A blown head gasket can be a costly repair any way you look at it, but there are some ways to make sure you get the most value out of your repair. The first thing to do is to make sure the diagnosis is correct. Then, find a reputable dealership or repair shop to handle the repair, preferably one that has a lot of experience in engine rebuilds and head gasket repair. Then, with the tips following, be sure to ask a few key questions to make sure the repair is done correctly.
The diagnosis can be a little tricky depending on how bad the head gasket is. If it is beginning to fail, the signs will be moderate, and will typically be a slight overheating, or a small amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust. If the gasket is completely gone, it will be obvious due to the rough idle, or it wont run at all. If it does run, there will be a large amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust. If the head gasket blows while driving, the biggest thing to watch out for is the temperature. Higher temps can quickly damage an engine by causing warping of the heads or the block, or even cracking. The sooner the engine is stopped after realizing the head gasket is blown, the better the chances of rebuilding the top end without major consequences.
The person or shop that performs the rebuild should know to check for warping of the block surface, the head surface, and to check for cracks in the head. These checks may cost a little more, but the consequences can be much more costly in the end if they are not checked. If the block is slightly warped, do ahead and have it flattened; if the head needs to be repaired, it can be decked to get the surface straight again. If the head is cracked, it will probably need to be replaced, but some have had success welding and repairing them. It depends on the location of the crack.
Once the parts are cleaned and/or repaired, its time to have it assembled. Most shops will know to torque the heads down to specs, and to use all new studs on the head. This helps make sure that the head is fastened on securely. Using the old studs can create a situation where the head is not properly torqued because the studs will stretch when they are torques. Old stud have already been stretched, so the torque value will be different than a new stud. You can see the difference in the treads if you hold the two studs up together.
These are a few things to look out for when having a head gasket repaired. You can look to spend between 1200 and 2000 depending on how much work needs to be done. Don't make the mistake in paying a discounted price for less experienced work. The results will cost you.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Routine maintenance
Cars tend to be on the road much longer now than they used to be. By "longer" I mean they are seeing a lot more miles. Todays vehicles are getting to 200,000 or more miles before needing extensive repairs. Technology has come quite a long way, so how do you keep your car running for that long? And if you purchase a car with high mileage, what are the risk and things you should know about it?
To keep you car running in tip top shape, it is important to ensure a few things.
1) It must be properly lubricated internally. That means get your fluids changed when you should. Oil is every 3000-5000 miles depending on driving habits. Highway miles can usually push closer to 5000, but city stop-and-go driving should be changed sooner. Always change the filter at every oil change too. Transmission fluid must be changed at the appropriate intervals along with the filter. Refer to the owners manual for this. A commonly overlooked area is the rear end of rear wheel drive vehicles. This oil must also be changed as often as the transmission fluid. If not, metal will start to wear down and you will notice a jolt or a thud when putting the car in gear. Also have the brake lines flushed. Thats right, the brake lines. Until recently, it was thought that brake fluid wouldn't need replacing, but studies show that bad brake fluid can result in master cylinder failure. Also take note of the radiator fluid. If this is overlooked, you can get rust deposits and clogged water passages in the engine. Clogged water passages equals higher engine temps, which are an enemy of durability.
2) The engine must have the right fuel and air mixture. This is important for several reasons. The fuel mixture determines the combustion in the cyliners. This is directly related to horsepower, fuel economy, and engine life. A lean mixture (not enough gas) can cause detonation, which is very bad for the internals of the engine. Prolonged periods of detonation from a lean fuel mixture can take thousands of miles off of the life of the motor, and hamper performance and fuel economy. Running too rich (too much gas) can have a different but equally adverse effect, resulting in carbon build up and premature valve failure. Late model care are equipped with computers to control the fuel and air mixture. If a component in the system fails, the check engine light will come on. This is usually a sign of a component going bad that read or adjust the fuel air mixture. Riding with this light on, even though you may not notice it, can be detrimental to your engine. Always have the codes read and fix the problem to ensure the durability of the engine.
3) Revs are an enemy of every engine. The higher the rpms, the greater the risk of engine failure. Driving habits have eevrything to do with how many rpms your engine will see. At higher rpms, there is a greater chance for bearing wear and damage, piston ring and cylinder wall scoring, among many other disasterous possibilities. Engines have a red line, which is the highest rpm the engine can safely withstand without immediate damage. Stay close to the edge too long, and you may find yourself with burnt rings, bent or burnt valves, spun engine bearings, or collapsed lifters.
The OEM and aftermarkets have a lot of options out there to help you keep your car maintained and running smoothly. You can find whatever you need to replace your sensors and get the scheduled maintenance done on time, but if you heed these warnings, then you should see every bit of 200,000 miles and beyond.
To keep you car running in tip top shape, it is important to ensure a few things.
1) It must be properly lubricated internally. That means get your fluids changed when you should. Oil is every 3000-5000 miles depending on driving habits. Highway miles can usually push closer to 5000, but city stop-and-go driving should be changed sooner. Always change the filter at every oil change too. Transmission fluid must be changed at the appropriate intervals along with the filter. Refer to the owners manual for this. A commonly overlooked area is the rear end of rear wheel drive vehicles. This oil must also be changed as often as the transmission fluid. If not, metal will start to wear down and you will notice a jolt or a thud when putting the car in gear. Also have the brake lines flushed. Thats right, the brake lines. Until recently, it was thought that brake fluid wouldn't need replacing, but studies show that bad brake fluid can result in master cylinder failure. Also take note of the radiator fluid. If this is overlooked, you can get rust deposits and clogged water passages in the engine. Clogged water passages equals higher engine temps, which are an enemy of durability.
2) The engine must have the right fuel and air mixture. This is important for several reasons. The fuel mixture determines the combustion in the cyliners. This is directly related to horsepower, fuel economy, and engine life. A lean mixture (not enough gas) can cause detonation, which is very bad for the internals of the engine. Prolonged periods of detonation from a lean fuel mixture can take thousands of miles off of the life of the motor, and hamper performance and fuel economy. Running too rich (too much gas) can have a different but equally adverse effect, resulting in carbon build up and premature valve failure. Late model care are equipped with computers to control the fuel and air mixture. If a component in the system fails, the check engine light will come on. This is usually a sign of a component going bad that read or adjust the fuel air mixture. Riding with this light on, even though you may not notice it, can be detrimental to your engine. Always have the codes read and fix the problem to ensure the durability of the engine.
3) Revs are an enemy of every engine. The higher the rpms, the greater the risk of engine failure. Driving habits have eevrything to do with how many rpms your engine will see. At higher rpms, there is a greater chance for bearing wear and damage, piston ring and cylinder wall scoring, among many other disasterous possibilities. Engines have a red line, which is the highest rpm the engine can safely withstand without immediate damage. Stay close to the edge too long, and you may find yourself with burnt rings, bent or burnt valves, spun engine bearings, or collapsed lifters.
The OEM and aftermarkets have a lot of options out there to help you keep your car maintained and running smoothly. You can find whatever you need to replace your sensors and get the scheduled maintenance done on time, but if you heed these warnings, then you should see every bit of 200,000 miles and beyond.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
OEM or Aftermarket Auto Parts?
There has been and probably always will be much debate over which auto parts you should buy. There are a lot of options out there for most applications, so how do you know what to look for and what price you should expect to pay?
OEM auto parts are the Original Equipment Manufacturer parts. They are manufactured by the same company that produced the parts for the automakers. These parts are usually the most expensive, but are exactly what came from the factory to begin with.
This can be either a good or bad thing. I will give you some examples. I have recently become aquainted with the 2000 Nissan Maxima. It is an excellent car, but I have discovered that it has ignition coils that are prone to failure. Many forums suggest replacing all six coils with the OEM coils to solve your proble. This might solve the problem in the short term (which may appease may of our readers) but essentially you are putting the exact faulty coil back in there and waiting on it to fail again.
In these types of situations, aftermarket auto parts have an opportunity to improve on the existing OEM product. Aftermarket companies can (and have in a lot of cases) create a product to solve the problem created by the original manufacturer. Such is the case for some of the Mitsubishi ECU's from the mid 1990's, especially the 3000gt and VR4's. These were known to have faulty electrolitic capacitors that cause premature failure, and some aftermarket companies manufactured products to correct the issue.
Aftermarket auto parts are often significantly cheaper than genuine parts, and they can be superior in quality as in the previous example. Many of the auto accessories
available for cars today are made by aftermarket auto parts manufacturers.
Car makers use outside independent companies to help them design their parts. But after a certain time frame the actual manufacturers of these parts are allowed to sell them to other wholesale distributors for resale. This time they come with the manufacturer's logo and not that of the car maker. So essentially, the identical part is now referred to as an OEM part.
Although aftermarket car parts are not made by the original manufacturer, they are manufactured to perform as well as the original. Aftermarket car parts are produced with the same machinery and materials as OEM and genuine parts. The companies who manufacture these aftermarket auto parts are credible. They legitimately buy the rights to manufacture those parts.
You can order aftermarket and OEM car parts online today. It's easy. It's a great way to save money. Furthermore, you can have peace of mind, knowing that you're not compromising quality in most products. You can visit our full line of aftermarket auto parts and accessories at Majestic Modifications Online Store.
OEM auto parts are the Original Equipment Manufacturer parts. They are manufactured by the same company that produced the parts for the automakers. These parts are usually the most expensive, but are exactly what came from the factory to begin with.
This can be either a good or bad thing. I will give you some examples. I have recently become aquainted with the 2000 Nissan Maxima. It is an excellent car, but I have discovered that it has ignition coils that are prone to failure. Many forums suggest replacing all six coils with the OEM coils to solve your proble. This might solve the problem in the short term (which may appease may of our readers) but essentially you are putting the exact faulty coil back in there and waiting on it to fail again.
In these types of situations, aftermarket auto parts have an opportunity to improve on the existing OEM product. Aftermarket companies can (and have in a lot of cases) create a product to solve the problem created by the original manufacturer. Such is the case for some of the Mitsubishi ECU's from the mid 1990's, especially the 3000gt and VR4's. These were known to have faulty electrolitic capacitors that cause premature failure, and some aftermarket companies manufactured products to correct the issue.
Aftermarket auto parts are often significantly cheaper than genuine parts, and they can be superior in quality as in the previous example. Many of the auto accessories
available for cars today are made by aftermarket auto parts manufacturers.
Car makers use outside independent companies to help them design their parts. But after a certain time frame the actual manufacturers of these parts are allowed to sell them to other wholesale distributors for resale. This time they come with the manufacturer's logo and not that of the car maker. So essentially, the identical part is now referred to as an OEM part.
Although aftermarket car parts are not made by the original manufacturer, they are manufactured to perform as well as the original. Aftermarket car parts are produced with the same machinery and materials as OEM and genuine parts. The companies who manufacture these aftermarket auto parts are credible. They legitimately buy the rights to manufacture those parts.
You can order aftermarket and OEM car parts online today. It's easy. It's a great way to save money. Furthermore, you can have peace of mind, knowing that you're not compromising quality in most products. You can visit our full line of aftermarket auto parts and accessories at Majestic Modifications Online Store.
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