Mustang Sa11y

Well took it to another shop and head gasket is blown :-[ This was my dream car and ford says 5000.00 to fix a 9000.00 car. I wish i would have taken auto mechanics instead of Home EC. Thank you everyone for all your help!

0949er

bummer dude, gotta learn sometime though :-p

cliffyk

Find a competent local mechanic (ask around) and you can get it done for $500 to $750, maybe a grand. I know a very competent fellow in Jacksonville, a retired Navy Chief, that would do a single head gasket for $500 easily--I am sure if you look around there are similar shops in your area...

$5000 for a head gasket is absurd--I suspect the Ford people are telling you, in a polite way, that they do not wish to do the job.

Have you determined why it overheated?

devongarver

Holy Sh*t...That is waaaaaaaaaay overpriced...you can buy a brand new motor and have it installed for that....

Head gaskets aren't that big of a deal for a competent mechanic...
Parts and labor at most around here from a thief shop would be 1200$

average would be 750$ I'd say...just keep askin around

Mustang Sa11y

Ford wants to replace the engine with a reburb one and a 1 year gaurentee. I found a mechanic who says to fix it becaure the car only has 74000 miles and will do it for about 1500. Does that sound fair?

SVTeeshirt

Tell him you'll let him know, and keep asking around, hell maybe post in the want to buy section of this site? There should be a services area for that on MF.

$1500 sounds steep but it isn't the easiest job, the Gasket itself is right around $50, There is a few odds and ends, new headstuds (i don't think stock are reusable but i could be wrong) etc etc, ofc most of the cost is in labor. Timing is probably the hardest part. I have a write up for timing but its for a 4v, which is twice as hard. but that doesn't help you .

jwog666

sounds high priced i know, but keep in mind that ford says that the heads cannot be machined like an old style cast iron sb head. does this price include the cost of replacing a warped head? if so its not so out of line.

devongarver

You need to determine(or have the mechanic determine) why it overheated to begin with, and if indeed the head is warped, and if his price is including a new head...Now, this is just me, but i would look at this as a great excuse to port those heads or get some TF heads lol

cliffyk

^+100...

It didn't just decide to overheat destructively that one time, and will be OK now.

For some reason entirely related to the cooling system it was unable to shed heat fast enough--it could be a subtle coolant leak that let the level get low over time, a stuck thermostat, a bad water pump, or clogged radiator or block.