[LR4Life]

Hello-

Have just rolled over 78K on the clock and it looks like its time for a head gasket job, can anyone tell me what I should expect in labor? (ball-park price).

Also anyone in the Santa Barbara area of Cal...any good inid-shops?

Thanks, Ian

 

[shupack]

Expect about 2k.. several shops I know just do a flat rate at 2.

 

[RRToadHall]

Expect about 2k.. several shops I know just do a flat rate at 2.

:shock:

Good grief, I am doing an entire lower end rebuild WITH new head gaskets for less than than. Thanks goodness for RAVE and wrenches!

 

[rhino_ed]

yep. i think mine was about $2k. had some other stuff done at the time too. I needed it done and right the first time. my rangie is my commuter.

 

[shupack]

Expect about 2k.. several shops I know just do a flat rate at 2.

:shock:

Good grief, I am doing an entire lower end rebuild WITH new head gaskets for less than than. Thanks goodness for RAVE and wrenches!

DIY is the way to go, labor is NOT cheap...

 

[HSE]

Yep I agree, in aus I charge about $2000aus to do a good job. ie full reco and check of the heads & new lifters while she's opened up :thumb: . Russell.

 

[Guest]

It's a shame that so many cars need new head gaskets with such low mileage. With P38s now selling for so little a head gasket is enough to total many of these cars. Do you really think the P38 has any collector value? I'm seriously questioning if it does.

 

[TehPriest]

Just had my Classic done including head skim and all new seals and all parts. oils, filters, coolants etc. for £530. That's about $870. Good old local garages here in UK.

ray:

 

[LR4Life]

Hello everyone-

Thank you for all of the replies. I had figured around $2k from the poking around I had done. I found the repair kit on Atlantic British for $159 (gaskets) $79 (bolts). I have thought about a DYI repair due to the fact that I have had it with my local indi-shops and being raked over the coals after years of being a loyal customer.

I agree with Mike, my RR is in near flawless condition and has been babied through its 78K miles, the $2K it tough to swallow with what the car is worth on the open-market. It seems I have been to this cross roads with most of my past Rovers, they are always in near flwaless state however, mech. issues start creeping up making it tough to keep pouring money into them. I have held fast to the fact that I won't ever sell this car.....problem is, whats next??


Questions:

Does the RAVE outline a DYI or is there any step-by-step info?

What else should be done while the engine is open?

Thanks again,

Ian

 

[RRToadHall]

AB has a GEMS kit that contains all the gaskets and new head bolts for $195. THe Bosch kit is even cheaper at $160 or $165 if I remember.

 

[HSE]

Hello everyone-

Thank you for all of the replies. I had figured around $2k from the poking around I had done. I found the repair kit on Atlantic British for $159 (gaskets) $79 (bolts). I have thought about a DYI repair due to the fact that I have had it with my local indi-shops and being raked over the coals after years of being a loyal customer.

I agree with Mike, my RR is in near flawless condition and has been babied through its 78K miles, the $2K it tough to swallow with what the car is worth on the open-market. It seems I have been to this cross roads with most of my past Rovers, they are always in near flwaless state however, mech. issues start creeping up making it tough to keep pouring money into them. I have held fast to the fact that I won't ever sell this car.....problem is, whats next??


Questions:

Does the RAVE outline a DYI or is there any step-by-step info?

What else should be done while the engine is open?

Thanks again,

Ian

I wish our rangie's were as cheap here as over there!!!! An 02 hse in good condition with low km's is still into the low $30,000's
I have been offered $38,000 for mine and knocked it back because of the cost of replacing it!!! Mine has only just clicked over 80k kml's though which is very low k's for the age of the car. So $2000k here for a head gasket replacement is cheap. Russell.
Also beware of the cheap quote, plenty will take short cuts that you will pay for down the track :crybaby2: :crybaby2:

 

[Brett San Diego]

I paid $1800 at a good independent. It killed me to cough up that much, but I didn't have the time. I needed a running Range Rover now.

Brett

 

[shupack]

DON'T use the stock bolts, get an ARP head-stud kit. Slightly more expensive, never worry about the head-gaskets again, and easier to install.

http://www.aluminumV8.com, even comes with the proper torque sequence and they have a full gasket set as well.

 

[Selby P38]

o

DON'T use the stock bolts, get an ARP head-stud kit. Slightly more expensive, never worry about the head-gaskets again, and easier to install.

http://www.aluminumV8.com, even comes with the proper torque sequence and they have a full gasket set as well.

Never re-use or buy new stock 4.6 head bolts they are the most common cause for head gaskets to fail :think:

And cheaper again use the 3.9 head bolts for a similar result and good quality graphite compisate head gaskets :thumb:

 

[LR4Life]

What is it about the "stock" bolts that allow the gaskets to go bad?

Thanks for all of the tips!

Ian

 

[shupack]

What is it about the "stock" bolts that allow the gaskets to go bad?

The stock bolts are "torque to yield" or "stretch" bolts, it's easy to get it wrong and have un-even clamping pressure on the head = guaranteed fail. A little bit of gunk in the head-bolt hole will change the torque you see and cause low clamping pressure on that bolt. oil/greas will do the oposite, and if over-stretched it will yield too far and the tension go away. They're also called "guaranteed failure" bolts....

The ARP stud kit is racing grade stuff, way more than needed for a rover engine, but inexpensive for the amount of assurance against repeat failure. The 4.0/4.6 uses the classic engine kit, just have a few extra studs/nuts at the end of the job. They're too pretty to throw away, I've been trying to figure out what to do with them.

 

[Hoges]

They're too pretty to throw away, I've been trying to figure out what to do with them.

no jokes please about studs walking around with loose nuts :shock: this is a family friendly forum :naughty: isn't it :twisted: :lol: