I was thinking about buying a cheap vehicle (under $1000) and take my time learning how to change the head gasket and timing belt and later see it if all goes well.
So looking at Craigslist, I see many people who claim that their car has a head gasket problem.. some say they run, some say they dont.
So my question is, How do I know for sure if its a head gasket problem and that its not something worse.
Because by my understanding, head gaskets burn due to overheating.. So the engine could have even cracked or extended in size due to it being so hott.
Please explain! Thank youu! :)How to know if its a Head Gasket Problem?You have to do a pressure test ...You also have to use a dye to help you find out what head is bad...Usually people will try to sell the car instead of fixing it...Usually these cars are hondas or toyotas that have aluminum heads...Sometimes the head itself is bad due to over heating...So just fixing the head gasket is opening a can of worms......Instaed of a 800.00 repair it can be over 2000.00....How to know if its a Head Gasket Problem?You have nailed the issue of this one. Anytime a head gasket blows, there is overheating involved. Which in turn can cause warping and cracking of heads and blocks.
That being said, Oftentimes, it is simply a matter of having the head machined (to get rid of any warping) buying appropriate gaskets and installing the head correctly.
good luck.
