how hard is the head gasket?

[tracyb]

My ls400 started having problem so it was taken to the shop, the people at the shop who i completely trust say that the head gasket is gone and that the pistons may have also been damaged. so here is the question. can i change the head gasket myself?... the reason i ask is because i cant find any wright-ups and dont yet have a manual to see what the process involves. my background in engine work is limited to jeeps. i have done everything to a jeep except for digging lower in the engine than the head, so i would say that is my weak spot. so far things like engine tranny t-case swaps and allsorts of suspension setups haven't be too hard. but i know that this is jeep, its simple. this is why i am hesitant to try the rip apart the lex, i dont think there nearly as simple as the jeep (if this were a jeep it would already be in piece's) so do you think this task is too big for me, i'm mostly worried about small things that might make this too hard for me. any segestions would be great manual segestions and web wright-ups would be greatly appreciated-sp?

sorry for the long post
-bart

 

[Peewee]

Unless you have extremely mistreated the motor, I can't see a head gasket going.

Also, if the pistons have been damaged, its motor out time.

And for the cost of an import motor these days, just buy another one.


But find out what is wrong with it.. Why does he think the head gasket is gone?

 

[tracyb]

thats what i thought too. the motor only has 135,000 miles on it and from what i've read this doesn't sound the least bit typical of this engine. i'll give the mechanic a call tommorow and get the specifics on the reasoning.
-thanks for the reply

 

[Lextreme II]

Test the fluids. Oil and radiator water. If they look normal then your gaskets should be ok.

 

[tracyb]

alright so i kinda got the report on what was wrong unfortunately i'm at college and the car is in my home town so i have to hear this from the mechanic to my brother (who doesn't understand cars) then to me. so here it is-

the feeling from the car it was overheating and had a noticible loss of power, then it went to the shop. at the shop they found water is two of the cylinders but the appearently said nothing about oil in the coolent or coolent in the oil. they wouldn't give a print out of a estimate because the wern't sure enough that the head gasket was the only problem bu they did say the min would be about 3500 in repairs and sugested a junkyard engine. i was dissappointed that this is all the info i have for now. so i think this pretty much means to me new engine. but if you can give any more info, maybe a good place to get engines (i'll be searching car-part.com) the advice would be much appreciated.
thanks, bart

 

[Lextreme II]

If it is gaskets problem. Its cheaper to get used engine than fixing it.

 

[Peewee]

In the event that there was water in a cylinder, the car would have been blowing tremendoes white clouds out the rear.

Was this the case?

Either way, if the heads have to come off, dont do it.
Not at $3500ish.
Get a *** import motor for under $1000, have that installed, and sell the other motor to someone on here for cheap.

At least, that is what I would do in the same situation

 

[tracyb]

thanks for the help- it will be gettin a new engine.

-bart