Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2003 16:48:47 GMT From: "Fred W." <djtaylornopsamoot.com> wrote in message news:MPG.19498d29632692d79898ffnopsam.cis.dfn.de... > > Could someone explain what the head gasket does and if a leak is serious ? > > It's a seal between the engine block and the cylinder head. There are > holes in it that pass coolant and oil. If the gasket leaks as mine did > a few weeks back the in my case, I got massive loss of coolant (I didn't > realise you could air cool a Saab!) and potential cross contamination of > oil and water. > > My gasket was replaced and now it seems I have a cracked cylinder head > which means that it's coming off again and will have to be tested and > possibly replaced. It's pretty likely not a cracked head or block but rather another blown head gasket. If the surface of either the head or block is corroded or warped badly enough the head gasket will blow very soon after being replaced. In either case, the repair cost should primarily be the reponsibility of the repair shop as they were the ones who botched the job. Considering their ineptitude, I would insist on a visual inspection of the area persdonally, with the technician standing by, before they reassemble or repair anything. > > The problem that I now have is contamination of the coolant, > overpressurisation of the coolant leading to fluid loss through the top > of the expansion tank and the worst part is that the over pressure could > cause a hose to fail at an annoying point. That is one possible symptom of a bad head gasket. It just depends where the leak is. > > Great, just what I need, a head gasket changed twice in a month. :( > > David.
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