What to do... what to do

[JackG]

Here is the situation. I need to decide if I should go for it or cut my losses.

My $400 beater colony park which is my daily driver (actually more like a $1400 beater after tires, new shocks, a starter, exhaust work, throttle senser and other odds and ends) was pissing coolant from the back of the engine.

First guy that looked at it said if was the head gasket. Second guy (who worked as a ford mechanic for around 20 years) says it is the lower intake manifold gasket.

Here is the thing. At first he says it is probably not worth it to do the lower intake gasket ($400) because of the "overall condition of the car" because the head gaskets are "leaking a lot of oil".

To do the manifold gasket and the head gaskets is $1200.

Wondering if I should just cut my losses. The car does have 196K on it.

But I really feel that if I dump it now I will have wasted a bunch of money to drive the car for only a few months. But on the other hand, If I go for the head gasket job will I be just throwing away good money after bad?

Or, do I just go for the lower intake gasket in the hopes that will keep it on the road without much more for the next 6 months or so.

Maybe I should get a horse.

[70torino429]

most 5.0 motors arent really prone to head gasket failures, but the intake manifold gasket is common. as far as your engine lasting ive seen many cars with the same engine last almost 300k miles, they are pretty reliable

[87gtVIC]

keep her

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=20264&highlight=Economics+cars

[JackG]

so, you think I should just go with the lower intake gaskets and live with the head gaskets that leak oil? I have found that I go through about a quart every 1000 miles or so. I don't think it's burning oil. Doesn't really smoke vry much at all.

[PICKUP6772]

Get a new mechanic. At the very worst, you have a leaking lower intake gasket, and possibly valve cover gaskets. Neither are expensive, nor hard to do. And as was said, these engine are very reliable. I blew my water pump out on the hwy a few years back, and overheated the car to the point of blowing up the radiator. I put in a NEW pump, NEW radiator, fan clutch, thermostat, and belts, and have not had any issues with the car. No knocks, ticks or head problems of any kind. You can do the intake/valve cover job in a few hours. While it is all out, also change the PCV valve, and screen, and put in a new thermostat, and gasket.

[JackG]

Get a new mechanic. At the very worst, you have a leaking lower intake gasket, and possibly valve cover gaskets. Neither are expensive, nor hard to do. And as was said, these engine are very reliable. I blew my water pump out on the hwy a few years back, and overheated the car to the point of blowing up the radiator. I put in a NEW pump, NEW radiator, fan clutch, thermostat, and belts, and have not had any issues with the car. No knocks, ticks or head problems of any kind. You can do the intake/valve cover job in a few hours. While it is all out, also change the PCV valve, and screen, and put in a new thermostat, and gasket.

Could you point me to a site to buy the parts? Maybe I will try to do it myself. Weather is good, so what the hell.

it's an '89 colony park, 5.0 EFI.

Thanks!

[mrltd]

Oil leaks are almost always the valve cover gaskets or the intake gaskets.

I'd check and make sure the coolant leaks isn't the coolant hoses on the back of the intake that connect ot the EGR spacer. I'd think they have a better chance of failing than the intake gasket.

Valve cover gaskets are pretty easy to do, somewhat time consuming but easy.

As for parts, local parts stores will have everything.

[87LongroofCP]

When I got my 87 CP 11 yrs ago, the coolant was pissing out the back of the intake. When i took it apart, there was some corrosion on the intake causing the leak. Fairly common on older, not maintaind cars. The aluminum and steel don't play well together. Like mrltd said, check hoses first, then the intake.

[gadget73]

Head gaskets pretty much can't leak oil. It is conceivably possible, but to have one leak oil and not be completely blown in some other more bad way would be very unlikely. Valve cover gaskets on the other hand are very common, and so is a bad lower intake gasket. Both can and will leak oil extensively.

[Pesty351]

Buy a book and do it your self. Whats the worst you could do fuck up a 400 car that you could still get 150 bucks out of it for scrap. Thats how I learned to do what I know how to.

[85MercPark]

Buy a book and do it your self. Whats the worst you could do fuck up a 400 car that you could still get 150 bucks out of it for scrap. Thats how I learned to do what I know how to.

+1, what have you to lose?

[Pirate]

You might also have a freeze plug rotting out of the back of the head....

[91waggin]

Could you point me to a site to buy the parts? Maybe I will try to do it myself. Weather is good, so what the hell.

it's an '89 colony park, 5.0 EFI.

Thanks!

Local parts stores have most stuff.
HOWEVER....
rockauto.com is an amazing website with pretty awesome prices

[jm8881]

At first he says it is probably not worth it to do the lower intake gasket ($400) because of the "overall condition of the car" because the head gaskets are "leaking a lot of oil".

Get a new mechanic. If he wants $400 for an intake manifold gasket he's bending you over. I'd estimate, without the book of labor, it would take about 2 hours to replace the intake gasket and refill with coolant and do an oil change. Parts and labor wouldn't be more than $200. Unless it's one of those jobs the book horribly over shoots and claims 5 hrs labor.

Hell, I'd do it for $100 if you were close enough.