Fair Price for Head Gasket Work?

[93 Camry]

Nothing sucks more when you buy a car and you check to make sure the oil is fine and then you have it a few days and then you see a nice film in the oil.

Likely cause the damn radiator was leaking and it overheated before I got it replaced.

So now - I am looking at a blown head gasket. I am mechanically inclined but I have no time to do it. My local mechanic wont do it at all as their attitude is they just want to put a new motor in it.

A local mobile mechanic I was referred to thinks it will be about $500 labor and maybe $50-100 machining labor.

Does that sound reasonable?

[Toysrme]

About. Obviously the head/block may or may not need the machining.

If the radiator was leaking, and it overheated it was probably clogged (via the hard gel made by mixing toyota red coolant with a traditional coolant).

[Harix]

You will end up paying over $1000 after all done. Because do the head gasket, the parts alone close to $200 bucks, thus, you better change the timing belt and waterpump too.

Change jap engine will cost about the same.

I'm an auto repair and this is my daily lunch.

[ShawnM]

Since it did overheat, you never know what your goin to find once you take the head off. You may just need a head gasket, or you may need a new head. Then there are all those other parts that should be replaced at the same time as Harix said. Bottom line is nobody can give you an accurate price quote untill its taken apart to see if theres any other damage.