The cost to replace or fix a blown head gasket at an auto repair shop ranges from $1,000.00 to $2,500.00 depending on the make and model of the vehicle.
You cannot fix a head gasket that is blown but instead you have to replace the blown head gaskets with new ones.
To replace head gaskets the intake manifold, and heads of the engine have to be removed and then all that has to be put back together.
The head bolts also have to be replaced as well and torqued to the proper specs.
If you can do the head gasket job yourself then you can do so for around $200.00 or less.
You also need valve cover gaskets as well depending on the vehicle.
It's a big job to replace head gaskets though and if the car is a really old car it may not be worth replacing the head gaskets.
Sometimes you can buy another used car or vehicle for the cost of the head gasket repair.
A bad head gasket will usually cause white smoke to come out the exhaust because most times when you have white smoke coming from your vehicles exhaust the cause of the white smoke is the engine getting some coolant into the combustion chamber of the engine.
For example you may have a small head gasket leak that leads to the coolant seeping into the cylinders or a few cylinders and then it gets burnt off with the gasoline.
That can then lead to the white smoke coming out of your exhaust.
If your head gasket is leaking slightly and is leaking small amounts of coolant you can drain down the coolant and then use a bottle of head gasket sealer which really does work when used correctly.
You mix the bottle of head gasket sealer with some hot water which is 1 gallon of hot water and then shake it up.
Then pour the 1 gallon mixture of the head gasket sealer into the radiator and then start the car or vehicle up and allow it to run for a few minutes.
Then shut the engine off and add some more water and start the engine up again and drive the vehicle around for around 10 minutes.
After that stop the engine and let it cool down then drain the water out and flush the excess head gasket sealer out.
Then refill the engine with more engine coolant and drive around for another 10 minutes and the head gasket should be sealed.
If the head gasket is leaking between the cylinders then the head gaskets need replaced.
If your engine is burning oil it can be caused by bad valve seals or bad piston rings.