headgasket replacement on a oldsmobile alero

[Schniddy]

Ok hears the deal.

I've been studying all damn day for a math and accounting final and my dad calls me out of nowhere around 1 freaking out about how he just blew his head gasket on his 2000 (I think that’s the year) Oldsmobile alero. I think the thing only had 90K on it too. Well he's yapping along saying how he doesn’t have any money.. The usual shit I have to deal with. My parents are separated, and frankly I don't like him to much. The guy has some good things about him, that I should model myself after, but there’s also so much more that I absoluly hate about him and for that reason, I don't care if he is in my life or not. We drifted away the last few years and when he did move out, I was at the point where i could care less. Too little, to late....

That being said, its the holiday season, and I feel bad for him. He says he has no money (even though is is a freaking chemist making about 70K a year), probably due to the fact he’s paying a lawyer so much to try and get crustily over my sister, who doesn’t want to live with him. Anyways I want to try and see what it will take to replace the head gasket and get the car up and running. He will need to pick up a beater for under 1k in the meantime and after I fix the car he could sell it. It would be my present to him.

Now after all that fuckin ranting...


Does a blown head gasket mean the engine is toast?
I would have to invest in an engine hoist and repair manual right off the bat. Other than that I have NO idea how to go about everything.

The way I figure is, at least I'll be attempting to fix the car. He is NOT going to pay 1500+ to have a mechanic fix it. So unless I do it, he will be junking is 90 thousand mile car that he was planning on keeping for another 5 years and getting a beater that will be unreliable to get to work everyday.

I need to get back to studying so tonight I’ll take a look and see what info I can find over the net.


fuck.

[Kruzen]

www.al3rolimited.com :]

edit: nothing to contribute.

[Turf1600]

www.al3rolimited.com :]

+1

What is it - a straight 4?

EDIT: Run some of that seal crap through the coolant and trade it in.

[Farbin Kaiber]

2.4? Just throw some ceramic engine seal in that bitch and sell it.

[fretburnr]

is it a 4 or 6 cyl? IIRC the GM iron block 4 should be simple enough to change the HG in the car. Don't know much about the v6. You may be able to find writeups on those engines from other cars; the same engines were also in Grand Ams, and the 4 might have been in the cavy at the time, etc.

Whether or not there's engine damage depends on the situation. Was it overheated drastically? If that's the case, the head may be warped - needs machining or, if bad enough, a new/used head. If it was handled properly, ie not overheated and not run long after the blow, it might just need a new gasket and a quick cleanup.

[Farbin Kaiber]

checked my comp here at the shop, pull the VC, torque the head bolts to spec, run the ceramic sealer, put it in the pennysaver.

[Mr.sexymorningvoice]

i am assuming it is a 3.8, 3.4, one of those? or possibly smaller? they all had problems anywhere from 100-120,xxx miles. They aren't that bad. We can get them done in about 2.5 hours. Just start ulling off all of your throttle linkage and everything. Remove everything that may keep you from getting into the valley. The intake is a 2 piece design. Be careful for the hidden bolts and studs, lay them out in order as because they are different lengths. be sure to remember where everything goes. It will more than likely take you about 4-5 hours.

[Schniddy]

thanks for the quick responces guys.

other than the fact it is a V6, I don't know anything about the engine. I'll get that info late tonight and post it up. That call stressed me the fuck out and on top of that I found out i missed my econ final, thinking it was on friday. Luckly the guy is cool with it so the test isn't going to count on my grade and I keep my A in the class. time for my math final then accounting at 6.. wish me luck.

:letitout:

[GarrettM]

Ah those shitty GM SFI engines are terrible with head gaskets. I just did one in a Buick GS. Fucking pain the ass. Once you get everything off, alternator, intake and what not, it's not too bad.

[Schniddy]

Math final is over..few quick questions


What brand of repair manual should I look into getting for the alero?
Good site for GM parts?

[mrsleeve]

if its a 3.4 it should not be a big deal, its been a while since I have worked on fwd GM v6. if its the rear bank it will be a pain but its all fairly stright forward.. On second thought you may have to pull it out to get the timing chain cover off but I dont remember for sure.

[Schniddy]

My dad's a panzy and dosn't want me doing it...

[golde30]

cool, yer saved.

[Schniddy]

cool, yer saved.

yay.. Apparently he drove at least 100ft in the red (probably longer). He said something about oil spewing all over the engine and coolant being everywhere. Also, coolant started coming out of the muffler. Didn't sound good at all.




Wow, I just read what I wrote this afternoon. Talk about a fuckin emo rant on a car forum... WAY to much studying/testing today. Total of 9 hours straight, so I was getting a little delusional. ;-)

[Farbin Kaiber]

Score. ;) Screw your Dad anyways, right?