Head Gasket Opinions?

[daveyg]

I just got a free Geo Metro to use as a daily beater, but it is in need of a head gasket... On Rockauto.com they have listed 3 options, the rock products item is only $20, the Beck/Arnley item is $25 and the Fel-Pro is $50... And So I would like to hear opinions of Beck/Arnley vs. Fel-Pro? I know Fel-Pro is a well reputed brand name, but is it worth twice as much money? I'm a bit wary of the 'Rock Products' item just because it sounds super cheapo. Lemme know what you guys think.

[Jserman]

why not go OEM? and yea I am wary of rockauto also.....

[Jdmitr]

OEM!

[DubstepDave]

oem

i'm rocking a oem metal headgasket in my scirocco. it's seen 26psi, no problem

[daveyg]

Where would I order an oem geo metro head gasket? The chevy dealer? GMpartsdirect.com is extremely descriptive (insert internet sarcasm)... and $40. And I am a cheap bastard. BTW, the Beck/Arnley item on cskauto.com (schucks) is $40 also, but rockauto's Beck/Arnley is $15 less...
And on another note, ACDelco.com doesn't even list a Head Gasket for said car... I guess it doesn't have one then, huh? lol
And it's not gonna be seeing 20 psi... It's a gas sipping 53hp turd. You can't polish a turd. Pretty sure nobody makes a MLS geo metro head gasket.

[DubstepDave]

Call the dealer. I'm sure they have your HG.

[Money]

I've used eBay gasket kits on two engines now (neither performance oriented applications). Got them from Mizumo auto - http://stores.ebay.com/Mizumo-Auto-Parts

One of them is going on probably 30k now since it was installed, driven by a high school kid for the last couple of years and severely neglected maintenance history since his ownership. No trouble.

Second only has a few hundred miles on it so far but all is well, although I did buy a different rear main since the one that came with the kit was kinda cheesy. I wouldn't hesitate to use 'em again.

[Jserman]

JDMITR can get it for you...

[daveyg]

Well, after talking to a more experienced Metro mechanic, he informed me that blown head gaskets are very rare... But I could see the steam coming from all around the gasket... and it had been consuming antifreeze quite rapidly... Strangely though there is no coolant in the oil, and no smoke coming from the tailpipe at all whatsoever. No power loss either. I am at a real loss... What do you guys think? Should I go ahead and tear into it? Or research other possible causes? The previous owner told me he had recently changed the gaskets and o-ring on the water pump...

[Jdmitr]

JDMITR can get it for you...

I should be able to no prob...thanks Rob! ;)

Well, after talking to a more experienced Metro mechanic, he informed me that blown head gaskets are very rare... But I could see the steam coming from all around the gasket... and it had been consuming antifreeze quite rapidly... Strangely though there is no coolant in the oil, and no smoke coming from the tailpipe at all whatsoever. No power loss either. I am at a real loss... What do you guys think? Should I go ahead and tear into it? Or research other possible causes? The previous owner told me he had recently changed the gaskets and o-ring on the water pump...

Prob didnt do it right. I see bad "mechanic" jobs all the time!

[e2blade]

i think fel pro does a good job.
go get the head checked as i have been told a million times lol

[racerX 244]

Well, after talking to a more experienced Metro mechanic, he informed me that blown head gaskets are very rare... But I could see the steam coming from all around the gasket... and it had been consuming antifreeze quite rapidly... Strangely though there is no coolant in the oil, and no smoke coming from the tailpipe at all whatsoever. No power loss either. I am at a real loss... What do you guys think? Should I go ahead and tear into it? Or research other possible causes? The previous owner told me he had recently changed the gaskets and o-ring on the water pump...


wait until the car is cooled off. remove the radiator cap. start up the cold car without the radiator cap on. if the coolant is bubbling/shooting up from out of the radiator, you've got a blown head gasket. start there.

[Jdmitr]

That is only one way to know...that only works if compression from the cylinders is getting into the water journals. If they botched up the job and the gasket between the cylinder and journals is fine, but the coolant is escaping from the head to the outside (like most subaru issuse) then it wont bubble over in the radiator.

[daveyg]

Turns out it wasn't the HG, just a hose with a pinhole that was spraying down the entire engine. I just saw the steam rising from between the exhaust manifold and everywhere else and figured it was a HG (like is more common, and happened on my Geo Storm) I figured it out by starting it up and watching it, as it warmed up, and I saw it literally spraying out from one of the heater hoses that just had a little hole worn in it! Was pretty cool, gotta admit...

[StanceSlyder]

good stuff nice easy fix