Catastrophic Head Gasket Failure

[93 525 Paul]

Found this in the archives

The M50 is prone to head gasket failure if it is overheated, but they tend to go quite catastrophically.

Is that the case? Couldn't find any other info on catastrophic hg failure in the archives and had ours let go at an inopportune moment last Sunday.
Also, typical cost of repair and what should a high mileage motor get while we are at it?

[Scott C]

Found this in the archives


Is that the case? Couldn't find any other info on catastrophic hg failure in the archives and had ours let go at an inopportune moment last Sunday.
Also, typical cost of repair and what should a high mileage motor get while we are at it?

Might be worth considering a good used motor...

I did a head gasket on mine and it was a ton of work. If I had to replace the head due to warpage or cracks, etc - it would have been $1K for a replacement but mine was fine. I see used engines going for about that and if you really do have high mileage and want to keep the car, you might consider a donor car/engine.

Scott

[SnakeyesTx]

Found this in the archives


Is that the case? Couldn't find any other info on catastrophic hg failure in the archives and had ours let go at an inopportune moment last Sunday.
Also, typical cost of repair and what should a high mileage motor get while we are at it?

Did it overheat? 3 minutes of it in the red cost me the head being cracked and the block being warped... it really doesn't take long. It ended up costing me a little over 4,400 bucks for an engine. If the head is cracked, you're looking at about 2500 plus labor on the average. If you're only out a headgasket, you're probably going to spend about 1000-1300 or so unless you plan on tackling it yourself.

[632 Regal]

Did it overheat? 3 minutes of it in the red cost me the head being cracked and the block being warped... it really doesn't take long. It ended up costing me a little over 4,400 bucks for an engine. If the head is cracked, you're looking at about 2500 plus labor on the average. If you're only out a headgasket, you're probably going to spend about 1000-1300 or so unless you plan on tackling it yourself.

and they say the V8s are a pain to maintain... anyways if your car is decent than a grand to fix it is in line.

This whole bimmer thing has gone to hell in the forum since the cash for clunker thing. I still would rather sink 2K into my paid for piece of **** that is classy and runs great than run around in a sonoma or yugo (whatever). I wash my POS and guess what it looks cool and is after all a bimmer, altho thats a cocky statement I can still pull into a boat harbor and be waved through and be called sir even though I dont belong. Will that happen in a yugo? (used as an example not factual).

[Ross]

I wouldn't ever characterize a head gasket failure as catastrophic. They fail either from corrosion or prolonged overheating, both usually due to a lack of maintenance. It's when people disregard the temp that it gets expensive fast. Only you know how hot it got and for how long. It's a long cylinder head that tends to twist and warp if overheated badly. Running one for three minutes in the red as Snakeyes did is a certain recipe for at least that.
If you shut it down promptly you stand a good chance for a simple gasket replacement.
The head should be checked for straightness and if a little bit off can be milled flat again. If it's cracked or badly warped a used head is probably your best bet, perhaps an engine if yours is tired anyway. I usually choose to replace only what is necessary keeping as much of what is known rather than gamble on complete used engines, etc.
If you do it yourself a couple hundred gets it done, at a shop expect to be a thousand or so lighter.
While that engine doesn't tolerate overheating well it's not an automatic disaster.
Good luck.

[93 525 Paul]

I wouldn't ever characterize a head gasket failure as catastrophic. They fail either from corrosion or prolonged overheating, both usually due to a lack of maintenance. It's when people disregard the temp that it gets expensive fast. Only you know how hot it got and for how long. It's a long cylinder head that tends to twist and warp if overheated badly. Running one for three minutes in the red as Snakeyes did is a certain recipe for at least that.
If you shut it down promptly you stand a good chance for a simple gasket replacement.
The head should be checked for straightness and if a little bit off can be milled flat again. If it's cracked or badly warped a used head is probably your best bet, perhaps an engine if yours is tired anyway. I usually choose to replace only what is necessary keeping as much of what is known rather than gamble on complete used engines, etc.
If you do it yourself a couple hundred gets it done, at a shop expect to be a thousand or so lighter.
While that engine doesn't tolerate overheating well it's not an automatic disaster.
Good luck.

I appreciate all the quality responses, good info all around. Try a few minutes on the freaking Lincoln forum and you will be running back here to restore your confidence in mankind.
It was all over in less than a minute. Cruising up a long incline on the freeway in SoCal and the motor went off pitch and lost a bit of rpm, I looked at the tach and could see what I'd already felt, looked in the mirror and saw smoke for the first time ever out of our 177k mile (285k km right?) beauty. Started pulling over and in the time it took to get from the #2 to the #4 lane then to the shoulder, the temp jumped. Pulled her over shut it off got out and could see oil drips.
I normally have done the work but I'm buried at my firm and sent it off to the mechanic and he said there's water in #4 and it is most certainly a head gasket at the minimum, possibly worse.
Mech won't do a HG anywhere near $1000 so I'm retrieving it.

I can stow it in the side yard, but with a parts car and a "project" (had it for 16 years with about zero progress) car, I doubt the wife will be anything approaching understanding.
The $850 complete M50 motors from the Sacto boneyard seem pretty attractive. What will an E34 with a blown hg fetch on fleabay?

[Ross]

If you want to keep it I'd get the head off and see what's what. Worst case is a different head, Right? You could get away with just a gasket and sundry bits.
Why dismiss the entire engine? Your mechanic is going to charge more to swap an engine, hopefully only once.
A junkyard engine is always a crap shoot. Unless you can see the car, hopefully it is a wreck so at least you know it ran. BTW $850 will get you an entire running E34 with a blown trans all day.
It's not worth much as is.

[93 525 Paul]

Yeah if I could get away with just a hg that would be nails. No idea what it might end up with so I think I will yank the head and have a look. Have a pro mech buddy who might do it on the side for cheap. Wish me luck.

[ahlem]

I'm doing a used head replacement on an '89 325is right now. I got a decent head at the junk yard for $65 and about $300 in other parts and gaskets from Bavauto and water pump plus $75 for turning the valves and doing the seats. We broke a timing belt. Except for the fact that it takes some time to do, it hasn't been too bad just yet. I figure I'll be at about $600 when I'm done and things are getting painted and detailed. It's that finger cross moment when you try to fire it up that I'm looking forward to. Roll over by hand a couple times to be sure, first.