question about head gasket replacement for 99 2G NT

[Ravi Gill]

Hi,

My car's had a burning smell for the last little while.  It smelled like burned rubber so I thought maybe it was my tires but it smells even when the car hasnt moved.  Today I had it taken to a mechanic my dad knows and the guy said the Head Gasket set is leaking and needs to be replaced.  He said the cost for the parts will be around $300 and then he said it'll be 7 hrs labour at $50/hr so around 350 for labour.  He said he has to pretty much take the engine apart and then put it back together with the new parts.   Is this all reasonable?  The labour also includes simple things like Oil Filter, Oil Change, Antifreeze, some plugs etc.  

as Robin knows, I know nothing about this stuff.  I know the guy wouldnt rip us off as he's saying he can get to work on it in January.  Plenty of time for us to research prices.  Anyone know if the price of the parts are accurate?  

The car is a 2.0L NT Automatic.   SLOW as hell and im hoping when this is fixed it'll be able to at least go as fast as the 91 corolla i drove today!!

[Martin Raska]

That sounds right.  You need several gaskets, maybe several belts, and it will total about $300.

Labour wise though, that sounds very reasonable.  I hope just the gasket went bad and nothing else has caused it, like a warped head or something, because then prices will go up considerably.

[Robin Toor]

Told you it was head gasket

$300 for parts is pretty good. $350 for labour is VERY good. I say you go for it, I don't think you will find it much cheaper anywhere else.

I don't think your head is warped or any other damage has been done since it was not blowing any smoke, it was just leaking a little.

[Artem Goloubov]

any cheaper and it would be free

[Ravi Gill]

Yeah Robin you know your sh!1  

I'll get the timing belt changed at the same time, might as well!  Bye bye boxing day goodies for myself!  

[Adam Williamson]

Yeah Robin you know your sh!1  

I'll get the timing belt changed at the same time, might as well!  Bye bye boxing day goodies for myself!  

missing out oin boxing day swag sucks but having your engine not blowing up is kinda nice

[Artem Goloubov]

Boxing day is a scam, prices are mostly the same.

I know a place where there is a boxing day +50% off all year long...it's called Ebay

[Ritchie Hui]

Chrysler charges $800 for a headgasket job...

$650 is good.

I just did mine after melting a piston... make sure he checks the clearance / depth on the head bolts...  the 420As are known to not torque down correctly, so even if u use a mls gasket (which replacements are) it will still leak.

but im sure that mechanic should know... just tell him its a common problem on all 420As.

[Ravi Gill]

Thanks for the tip about the bolts! Will tell him when it's done.  Hopefully next week.   I've let this smell go on for a while now.....lucky it hasnt blown up yet!