Re: What is cost of Head Gasket replaced?

1997 DOHC was $900 US at the Dodge Dealer about 2-3 years back (warranty covered it)

Give you odds 100:1 the gasket failure mode was a leak into the water jacket. Small leaks into the oil galleries, between cylinders, or to the outside of the engine are not significant or ever noticed.

Running water passages through the head gasket is a bad, bad idea. Better to redesign the head cooling with an external manifold, water distribution tubes, and derate the engine, if necessary. Head gaskets continue to be a major pain in the ass and when they start leaking on high mileage cars, its straight to the junk pile.

Do you hear that Chrysler? The only holes running through the gasket should be the cylinder bore holes. Everything else goes via an external multipath cast manifold communicating between cylinder block and head. Do it before Toyota and Datsun gets wind of it.

Two days (weekend) for average DIY-er. The work is nasty, dirty, but doable.

Plus gaskets: head, intake, etc.

I would do it myself. Don't know about you...

Good luck, Alex

Dodge stratus, 1996 2.4L cost was $1100 canadian. = $800 US including all taxes, at dealer. Other shops do it for $600 can = $450 us.

1997 Neon Sport 2.0 liter DOHC 150HP. Three years ago, $900.00 US at the dealer (warranty covered it)