If it's not one thing it's another.
I've been experiencing some car problems. Had my car looked at over the weekend and was told that I am leaking coolant from my head gasket. That can't be good. Jeff and I tried some over the counter sealer tonight. We flushed the radiator and well see tomorrow if that did anything to help. The guys at the garage didn't think it was worth a $900 fix job on a car with 140K miles on it. They said once your rip the motor apart, you never know what else your going to find wrong in there.
I'll be wildly optimistic that the goop we put in the radiator is going to work. If not, I'll have to figure something out.
posted by Tom Frank at 12:26 AM
3 Comments:
Volvo? hmmm... well, relative value is one thing... I wouldn't think a head gasket should be a death warrant, although maybe there's something unusual about the engine design that means a failed head gasket is just the starting point of various problems.
If your head hasn't been overheated or otherwise abused, it shouldn't be warped, 'coz a warped head would have to be machined b4 reinstalling, which would be some money.
Otherwise... I'd think head gasket is a straightforward repair (done properly, that is). Probably replace timing belt (or adjust timing chain, if it has that), water pump, possibly a tensioner, some gaskets, head gasket, set of head bolts... valve adjustment maybe... done right, that would probably square the top end for stuff for awhile.. of course, in the course of doing the job other more regular maintenance items might be needed - plugs, plug wires, distributor, coil - if it's an '83-'93, this is one of the most detailed manuals available: http://www.bentleypublishers.com/product.htm?code=L293
Chilton or Haines are ok, but not as detailed. Call several shops claiming to specialize in Volvo's, see what they say about what else you might be facing related to getting a head gasket changed. Dig up the volvo club off the 'net, you might be able to contact someone locally who knows the car intimately who would give you some additional unbiased info ...
8:00 PM
Actually its a Chevy Cavalier, a 1992 I think.
6:44 AM
my mistake -
I remembered this: http://www.ballvase.com/tfrank/weblog//DSC02373.JPG
but forgot this:
http://www.ballvase.com/tfrank/weblog/2005_04_03_archive.html
1 dead Volvo later...
The repair is possibly twice the value of the vehicle...
hmmm.... maybe better to spend the same money on something that runs... until it doesn't anymore.
Either that, or find someone with oodles of tools you can use and change it yourself - but that takes a lot of time, a really good manual, working space, and there's plenty of potential to put it back together wrong and kill the engine - and, like the mechanics said, no guarantee of result.
Argh - not the kind of car problem you want to have. With any luck, maybe the stopleak will hold back the floodwaters for awhile yet....
7:45 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home