"Needs Headgasket"

Translation: 'I have no effing idea what's wrong with it but I put this in the ad to make it seem as if I do. I do know it will be expensive as hell to fix so I'm trying to dump it.'

So offer 1/4 what they are asking if it's something you wouldn't mind fixing up. If they get offended, point out nicely that you are rolling the dice.

Sometimes they won't bend at all; I looked at a FB once where the guy said 'starts and runs fine', IIRC he wanted $900.00 for it. When I got there, the plugs were out and had been for quite some time, there were several different types some not for a rotary laying around the engine compartment, the carb stank of very old gas. The 'eyebrows' on the rotor housings which prevent installation of the wrong plugs had been ground off, all the alarm bells in my head were ringing. He wouldn't budge from the price even though I could not hear it run. I then said 'okay, get it running and I'll come back to see it'. His response? 'Then the price will go up'. Really?

He then said 'trust me it runs' and when I pointed out that as it sat there was no way I could confirm that it did he got all offended that I would suggest it didn't run. I said 'I trust you but this engine is another matter'. I thought he was going to take a swing at me so I left.

Hehe...come to think of it, I'm selling a goldwing with a "bad head gasket" right now. I got it that way and I won't get around to fixing it until it warms up. In the mean time, if someone wants it, I'll deal. And yes...when I get it running it will be worth more (that's not saying I don't have it overpriced now, though).

I got a volvo 740 wagon 5 speed, turbo with a bad head gasket. Poor guy had had a bunch of work done to it (including a new radiator) by a mechanic...but the damage had been done (probably due to the old radiator).

$250 for the car...I had it running for under $600 total investment (plus a load of my "free" labor).

I was really worried that the coolant in the oil may have already contributed to early demise of the bearings in the bottom end. They seemed ok for the several months I drove it, though.

But it was no fun so I traded it off

Really, when it comes down to it, in my experience the cooling system is the most critical system in an old car. That is to say...if it's not in good shape, it can lead to all sorts of destruction...expensive destruction.

Sure, brakes and steering are also critical...but they don't take out the engine when the fluid gets low (of course...they could make you drive into oncoming traffic...so there's that).

Clem

I once dumped a metric ton of alum-a-seal in a minivan with a blown head gasket and torqued the snot out of the head bolts. It sealed up long enough to sell it.

Wrong thread. Whooops!

slefain. i had a quad4 with a cracked head that 4 bottled of barseal sealed it up enough to drive for 6 months. (i got the car for 100) eventually tho the head cracked open like the san adreas fault. and not all head gaskets are easy.... there are some outthere that are 30 plus hour jobs.

im sure your not going to want to do it on a ranger with a 4.0 ohc. or timing chain tensioners on that same engine.

KATYB wrote: im sure your not going to want to do it on a ranger with a 4.0 ohc. or timing chain tensioners on that same engine.

That is when you say "berkeley it." and drop in a 302.... And be done SOONER then what that job pays.

KATYB wrote: im sure your not going to want to do it on a ranger with a 4.0 ohc. or timing chain tensioners on that same engine.

HOLY CRAP those suck!