[tme1129]

my 95 240sx has been overheating at idle for 3 days, then on friday night, i went to start the car. it took 10 minutes of the engine turning over before it started. when it finally did, i drove to the end of my street and the check engine light came on. dismisssing it as nothing, i pulled out onto the main road, and in my rear view mirror i saw the horror of smoke billowing out of my tail pipe. i qoucikly turned around, parked the car, and got onto these forums, i have concluded that the head gasket must be blown. the car has 153K Kilometers (around 80k miles), and i was looking for some advice or help replacing the head gasket. i have called 3 shops so far, one shop wants 900 to replace it, one shop is closed, and the third shop said due to the higher miles, they suggest replacing the whole motor. has anyone ever swapped out their head gasket, and if so what tools do i need and what advice or tips do you have? thanks!!

 

[speedy_240sx]

You need to be mechanically inclined and if you do not have patients you would be better off taking it to a shop and letting them replace it for you. but if you are going to do the work yourself fou will need a good set of sockets and extensions swivels and plenty of patients and I would sugest you get a Chilton manual to aid you with the work if it wasn't for me finding this manual I would of had to take it to a shop to let them replace the head gasket on my 97. It you know what you are doing you could be back up the next day or it could take you a week if you don't work on it several hours a day. It is not a easy job so Do as you please thos are just my 2 cents.

 

[rogoman]

i have concluded that the head gasket must be blown.

Have you done a compression test on all cylinders; if not, you should get one done. You may have a more major problem, rather then a possible blown head gasket. If the gasket is OK, why spend money for nothing if the motor is shot.

 

[nian]

Have you done a compression test on all cylinders; if not, you should get one done. You may have a more major problem, rather then a possible blown head gasket. If the gasket is OK, why spend money for nothing if the motor is shot.

check your coolant to see if there is any color change in it or smells funny. if not thats not your problem. head gasket is a big job. i wouldnt do it. but it would be worth a ring change while your at it. i had the same problem and it was only my oxyen sensor. i replaced it and it still had the same problem until i reset the computer. then it ran great