Mechanical Repair
Head gasket repair near you
A failed head gasket confirmed by testing, then repaired with the cylinder head checked, resurfaced if needed and refitted on new bolts.
- Time needed
- More than a day
- plan to leave it
- Mobile service
- At the shop
- drop-off
- Shops in Canada
- 1
- doing this work
- Your price
- You set it
- shops bid on it
You set the budget
Shops near you send their bids
1 shop in Canada does this
Mechanical Repair
What head gasket repair is
The head gasket is a thin, layered seal between the engine block and the cylinder head. It keeps combustion pressure in the cylinders and holds coolant and oil in their own passages. When it fails you may see sweet-smelling white smoke from the tailpipe, coolant that disappears with no puddle, bubbles in the reservoir, milky oil and an engine that runs hot. Overheating is a common cause, and it can also crack the head.
The shop confirms the diagnosis first with a combustion-gas test and a compression or leak-down test. The intake, exhaust, timing belt or chain and cylinder head come off, and the head is pressure tested and resurfaced at a machine shop where needed. It goes back on with a new gasket set and new head bolts, the timing is reset and fresh oil and coolant go in. The vehicle stays at the shop for several days.
- For cars, vans and trucks
- Takes more than a day
What does head gasket repair cost?
It depends on your vehicle and the shop. Post a job with your budget and compare the bids shops near you send.
Get bids
Name your budget. Shops near you bid.
1 shop across Canada does head gasket repair.
What to expect
Head gasket repair, step by step
What the job normally covers, what to mention in your request, and the signs that it is time. Every shop says what its bid includes.
The job
What’s included
- Failure confirmed before teardown with a combustion-gas test, a pressure test and a compression or leak-down check
- Coolant and oil drained; intake, exhaust, timing belt or chain and cylinder head removed
- Cylinder head pressure tested for cracks and its sealing face checked for warpage with a straightedge
- Head resurfaced at a machine shop where needed, and the block face cleaned and checked for flatness
- New head gasket set and new head bolts fitted, tightened in the specified stages and sequence
- Timing belt or chain set to its marks; belt kit, water pump and thermostat added if you approve
- Fresh oil, oil filter and coolant, with air bled from the cooling system
- Engine run to temperature, the coolant retested for exhaust gas and the vehicle road tested
Checklist
Before you post
- 01Ask which test showed the head gasket has failed; overheating, white smoke or coolant loss alone are not proof
- 02Ask whether the head will be pressure tested and resurfaced, and whether machine shop costs are in the estimate
- 03Ask what else is due while the engine is open: timing belt, water pump, thermostat, valve cover gasket, spark plugs
- 04Agree in advance what happens if the head is cracked or the block is warped, including the price and who decides
- 05Weigh the estimate against what the vehicle is worth and against a replacement engine
- 06Ask how long the repair is warranted, on parts and labour, and what the warranty needs from you
Signs
When you need it
- Sweet-smelling white smoke from the tailpipe that keeps coming after the engine is warm
- Coolant level dropping with no puddle, or bubbles in the reservoir with the engine running
- Repeated overheating, or a temperature gauge that climbs soon after you top up the coolant
- Milky, tan sludge on the dipstick or under the oil filler cap, together with coolant loss
- A cold-start misfire with coolant loss, or a rough, shaky idle that smooths out as the engine warms
Sound familiar?Tell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsHow it works
Get head gasket repair done in four steps
You set the budget and choose the shop. Posting is free, and you pay the shop you hire once the work is 100% done.
- 01
Post your job
Choose the service, describe the job and your vehicle, and set your budget. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
- 02
Shops compete
Nearby shops that do the work see your request and send their best offer: price, when they can start, what is included.
- 03
Accept the best offer
Compare bids, ratings and distance, then hire one shop. The others are told, politely.
- 04
Talk and get it done
Your conversation with the shop opens right away to agree on the day. You pay only after the job is complete.
Keep exploring
Related services
Engine diagnostics
Engine diagnostics for a check engine light or rough running: a technician reads the fault codes, tests live data and reports the cause and the fix.
Radiator & cooling system repair
Overheating, coolant leaks and a cold heater traced by pressure test, then the radiator, hoses, thermostat or fan repaired and the coolant refilled.
Water pump replacement
A leaking or noisy water pump confirmed and replaced with a new gasket and fresh coolant, then bled and checked for leaks.
Timing belt replacement
Timing belt replacement on schedule, with the tensioner, idlers and usually the water pump, before a snapped belt can damage the engine’s valves.
Engine replacement
Engine replacement with a used, remanufactured or new unit, plus fresh mounts and wear parts, then started, checked for leaks and road tested.
Questions
Questions about head gasket repair
General answers for drivers in Canada. The shop you hire confirms the details for your vehicle.
What are the symptoms of a blown head gasket?
The signs to watch for are white smoke with a sweet smell from the tailpipe, coolant that disappears with no visible leak, bubbles in the reservoir, an engine that overheats, and oil that looks like a milkshake. Each can have another cause, so a technician confirms it with a combustion-gas test of the coolant and a compression or leak-down test before recommending the job.
How long does a head gasket repair take?
Plan on about three to five days. Taking the engine apart and putting it back takes a full day or two, and the cylinder head usually goes to a machine shop for pressure testing and resurfacing, which can add a day or more. Parts that have to be ordered, a cracked head or seized bolts stretch it further, so ask for a completion date and a phone call if it slips.
Is head gasket repair worth it?
It is when the rest of the vehicle is sound and the repair costs well under what the vehicle is worth. If the engine has overheated badly, has very high kilometres or the body and transmission are tired, a used or remanufactured engine, or a different vehicle, may make more sense. Ask the shop how much of the engine it judges reusable before you decide.
Can I keep driving with a blown head gasket?
Only a short, careful drive to a shop, with the coolant topped up and the temperature gauge watched. Coolant escaping lets the engine overheat, and coolant reaching the oil ruins the bearings. Sealer poured into the radiator may slow a small leak for a while, but it does not cure a warped or cracked head and can clog the heater core, so treat it as a gamble, not a repair.
Something else to ask? Once you hire a shop, you talk to it directly in your request’s conversation.
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