Head gasket replacement

precidiadrummer · Post by **precidiadrummer** » January 18th, 2007, 1:51 am

Ok I've been a sitting duck for about 2 weeks now, and i've been reading the site non stop trying to learn as much as possible and not rip myself off. I don't know that much about cars yet but i'm learning everyday, and anyways I bought my mx-3 running all good and everything, but right away everyone kept telling me i'd need a new headgasket soon. Didn't listen like always and I guess a few days ago, I finally blew it. At least I'm guessing. Ever sence I drove her one day and I started hearing my belt make a noise, I reved her up to make it go away, and on the way home the engine was just over reving, Idling at 2000 rpms, and it used to be normal 600-700 idle, and sounded ok. Even my girlfriend can tell it sounds out of the ordinary, I'm hoping there's not as much damage done, I went to get it priced to fix at a mechanic, and he said A head gasket replacement he just did on a neon was 900 bucks, so my mx-3 would probley be 1000ish or more...HELP ME please sorry for the novel of writing. But I read this Topic (On the bottom of this novel), and wondering if this is my problem, cause now I mean I start up the car, shes just smoking bad, out of muffler and over the manifold possibly from leaked oil i'm guessing.

http://mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t= ... e68b03f731

Someone reply, and tell me am I getting ripped off, or give me a link to replacing your head gasket yourself..I know many friends who worked on american cars and maybe if I find a detailed enough guide, the'll be confident to work on a japanese.. I can't afford no 1000 dollar job anytime soon when I paid 2500 for the car..

94blaze1.6 · Post by **94blaze1.6** » January 18th, 2007, 7:12 pm

Well my advice to you is to go and buy the chillton manual for the mx-3 its sometimes hard to find but i heard that wallmarts occasionally have them. Its a must if you wanna do any work on your car!

precidiadrummer · Post by **precidiadrummer** » January 19th, 2007, 10:57 am

Appreciate that, I'll start looking for one, i'm just hoping this problem will be a bit less costly then what i'm hearing from mechanics so far..I'm not giving up my favorite car to go back to something like an oldsmobile gas gusler (no offence I like oldsmobile too lol)

Has anyone else tried replacing their headgasket/piston rings themselves? or did everyone here just do a BP swap or something, Any other info or suggestions on my current situation, I would be greatly thankful

94blaze1.6 · Post by **94blaze1.6** » January 19th, 2007, 11:03 am

it's cheap to fix if you do it yourself, provided you have some tools but even if you end up buying some sockets and stuff its still better then paying a thousand to a mechanic. The job is involved and will prolly take you a while if you have never done anything like that before... Try to get somebody to help you and definatly get the repair manual I mentioned.

precidiadrummer · Post by **precidiadrummer** » January 19th, 2007, 11:19 am

Thanks yeah, I have alot of friends that haul engines and work on american cars all the time, they are a bit sketchy about working on jap cars, but I'm sure if I get the manual like you said, plus a few boys with some knowledge, I could do it myself. I got a brand new torque wrench, and a whole mastercraft socket, screwdriver, and wrench set. I appreciate the quick replys too.

I'll try looking in walmart next few days if I get a chance to drive out that far haha, and do you know of any other places/sites I could find manuals or a guide how to replace it. (and I know i'll have to replace other gaskets as I go along) pretty sure

SuperK · Post by **SuperK** » January 19th, 2007, 11:27 am

I have a chilton manual for the MX-3 SOHC, 92-93 I'm trying to get rid of... It's brand new, just erm... didn't read the auction's big print that said "92-93 SOHC, BIG DUMMY" when I was looking for the '95 manual

precidiadrummer · Post by **precidiadrummer** » January 20th, 2007, 12:09 am

haha too bad you werent nearby, I'd buy it off ya lol (nova scotia) haha

ariesdude · Post by **ariesdude** » January 20th, 2007, 2:03 pm

For probably half the price and work you can swap in a BP 1.8L motor from a 90-94 protege or escort. The engine is a direct bolt in and you get an instant power upgrade to 125HP from 88HP.

Lor3nzo · Post by **Lor3nzo** » January 20th, 2007, 8:58 pm

I had the same problem man! I spent about 900-1000 dollars getting my mx-3 up and running again and that still didn't fix it! After awhile it just started to lose power and then one morning it just wouldn't start, i replaced the spark plugs even though they didn't need it and it still didn't work... my alternator belt was pretty loud until i reved my engine as well... i went out and bought my chilton book to try and find the problem but nothing, i think it had something to do with my timing to be honest, i idled at 2000rpm as well! I got it adjusted to 700rpm and it never died on me again, however i lost major power! I would gun it at 25mph and it wouldn't shift! My car was an automatic too so i was wondering what the heck was wrong. I did all the big things on my car and even the little things and it just wasn't good enough :(

The mx-3, a nice looking car, decent speed i'm sure however my mx-3 was just a piece of crap and i paid 3,000 for it! I knew i shouldn't have bought it in the 1st place... my raid. blew on me the 4th day i had the thing and paid 200 to replace it. None the less you are having some of the same problems i had and man i hope you can actually find out if its really that... some places can rebuild your head for like 800-1000 dollars.

94blaze1.6 · Post by **94blaze1.6** » January 20th, 2007, 9:23 pm

Lorenzo just because you are incompetent doesn't mean that everybody else is...

Lor3nzo · Post by **Lor3nzo** » January 21st, 2007, 2:53 pm

94blaze1.6 wrote:Lorenzo just because you are incompetent doesn't mean that everybody else is...

Wow... I'm guessing your still butt hurt about me arguing with you over that whole chevy topic? Sorry but if you got mad over what i said that's pretty immature of you, I know i wasn't that well at working on cars but i wasn't the one that did all the work on my car, it was a mechanic. I just bought the parts, i only did what i knew. The head and all that, wasn't me.

precidiadrummer · Post by **precidiadrummer** » January 25th, 2007, 12:47 am

Direct bolt in from a 90-94 protege or escort? I've read about that, sounds decent, Is it easier then some people say? And will I be needing any new wiring to do so? haha

precidiadrummer · Post by **precidiadrummer** » January 25th, 2007, 12:52 am

Also, anyone got suggestions for best, CHEAPEST place to buy engines from..I'm livin in Nova Scotia, I've seen me, and 3 others precidias around, 1 tuned right up, 2 barely giv'en er.

Boris · Post by **Boris** » January 25th, 2007, 1:04 am

precidiadrummer wrote:Thanks yeah, I have alot of friends that haul engines and work on american cars all the time, they are a bit sketchy about working on jap cars

4 cyl sohc mx3 is one of the easiest cars I've ever worked on. There's lots of space to to access everything, and the fact that you only have one cam to deal with is also pretty sweet. I did the head gasket and replaced the valves and it didn't take me long at all (6 hours total if I remember correctly, and that was not in a hurried pace that's for sure).

You should find out whether you need to replace your rings. You might not need to. Do a compression test (wet test will show you whether you need to replace your rings or not) and that will shed some light on your issue. Your manual will explain how to do compression tests.

precidiadrummer · Post by **precidiadrummer** » January 26th, 2007, 6:26 pm

lol just brought it to a mechanic, Was going to drive it there today, tried starting it, would only turn a few times, grabbed my mom's protege, boosted her once, reving at like 2500 rpms idleing, Soundin horrible burnin retarded smoke, then died as I jumped out, repeated about 2 times, 3rd time engine revin at 3500 and climin, then died, started it, revin at 0 rpms, but going and then I turned her off, and yup shes done I wasent drivin it to the mechanic, it was gettin towed. Anyways after this novel of words,

He said, opened up engine, checked vavles covers, inside top end, bottom end, coolant all leaked through it, even if he replaced the gasket (around 300-400 bucks) my bottom end would blow next week probley, havin only the top redone.

Recommends me to buy a new engine, they can put it in for me, or myself whatever, If they do it 600 bucks, But I have to find an engine, and I'm in Nova scotia, what's the cheapest engine with most power for my buck I'm lookin in the 400-600 dollar price range, found 1 already with 125 comp 1.6l 25 oil 167xxx kilos on it,

What engines fit, and what's best I'm looking to stay 4 cyl, And want to keep my stock tranny (for now at least) Escorts, Probes, Proteges, 323's,
Fit..What is the best direct bolt in with some nice haul.

And I know it's probley been covered, but it better off buying a 6cyl mx-3 then to change your 4 cyl to a 6 cyl engine..I found an mx-3 with a nice forged pistons, 190 hp, 6 cyl 1.8l engine, but it comes with the car as a project and you still need to put it in..

There if anyone wants to read that, then manage to reply that would be great. thanks haha