Head Gasket Replacement
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 5,059
Likes: 11
From: Wenatchee WA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Head Gasket Replacement
I have owned my 2002 coupe since it was new. At 65,000 miles it looks like I will need a new head gasket.
I plan on keeping the car until next spring and buying a C7 or ???
How much should it cost to for a good shop to replace the head gaskets?
Given that I am trading the car next year should I be looking at any other changes (Heads & Cam) while the top of the motor is apart?
....I would have a few track days and a trip to the Silver State Classic to enjoy any improvements.
Thanks for your help.
I plan on keeping the car until next spring and buying a C7 or ???
How much should it cost to for a good shop to replace the head gaskets?
Given that I am trading the car next year should I be looking at any other changes (Heads & Cam) while the top of the motor is apart?
....I would have a few track days and a trip to the Silver State Classic to enjoy any improvements.
Thanks for your help.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,479
Likes: 36
Wow. A blown head gasket on an LS1 at 65K miles! You don't hear that very often. I would investigate it further if I were you. The LS series of engines have the best head gaskets in the industry so you need to make sure that you aren't tearing into it for no reason.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 5,059
Likes: 11
From: Wenatchee WA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Until last month I never had cooling problems. While driving over the mountains I got stuck in stop & go traffic for about an hour. The water temp slowly reached 250. The next week I took the car to the shop to fix the headers, The collector was cracked (again) and not fixable. Put the stock exhaust manifolds back on the car. Also checked to see if the fans were working and replaced the thermostat.
After these repairs I let the car idle in the driveway for about 45 minutes. The water temp reached 201. Not a big concern but normal is about 190+. Coolant looks OK but old. Coolant level was not low, maybe down a little.
Took the car to the shop (that I trust) yesterday. Since I'm running the Silver State next month I asked to shop owner to look at the cooling issue and replace the coolant. Shop owner thinks I may have a head gasket problem. What questions should I ask?
Thanks for the help
Last edited by Road_runner; Aug 20, 2013 at 09:07 AM.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 5,059
Likes: 11
From: Wenatchee WA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Pro
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 507
Likes: 0
From: Country Of Mind
Sounds more like a Hi speed fan issue. DID you have the ac on? see if your fans are working with the AC on they come on at 185. Sounds like you almost overheated but if you are gonna trade it I would keep on until actual Oil or Coolant contamination occurs....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 25
From: Blue Ridge Georgia
Could be as simple as trash in your rad or condenser coil. You could also need to burp the cooling system after the stat change. Burping is required. If your getting coolant in a cylinder that plug will be clean as a whistle. I would blow out the rad and coil with compressed air or even garden hose nozzle and then recheck temp.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 984
Likes: 23
From: Florence SC
I have an oil cooler, a transmission cooler and differential cooler.
Until last month I never had cooling problems. While driving over the mountains I got stuck in stop & go traffic for about an hour. The water temp slowly reached 250. The next week I took the car to the shop to fix the headers, The collector was cracked (again) and not fixable. Put the stock exhaust manifolds back on the car. Also checked to see if the fans were working and replaced the thermostat.
After these repairs I let the car idle in the driveway for about 45 minutes. The water temp reached 201. Not a big concern but normal is about 190+. Coolant looks OK but old. Coolant level was not low, maybe down a little.
Took the car to the shop (that I trust) yesterday. Since I'm running the Silver State next month I asked to shop owner to look at the cooling issue and replace the coolant. Shop owner thinks I may have a head gasket problem. What questions should I ask?
Thanks for the help
Until last month I never had cooling problems. While driving over the mountains I got stuck in stop & go traffic for about an hour. The water temp slowly reached 250. The next week I took the car to the shop to fix the headers, The collector was cracked (again) and not fixable. Put the stock exhaust manifolds back on the car. Also checked to see if the fans were working and replaced the thermostat.
After these repairs I let the car idle in the driveway for about 45 minutes. The water temp reached 201. Not a big concern but normal is about 190+. Coolant looks OK but old. Coolant level was not low, maybe down a little.
Took the car to the shop (that I trust) yesterday. Since I'm running the Silver State next month I asked to shop owner to look at the cooling issue and replace the coolant. Shop owner thinks I may have a head gasket problem. What questions should I ask?
Thanks for the help
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURE TEST.
It's either pass or fail. No in between. Cheaper and faar faster than engine compression check.
Btw, that includes checking the cap as well.
It's either pass or fail. No in between. Cheaper and faar faster than engine compression check.
Btw, that includes checking the cap as well.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 984
Likes: 23
From: Florence SC
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The AC CONDENSER, the space between and the RADIATOR collect sand, grass and dirt. This eventually blocks air flow and lowers efficiency.
It recommended to pull the radiator but you can remove the radiator top cover and use a long handle bottle brush to remove the grass and then back flush the radiator with a garden hose. Flush the AC condenser with a hose.
You will be surprised at the amount of sand that comes out of the fins.
Did the SHOP tell you you had a bad head gasket?????
BC
It recommended to pull the radiator but you can remove the radiator top cover and use a long handle bottle brush to remove the grass and then back flush the radiator with a garden hose. Flush the AC condenser with a hose.
You will be surprised at the amount of sand that comes out of the fins.
Did the SHOP tell you you had a bad head gasket?????
BC
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 5,059
Likes: 11
From: Wenatchee WA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
The shop did a pressure test, cleaned out a few pieces of grass from the radiator, flushed the cooling system and replaced the coolant.
I'll do a test drive tomorrow over the same mountains where the water temps got high.
Thanks
