Selling a car with a blown head gasket is possible but you must always disclose that very important information during the sale or put it in the advertisement you will be posting. The majority of cars with blown head gaskets are sold for less than they are worth. Hundreds of automobiles with burst head gaskets are listed on Craigslist, with prices ranging from $500 to $700 or more depending on the make and model.
⚠️ If It's Broken, Don't Fix It - Get Paid Cash for Your Vehicle ⚠️
The majority of sellers selling cars with blown head gaskets want these vehicles removed from their driveway or garage. This is usually the greatest option for your gasket problem due to increasing components and labor costs. Some unscrupulous sellers try to hide their issue by including an AS-IS provision in their contract. They add a block sealer or head gasket repair solution to the cooling system as a temporary or quick cure for the problem.
Following that, they attempt to sell their vehicle for a price slightly below book value in the hopes of attracting scheme purchasers. After a few days or weeks, the problem usually repeats, resulting in catastrophic engine failure. This is unethical and will damage your community's perception of you. So if you find your car with a blown head gasket and you intend to sell there are a few things you just should know.
So what is a head gasket and what happens when it blows?
Your engine's head gasket is a critical component. It connects the two parts of your engine's “head” and “block.” The head gasket seals both the combustion sections of your engine, where gasoline and oxygen combine to accelerate your automobile and the areas where coolant passes through to keep it from overheating. That's a hefty job, so it's understandable if the gasket fails after a certain amount of kilometers.
When your head gasket fails to fulfill its duty of properly sealing the engine, it is said to be “blown.” This can create compression problems in your engine, as well as overheating, as coolant will frequently seep out the sides. Your engine might quickly overheat if you don't have enough coolant.
Is it worth keeping a car with a blown head gasket?
We don't want to have to pay to have any portion of our cars repaired, but it's occasionally unavoidable. When it comes to dealing with the cost of a blown head gasket, knowing what to expect from your mechanic will guarantee you're well-informed and prepared. You'll have the knowledge you need to avoid being caught off guard, as well as some perspective on how a blown head gasket repair compares to other repairs your car might require. With that in mind, a blown head gasket repair will typically cost between $1,000 and $2,000, with some unusual cases costing up to $2,500, which is very costly indeed.
If your car is still drivable but your engine is steaming at the exhaust, you might be able to get away with resurfacing the head, having the head tested for cracks, and putting a new gasket for around $700.00 materials and labor.
If your engine has been overheated for an extended period of time, you may need to replace the head (s). If this is the case, labor costs including parts could range between $1,800.00 and $2,500, depending on the car. Look for ASE-certified automobile mechanics. Remember that as a consumer, you have the right to inspect the crack before purchasing replacement heads. Check the gasket seals around the intake manifolds if there isn't a crack.
Thick manifold gaskets are used in some fuel-injected engines, and they can bend under intense heat, allowing water to flow into the cylinders. This can lead to a condition known as hydrolock, in which the engine temporarily seizes when the cylinders fill with coolant. This is usually a simple remedy that simply necessitates a new set of gaskets. Because the heads and perhaps the engine will need to be removed for cleaning and inspections, the labor expenses are normally the same as for blown head gaskets.
You can't expect to keep your vehicle operating in good condition if you overlook a blown head gasket. But if a blown head gasket is repaired in a timely fashion you risk a cascade effect of damage and a car might still be worth keeping.
However, if a blown head gasket is left unattended for too long, it can cause damage to your ignition system, fuel injection system, exhaust system, and even require a full engine repair or replacement. Depending on the age and condition of the rest of your vehicle, this could render your vehicle a total loss that is no longer worth repairing. So, for the $1,000 to $2,000 it may cost to replace the gasket, you may be saving the entire cost of a new vehicle if you don't treat the problem as soon as possible.
With this in mind, you should think about the overall value of your vehicle. Is it worthwhile to spend $2,000 or more to repair an older vehicle? If so, you might want to consider cutting your losses and selling a car with a blown head gasket as a junker so you can upgrade to something more dependable. It all depends on the car's age and value, as well as how much time and work you want to put into it.
DIY Head Gasket Repair
Before selling a car with a blown head gasket you may wonder if you could take on a DIY head gasket repair. Before attempting repairs, you should obtain a repair manual (unique to your car). Check to see that you have all of the necessary equipment like eye protection, jack stands, used motor oil, etc. Make allowances for cracked or damaged studs, particularly near the exhaust manifolds. You should also prepare something to catch and dispose of hazardous waste such as coolant, used motor oil, and refrigerant in the safest manner. Make sure you have someone to help you and also enough light so you could work with ease.
The most common cause of burst head gaskets is overheating. Excessive combustion temperatures melt the thin metal in the head gasket, causing the material to degrade. As a result, water seeps into the cylinders, resulting in steaming at the exhaust while the automobile is operating. Another severe issue is water combining with the oil. Low compression causes power loss and misfiring, among other symptoms. Engine compression leaking into the cooling system can even generate air bubbles in the coolant reservoir.
When a head gasket blows, it's a race against time to get the water off the cylinders before it rusts. Similar to what happens when water is left on the smooth facing of your brake disc. If water is not removed from the engine promptly, rust can build in a couple of hours. The worst thing you can do is leave your car parked for weeks or months. As the rust accumulates due to the presence of moisture, the pistons become seized, resulting in irreparable engine damage.
To determine the severity of your blown head gasket, remove the radiator cap and fill it with coolant – remember to add coolant only when the engine is cold – reinstall the cap and start the engine – let it idle for 7 to 10 minutes while watching the temperature gauge – if the gauge rises to the middle position and stays there for another 5 minutes, this is a good indication that water is present. However, if the gauge rapidly rises to HOT, the engine will be shut down. This signifies that the head gasket has severed itself across the coolant passage.
Always tighten bolts according to the most recent bolt tightening sequence and torque to the required tension. Ensure that all old gasket material from the head and block has been removed completely. The previous gasket material should not be chiseled. Indentions or low places in the mating surface should be avoided. Make sure the top of your head is nice and level. Use new head bolts instead of reusing stretch head bolts from overheated engines. Before installing the head bolts, clean and oil them. Use only the type of sealer recommended by the manufacturer on head gaskets.
Selling Car With Blown Head Gasket: Why it Cost So Much To Repair a Blown Head Gasket
The head gasket is a relatively inexpensive item, with prices ranging from $20 to $50 on the internet. When you get a blown gasket repaired, though, that's not what you're paying for. You're paying for labor, and this is a time-consuming job. The engine must be disassembled to repair a blown head gasket. Depending on how busy your technician is, this repair task could take several days to complete.
This is a complicated repair that must be carried out with extreme caution or the problem will worsen. While it will take time to disassemble the engine, it will take much longer to reassemble it. The cylinders only work when they are precisely timed to fire in the correct order, and calibrating them is not a guessing game. This is a time-consuming repair that accounts for the majority of the cost of repairing a blown head gasket.
A blown head gasket is one of the most expensive repairs a car can have, right up there with a complete engine overhaul or a damaged transmission. Only three or four other repairs are legitimately more expensive, so you should take this matter seriously if you don't want to spend any more money than is really necessary.
What is a car worth with a blown head gasket?
When selling a car with a blown head gasket you must know how much a car is worth with a blown head gasket. Coolant seeps into the combustion region through a blown head gasket, where it is transformed into steam and smoke. The white plume of smoke that emerges from the tailpipe is a sure sign that your head gasket has blown.
A technician understands that this is a pricey job that has a significant impact on the value of your car. When it comes to trading in a car with a burst head gasket, you'll need some negotiation skills and information like what the car will now be worth, to back up your offer.
Before trading in or selling a car with a blown head gasket, do the following to know how much it will be worth:
- KBB.com can help you figure out how much your car is worth. Select the vehicle type on the home page, then the make, model, and year. When prompted, provide your zip code. Choose “trade-in value” from the drop-down menu.
- Select all applicable features your car has, such as air conditioning, power steering, and all custom parts and modifications, on the following page to find the trade-in value. Submit the form.
- On the next page, you'll find the pricing for the “Fair” condition.
- Take the vehicle to the dealer. Notify the dealer of the vehicle's state. Allow for an examination. Offer a discount of ten to twenty percent off the Blue Book “fair” condition trade-in value. On your trade contract, go as low as 40% below the “fair” condition value.
Facts on Selling Car With Blown Head Gasket
If you have come to the decision that you are selling a car with a blown head gasket here are the facts:
- Buyers, particularly private buyers, are leery of any vehicle with a burst head gasket. They also have no idea how much you've driven your automobile when it's already burst a gasket. The head gasket is expensive to replace, and a blown head gasket will cause other engine damage when coolant pours into it.
- When purchasing a new vehicle, you can also trade in your old one at a dealership. When they inspect your car, though, they will find indications of a burst head gasket. Coolant flowing into the engine oil causes it to become extremely viscous, making it difficult for a mechanic to notice a blown head gasket when inspecting the oil.
If you’re selling a car with a blown head gasket, the best thing you can do is look for the best company that pays cash for junk cars. Look into CashCarsBuyer and find the best deal. Even if it still runs, a car with a blown head gasket isn't worth much, so sell it to a junk car buyer for the greatest price. You'll also be able to sell your automobile a lot faster if you go to a firm that pays cash for trash cars rather than waiting for a private buyer to make you an offer.