Head Gasket Repair

[Cadi Homer]

Hi!!

Long time reader fist time I'm submitting a post. This is a great
forum, I have really learn a lot here and once more I come to this forum looking for advice. I have a 1997 Cadillac DeVille, with 99k and two local mechanics have diagnostic with blow head gaskets . And from all the reading that I have done on this forum, it looks like they are correct. However, they want to drop a whole new engine on the thing, and I have read how many of you have fixed the head gaskets and things have worked out great so I rather just fix the problem and not worry about having this problem again.

I have a couple questions:

1. Would any one recommend me a mechanic in the Chicagoland area that can repair blown head gaskets??
2. Whats the process involved in replacing new head gaskets??
3. While am at it should I replace the rear main seal and valve cover gaskets??
4. How many other gaskets do the Northstar have??

I would greatly appreciate any help or advice that any one can provide, especially if you know someone in the Chicagoland area that has repair this type of problem.

Again Thanks for your help and thanks for making this such a wonderful forum!!!

[zonie77]

Look at the Head Gasket post in Tech Tips for what's involved.

Many of the gaskets are reuseable but do harden with age. It's probably safer to replace them. There were threads with lists of gaskets and PN's but I did not bookmark them so you will have to search.

[Cadi Homer]

Thanks!! I was just asking about the gaskets because, it has overheated on me several times, and I am worried that they will crack or wear out then I'll have an oil leak problem.

[Ranger]

Be sure whoever does the job is familiar with the Northstar, and that they Timesert all 20 head bolt holes. If that is done, it will not fail again.

[Cadi Homer]

Thanks Ranger, only thing is that I have not found a mechanic thats willing to work on it, they all want to replace the engine. I notice you live in Woodstock, IL. Do you have any recomensations of where to take it besides, the dealership?? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

[Cadi Homer]

With this blown head gasket issue, is it usually the gaskets that go bad, or do you have to replace the entire heads in addition to the gaskets?? What are the posibilities of a cracked head?? The car does show white smoke out of the tile pipe but I notice that it only overheats during long driving, (highway). It drives around town just fine. Any way to tell if the heads are bad?? Any ideas or recomendation in replacing the head as well??

Thanks Guys!!!!

[zonie77]

From the experiences on the forum, and my own, the heads do not have a problem. The threads in the block strip and lose tension, then the gaskets fail.

Usually you do not have to do anything but clean the gasket surfaces. If it's running well now, except for the overheating, it shouldn't need more than the gasket/timesert repair.

[97DevilleBeige]

It's been my experience that as much as it hurts, the dealership was the best place to get it done. When the gaskets went bad, I had tons of people offereing to do the job for me cheap, some as low as half price compared to the dealer. But I was afraid... what if they didn't do it right... etc. I liked the idea that I'd have channels to pursue if there was an issue. So I just had it done by the dealership. Several months after the job was completed, my engine overheated again. I was pissed. The dealership said this time it needs a new engine. After calling cadillac, talking to the dealer, we reached a happy medium which made me happy I had the job done there in the first place. Cadillac paid for half of the new engine, the dealership absorbed much of the other half and out of pocket was two thousand dollars. While I was unhappy at the whole situation, the bright side is I got a brand new gm engine for two thousand dollars (plus the cost of gasket repair the first time). And this is for an older car, a 1997 Deville.. this situation happened around a year ago I beleive. For my experience, it was worth going through the dealer on this big stuff. I'd go bankrupt if I went there for everything, like the $90 oil changes they recommend. This is the only reason I'm still considering buying another gm model when I get a newer car. I might get a pontiac solstice eventually.

[Ranger]

Originally Posted by Cadi Homer

Thanks Ranger, only thing is that I have not found a mechanic thats willing to work on it, they all want to replace the engine. I notice you live in Woodstock, IL. Do you have any recomensations of where to take it besides, the dealership?? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, no I don't.