996 965 139K 1994 940 137K 1986 244 137K (odometer broken)

The engine seems to be still in great condition. I crunched the numbers and it would cost me about $350 in parts and the machine shop if I do it myself. I am siding with the option of fixing it myself.

I can take my time fixing it because this is my third vehicle and can sit for the repair as long as it takes me.

A head gasket is about $15, you can completely rebuild the head for $350. If you want to do the head I highly recommend automotivemachine.com, you can ship them it to them and they will send it back as new. Just replacing the gasket or head is a pretty easy job, just lots of stuff to take apart.
--
1989 240, 1992 745

it all depends based on your level of experience, motivation and time available.

if the car is a daily driver with no backup vehicle and you have minimal experience i would have shop do it or sell the car.

if the car can be off the road for a week or two and if you have motivation and the tools needed or willingness to get them you should tackle the job.

before you do line up a good local machine shop and a source for a replacement head (local junkyard) in case it is warped out of specs. even if you do not need a used head knowing where and at what price you can find one fast will save a lot of anxiety. if you can afford it you can buy a good used head and have a machine shop go over it to make sure it is within specs. then you KNOW before you even start taking apart the car you have fresh head ready to go. then you can do the job in one weekend.

the faq's have a complete how to this job and a cursory archive search will reveal reams of tips and tricks.

it is not a hard job but you must be patient and meticulous in your dismantling, re assembly and torquing.

if you can do the job over 2 week ends you should find it easy with little stress.
you should get the head OFF the first weekend which will give you all week for a machine shop to deal with if need be.

Changing the head gasket itself is not hard, but the smaller jobs add up quick and need to be paced. If you are unfamiliar with the smallest tasks like removing belts and aligning the timing, then you will want to stick to a shop. The crank pulley holder helps, but there is a rope trick you can use. Also, if you don't own a good torque wrench and aren't familiar with using it, forget about it. If you do it your self, you will also have to check or have the head checked for warping and damage, and you should get new head bolts.In the end its time, patience, and diligence. In my case, I don't have the space, so I would go to a shop.

Something you might consider are other small jobs that would be convenient with the head off.

I would replace the head and keep her on the road, but that's me and I sometimes have blind devotion : )
Good luck!

I've replaced timing belt on this car and wasn't hard at all; I also have a torque wrench.

I planned to take the head to the same machine shop a local Volvo repair shop does, if I decide to do the job. My other concern is if the engine vibration is a symptom of a bad head gasket or a different issue.