I purchased a 1996 Caddy Seville SLS and 3 mechanics say it needs a head gasket. Is it worth it to fix it ? Can it be fixed? Or should I just put in a new engine? They say you don't know it's a head gasket or cracked block till you go and take 1/2 the engine apart which is hundreds of dollars just to diagnose. Car overheats but doesn't' show much other signs of head gasket. ANy suggestions?

 

i have heard so much about the whole labor part of it being a pain in the a@#, and that the head bolts always strip and it costs tons of money to replace. i do not reccomend buying a used motor cause you might end up in the same problem. if you have the money i know a crate engine will caust you around 3,500 not including labor and other parts. but in other words your going to have to spend a few grand anyway unless you sell the car or scrap it.

 

I have the same problem with my 96' Eldorado. Northstar engine with 1003k on it.

 

The head bolts are designed to strip, they're a soft grade aluminum, so you need to buy the bolts every time you take the heads down.

For other signs, have you checked the oil and radiator fluid? You can drain those yourself and see if there's cross-contamination anywhere. I would also look at your exhaust, and see if there's any smoke coming during crank up, or fluid in the pipe, either black or clearish.

Does your car require the radiator tabs? If it does, those HAVE to be put in regularly according to the manual, because that can cause a head gasket failure if they aren't.