Jay-

2003 V6 230,000 miles.
GUNK on the head gasket.
Mech said $250 to replace. I did not know or tell him its actually smoking.

I let the car set for WEEKS and today it was smoking like steam rolling off the motor. It might be steam, but I think its smoke. It smells lie burnt oil when I drive 100 miles and then sit in traffic.

Rig rides great, I just dont have the time to take her in for the gasket just yet.

How critical is this?

Its been leaking for a long *** time and its GUNKED up there from the old owner.

Stevo86

If your head gasket is leaking it's very critical. As in if you don't fix it you're in for total engine failure. If you have a mechanic willing to do head gaskets for $250, do it. Now.

5.0pntydrpr

Yeah, $250 to replace a head gasket isn't bad. I'd go ahead and do it ASAP. If something smells like burnt oil, I might go ahead and check the piston rings while I'm at it too.

Jay-

Assuming it can make it the 50 miles to my repair guy?
What happened was it sat for two weeks with no starting. So more oil might have came out. The gasket and valve covers are just baked with tar. I had it checked out before I purchased and the shop said it needs gasket fixed. It was this little poof of tar smelling smoke. When I sit in traffic with the top down you also get a little oil smell.

I was hoping I had a week to get there but will make it my next trip.

Jay-

Sorry I was a little drunk when I posted this.

ITS the valve cover gasket!

DocSnickers

Valve cover gasket won't exactly totally wreck the engine. You're just going to be topping off the oil a lot. If you do let it go to low on oil that's a problem. The smell is the oil most likely leaking onto the exhaust manifold. My 72 Mach 1 had a bad valve cover leak before I garaged it for restoration. Ran for a few months but went though a lot of oil.

But if it is a head gasket yeah that's no joke. I would double check to make sure. Either way it would be good to get it fixed and repairing a valve cover gasket is pretty quick to do on your own. If you're familiar with working on cars, if not should not be to much to get it done in a shop its maybe a 45 min job.

95 BLOWN GT

valve cover leak not as critical check the oil level first...but 50 mile drive should not cause any problems....250 sounds kinda high for a valve cover fix imo.250 for a head gasket fix hell i would have pushed it there.lol