Hi all
I need to replace my head gasket

I have oil all around it the cam cover seems ok but the one below I'm thinking is the head gasket
Not very mechanically minded
More paint and body

Anyone any advise on what I need to do how to it
Or should I not attempt it

Rob

Hi Rob, I just replaced the head gasket on my 98. I had a friend help me who is a mechanic in a very busy shop. Although I was a trained auto mechanic many years ago and still do my own brakes and lots of other work like wheel bearings and oil changes and what not , I would not advise one who is not really up to speed on modern twin cam engines to tackle this job. But if you have a competent friend to help out, pay him for his time and have at it.

Thanks for that

I was thinking of buying a car with a blown gasket. Whats the great difficulty ?? Last time i did one mind you was in 1999, on my 1972 lotus elan !!

Are you sure you need a head gasket.

The Barchetta/Punto HGT/similar engines are well know to leak oil on the cam cover gasket BEHIND the cam belt cover. The gasket does a tortuous round, up, over, flat, down round again route over the cam shaft/variator end.

Oil leaking here will dribble down to the cylinder head/block gasket line and then capilliary itself along the block/head interface line thus looking like a head gasket problem.

What car were you thinking of buying?

A Fiat Coupe, but sellars gasnt replied.

Rob, did you change the cam cover gasket as sugested? My oil leak was the cam cover gasket as the corner of the cam cover had cracked because of over tightening.
Just interested as a head gasket seems radicle. If the head gasket goes I am not sure if you would see ‘mayonaise goo from water/oil mix) in the oil filler cap.

SteveD