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Tech Tip: How Can You Tell if a Head Gasket is Leaking or Has Failed? Omaha NE

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.

Napa Auto Parts
(402) 554-4500
6160 Grover St
Omaha, NE
Anderson Industrial Engines CO
(402) 558-8700
5532 Center Street
Omaha, NE
AutoZone
(402) 553-3600
4972 Center Rd
Omaha, NE
Napa Auto Parts
(402) 571-9900
1901 N 73rd St
Omaha, NE
Midas Omaha
402-571-4750
7051 Military Road
Omaha, NE
Carquest Auto Parts of 48th St
(402) 556-3341
914 S 48th St
Omaha, NE
Autozone
(402) 553-3600
4972 Center St
Omaha, NE
Midas Omaha
402-393-2207
7557 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE
Midas Omaha
402-397-9070
9009 West Center Road
Omaha, NE
AutoZone
(402) 572-8138
3325 N 72nd St
Omaha, NE
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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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