idled it for another 10 with constant bubbling after the initial 2-3 minute warm-up. looks like i'm going to have to have a shop look at it. which sucks cause i'm dirt poor

All you want is the opinions from the experts. Once they have decided it has a blown head gasket or a ruined radiator you can do all the work yourself.

If i take it to a radiator shop, will they be able to pinpoint a head gasket? or should i take it to a mechanic? just cause generally specialists are cheaper

Take it to both & have a chat.

 

Tell them the problem and ask them what they think it is, what they would do and what it would cost.

so it's looking like the head gasket.... so it's going to need to be done professionally.... it's going to be fun spending every dollar i get on it

can you swing a spanner?

 

nothing all that complicated about changing a headgasket on a K motor.

Make absolutely sure it is the head gasket before starting on it.

 

Its not a big or difficult job, any home mechanic with a torque wrench can do it. You will have to pay to have the head skimmed flat, about $80.

 

Look at it as an opportunity to catch up on maintenence and do some mods- How is the condition of the motor overall??

 

Check every bolt/nut & bolthole for being clean and smooth to the end of the thread

Get the head skimmed more to raise the compression ratio.

Pull the block out and drop the sump- check bearings and upgrade the oil pump with the washer trick.

Tip the motor over and get all the rust out of the block with a wire

Buy a set of extractors and fit them

Carve out the ports and match the inlet manifold, clean the inlet manifold up inside & polish any sharp curves

 

You might as well make it faster and better while its apart.

I'm way too new to cars to do that myself. They quoted me $875 to fix, but the same guy will do it at his place for 600 (friend of a friend). looks like i'm screwed

 

If someone lives close by and wouldnt mind helping me save a few hundred, please feel free haha. I'll pay a couple hundred

Edited January 13, 201214 yr by jara

Location??pretty straight forward job

 

rob

$875?? LOL! i would do a cashy for $100.

 

but dead set get another motor. $875 isnt worth it.

What's a 4K worth at your local wrecker? Buy a running spare and fit it, then strip yours and learn all about it.

 

If you've replaced the water pump & t'stat you're halfway there! $875 is crazy for such a simple job.

i didnt do the water pump on myself. but I'm going to have the fella do it for 600, it's through his own business. and will be done properly, like the head will be machined straight. I don't wanna screw anything up by risking doing it myself, at least this way i know for sure that it'll be fixed properly for a long long time.

Edited January 16, 201214 yr by jara

get a gregories manual for the car and a torque wrench and if you follow the steps you should get it all done for $300 easy AND you'll know how to do it next time.

yeh, I've got a manual, it's helped a real lot with other things. but it comes down to the fact that I'm just too new to this stuff, although i am learning a lot. thanks everyone for the help though