I blew a head gasket in my camaro. I was told it was going to cost $2000, is that right? Please, I need some advice!!!

 

Fixing a head gasket can be a driveway job. All you need is the gasket and a shop if you want them to check the head. At most it should cost $600 unless the head needs a lot of work

 

Gasket repair kits are about 200 bucks, But if you or someone you knwo is good with cars, you wont need to have a shop do it. Just hope your block isnt cracked or anything.

 

If you are paying someone to do it plus the machine shop bill, it could cost upwards of $1500 dollarrs if they are doing both sides but as previously posted, the gasket kit usually runs around $200, and then the cost of new head bolts,coolant, oil and filter change. You will need to at least have a machine shop test and surface the heads. If you have a set of metric and standard tools, torque wrench, and repair manual, you should be able to do it for a lot less.

 

My first head gasket was a 350 in a 74 Camaro. My first head gasket as a Pro was a 2.5. I can not imagine doing a 4th gen head gasket as my first head gasket.

I have seen a few shops quote $1800-$2000 for both head gaskets. I think those shops do not really want the work. Also where you are at has an effect on repair costs. When I worked in the depressed part of the state $45 per hour was the going rate. I moved to Lancaster PA and it was $65 per hour (dealer rate as of 1990). Course that is all outdated now but you get the idea.

If you watch craigs list 4th gens with blown headgasket show up all the time for cheap.

 

Have you actually tried to remove a cylinder head from a 4th gen?

Yes, it can be a driveway job but it depends on who is in the driveway. To a neophite it can be very intimidating looking at all the "stuff" that's in the way and if he's in a high corrosion area, good luck getting the exhaust manifolds off.

if I was to do it for a stranger, I wouldn't charge less than $1,000.

 

[if I was to do it for a stranger, I wouldn't charge less than $1,000.[/QUOTE]LoL. I wouldn't do it for a stranger!

The first head gasket job I did was the 3.8 in my sons car and I hope I don't have to do another 3.8. The LT! was not a fun one to do either but I was fixing it for ME, so I had more patience!

 

Do you always have to attack everything I say? One of my friend's dad fixed my friend's head gasket on his lt1 and it only took him about 6 hours total

 

I did a 3.8 both heads and the hardest part was the exhaust manifold. It is not easy but not impossible. Your hand will get cut and scarred from hitting the top and you will have to make a cripple hand to reach some of the hard bolts. Cost is not high i spen about 400 includin misc tools.

 

Any 4th Generation head gasket job will be ugly and involve a lot of profanity.
The engine sets low and far back, things are tight from side to side, things are tight from top to bottom, etc.
I totally agree with Gorn: I can't imagine anyone taking on a 4th Gen head gasket job as their first. A happy ending would be very unlikely.