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Tech Tip: How Can You Tell if a Head Gasket is Leaking or Has Failed? New Orleans LA

Depending on the application and how much labor it requires, the repair bill might run $1,500 or more for parts and labor. The parts required to replace a head gasket include not only the head gasket itself, but also all the other gaskets that have to be replaced to disassemble the top of the engine.

Quality Rebore and Ring Service
(504) 523-5074
2056 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA
Midas New Orleans
504-821-3141
2526 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA
Pit Stop Auto Repair
(504) 299-9800
2100 Earhart Boulevard
New Orleans, LA
Autozone
(504) 948-3600
1531 Elysian Fields Ave
New Orleans, LA
Mayer Yachts Service Inc
(504) 282-1700
406 S Roadway Street
New Orleans, LA
Autozone
(504) 488-2443
649 N Broad St
New Orleans, LA
AutoZone
(504) 488-2443
649 N Broad
New Orleans, LA
AutoZone
(504) 948-3600
1531 Elysian Field
New Orleans, LA
Midas Gretna
504-367-2717
725 West Bank Expressway
Gretna, LA
AutoZone
(504) 288-3000
3071 Gentilly Blvd
New Orleans, LA
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Tech Tip: How Can You Tell if a Head Gasket is Leaking or Has Failed?

By Larry Carley   email
Technical Editor
November 10, 2009

The first symptoms of a head gasket that is failing are usually a slow loss of coolant with no visible leaks, engine overheating and/or a Check Engine light with cylinder misfire codes.

The first symptoms of a head gasket that is failing are usually a slow loss of coolant with no visible leaks, engine overheating and/or a Check Engine light with cylinder misfire codes.

The Onboard Diagnostic II system should detect any misfires that occur due to a loss of compression or spark plugs fouled by coolant seeping into a combustion chamber. So if a vehicle has a Check Engine light on and a cylinder misfire code, the spark plug in that cylinder should be removed and inspected for coolant fouling. A compression or leak down test should also be done to see if the cylinder is losing compression. Internal coolant leaks caused by a leaky head gasket can usually be diagnosed by pressure testing the cooling system.

Regardless of the cause, a head gasket failure is bad news for the vehicle owner.

Depending on the application and how much labor it requires, the repair bill might run $1,500 or more for parts and labor. The parts required to replace a head gasket include not only the head gasket itself, but also all the other gaskets that have to be replaced to disassemble the top of the engine. This includes the intake and exhaust manifold gaskets, too, plus new cylinder head bolts if the applicat...

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