On wednesday on my way home from school (school is about 60-70 miles from my home) (took my car up to around 105-108? dunno what the speed limiter is, but i took it up there for a little bit of time) my car started overheating. i only noticed it about a block away from home, dunno how long it had been overheating. when i got home, i checked it out and somehow all my coolant and oil was gone O_o (just checked it this last weekend). so i filled both up, let it cool for a while, and then tried it out that night. it seemed fine, no overheating or anything, so i figured thats all it was (at the time). so, Thursday, on my way home from school it started overheating again (on the way TO school, it was fine, however). so, once again, when i got home, i checked the fluids, but they were still full, so i decided to take it to a mechanic, who told me i needed to change the head gasket, and for them to change it, resurface the head, and check for cracks/warping, it would cost around $1200 O_o. now, considering i bought this car a few months ago for about 2k, i dont see it as worth it to pay that much. so my question is, is there a way for me to tell if it needs resurfacing or if it has any cracks in it without having a mechanic do it for me. Any help at all would be helpful. I want to keep this car, but if i have to have a mechanic do this for me, i might as well just go buy another one. Thanks for your help ^_^.

Btw, my car is a 95 Plymouth Neon Sohc, 5-Speed, and i just changed my O2 Sensors the other day, and just put in a K&N replacement air filter (the one that fits in the original spot, not one with its own new air box or anything) on Tuesday.

 

cant help you with all that.

i wanna know what the hell were you thinking dropping 2k on a 95 neon.?

 

First of all get a hanes manual or a chiltons manual. read it well on how to take the head off and to reinstall. you can take a straight edge to check trueness of the head( the specs will be in the manual you get and will even tell you hoe to do it) but as far as checking for cracks it has to be pressure tested by a machine shop. If you do the work yourself it should only cost $300-$500

 

you can use this to check for cracks, you just have to follow the directions on the can and make sure the part is cleaned well before inspection and for installation.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...s/metlchek.php

 

from modernperformance their headgasket kit is only like 84 and its the good stuff.

 

i jsut changed my headgasket in my neon ..it cost me 250..thats with headgasket and ARP head bolts...you can take the head to a machine shop and theyll pressure test it and edge it for around 50 ...so your lookin at about a 300 tab if you do it yourself.....ooo and i used a hanes book...DONT try it with out it ...its like a bible to me...