Hi
pretty new to this ford business. think my head gasket needs changing. can anyone tell me roughly how much it'll take to replace the head gasket witha standard one as i don't intend to tune the car much. Prices with or without parts are ok.

just i think a bloke over here is trying to stick the arm into me

cheers gary

 

just a grp A head gasket Ł65 and new boltsŁ25.

labour - well i can do it off and back together in 5 hrs.

so a specialist with all the correct jigs, hoists and tricks may be 4 hrs - but that doesnt include this below...

but you may need the head skimmingŁ30, and a few other bits and bobs, like the o ring for the thermostat housing Ł1, the short pipe from the water pump to thermostat housing Ł5, a cam belt for good measure Ł30and if it hasnt been replaced, a new cam belt tensioner pulleyŁ30.

new coolant and an oil/filter change afterwards would also bee good.
then you find that half teh exhaust studs are missing, that cam shaft caps have been overtightened and been stripped so need helicoiling and that the head has already been skimmed to death and there is no more life in it - welcome to cosworth land

 

thanks for the help, not 100% sure if it it the head yet, as she's not running warm, biulding up alot of pressure in the header tank and water wee bit foamy and dirty. water leek when stopped but unsure where it coming from, thinkin water pump or thermostat housing. any idea's? coulf it be the water pump or thermostat houseing cracked?

 

Statto did gault give you a high price?

 

he didn't give me an exact price, just said the gasket was Ł120ish quid and then what ever labour and that would need done, just wanting a sort of idea from other people experience how much it has cost them in the past

 

Come on you lot get your fingers out of your arses, how much have you paid for a head gasket to be fitted... I would assume gault would charge about Ł30 per hour so if it takes him 5 hrs.....Ł150 for labour plus the Ł120 for the gasket....Ł270?

 

aye it prob something like that, but then, just want a rough idea so i know if iam getting the hand taken out of me or not.

@ryan you selling yours? seen it up for sale on a forum

 

I am selling it chum, on as many forums as possible at the minute...will be very sad to see it go, but im staying with RS's

 

You phone up any cossie specialist and get a quote to have a head gasket done and see what price you get quoted,make sure your sitting down though ive heard stories of up to Ł1000+ been quoted

 

oh right.... didnt know it was going to be that expensive.

 

like is say, to JUST to the HG its not that big of a job- - but i guarantee once yuo get it off, it wil need this and that and the other and all extra time soon adds up to a bag of sand if not carefull

 

bag of sand

Thats well cheap

Ł1,10 in Wicks

 

Also while its apart give the valves a bit of a lap in etc..

 

Be carefull m8 where you take it, took my old Escort to a well known tuner in Congleton as my head gasket had gone. Told me usual, gasket, skim ect plus lobour was Ł500 all in, while my car was in it kept adding up this and that needed doing . As i was 55 miles away couldn`t keep nipping there to see how he was doing. Kept making excuses in the end they had the car " 2 WEEKS " and Ł900 later , Had car back and within 3 weeks car was leaking oil on to gearbox and exhaust . Took it to a m8 of a m8 and found they had not tightened rocker cover bolts correctly, oil pissing out . Had to have rocker cover skimmed and new gaskets... The tuner in question WOULD NOT compensate there shoddy work and i was left with another bill Took my car to Castle performance after that, and they kept my car going strong Will be more carefull who i let work on this one i got now m8

 

don't forget to get the head skimmed,or at least checked,or you are wasting your money.

 

thanks for the advice lads, just going to have to be careful who i give her to

 

I have just replaced my gasket, head work was Ł190 inc skimming, valves done, seals etc. Grp A Gasket set was Ł180, no labour as I did it. If you have a leak and your not sure if its the head gasket get the car pressure/leak tested, that will tell you once and for all before you go down that route...

Good luck

 

Will do lad, can any decent garage pressure test the head etc...

 

Statto - tak it to ford lisburn as they are an RS specialist garage

 

Its actually a system pressure check or leak test as they call it, yep any descent specialist, its a test that can be done on any vehicle so you done have to find a RS specialist...

good luck, cheapest option at this stage