Engine & Performance
Head Gasket & Cylinder Head
A head gasket is not a gasket job. It is a machining job with a gasket at the end of it, and skipping the machine shop is how a repair fails twice.
Signs you need this
- Coolant disappearing with no visible external leak
- White smoke or a sweet smell from the exhaust
- Overheating, or a temperature gauge that climbs in traffic
- Milky residue under the oil cap or bubbles in the expansion tank
How we approach it
We confirm the diagnosis first with a combustion leak test and a cylinder leak-down — plenty of "head gasket" cars are actually a cracked expansion tank or a failed oil cooler seal. When the gasket really has gone, the head comes off, goes out for pressure testing and resurfacing, and comes back with new valve stem seals if the mileage warrants. New head bolts, correct torque-to-yield sequence, fresh coolant to MB specification, and a documented warm-up cycle before the car leaves.
What the job includes
- 01Combustion gas test and cylinder leak-down before teardown
- 02Cylinder head removal, pressure testing and resurfacing
- 03Valve stem seal and valve job where required
- 04New head bolts torqued to factory sequence
- 05Timing components inspected while accessible
- 06Coolant fill to MB specification with a full bleed cycle
Common questions
Can a sealer product fix this?
No. Block sealers clog heater cores and radiators and turn a repairable engine into a parts car. We will not install one.
How do I know the head is not cracked?
We do not guess — the head is pressure tested at the machine shop before anything is reassembled, and if it is cracked we tell you before you have paid for a gasket set.
Let us take a look at it.
Call and describe what the car is doing. We will give you an honest assessment before any work begins.
7492 Slater Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 · Mon–Fri 8:00am–5:00pm
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