head gasket leak...any suggestions?

I just took our '00 Saturn wagon in to my local mechanic, 'add coolant'
light was on,
a little antifreeze on the garage floor. He put it up on the hoist & said
looks like it's leaking
out of the head gasket. -- He put some stop-leak liquid in, for a temporary
fix.
Has anyone on this NG replaced a head gasket on one of these? The car only
has 44K
on it, so I don't want to lay out a lot of $$in labor to let someone else do
it, but
I'd never torn down the engine on one of these....

Terry

If it were me I would first try Saturn to see if they will pay a share for
the repair.


"Terry" > wrote in message
news:Qo%od.140975$HA.132183@attbi_s01...
>
> I just took our '00 Saturn wagon in to my local mechanic, 'add coolant'
> light was on,
> a little antifreeze on the garage floor. He put it up on the hoist & said
> looks like it's leaking
> out of the head gasket. -- He put some stop-leak liquid in, for a
> temporary fix.
> Has anyone on this NG replaced a head gasket on one of these? The car only
> has 44K
> on it, so I don't want to lay out a lot of $$in labor to let someone else
> do it, but
> I'd never torn down the engine on one of these....
>
> Terry
>
>

"Terry" > typed until their fingers bled, and came
up with:


> Has anyone on this NG replaced a head gasket on one of these?

It isn't too bad of a job. takes me about 8 hours to do in my driveway.



--
Visit the Saturn Performance Club - http://www.saturnperformanceclub.com

Well I wish you were my neighbor, I'd have you help me do it!
I have a garage and tools, but I'm used to working on muscle cars,
I've never did engine work on a 4 cylinder--

Terry

"Kevin M. Keller" > wrote in message
...
> "Terry" > typed until their fingers bled, and came
> up with:
>
>
>> Has anyone on this NG replaced a head gasket on one of these?
>
> It isn't too bad of a job. takes me about 8 hours to do in my driveway.
>
>
>
> --
> Visit the Saturn Performance Club - http://www.saturnperformanceclub.com

I might just try that...I'm the second owner, so I have no warranty
info whatsoever...but any help that I'd get from Saturn would be great...


Terry

"Art" > wrote in message
link.net...
> If it were me I would first try Saturn to see if they will pay a share for
> the repair.
>
>
> "Terry" > wrote in message
> news:Qo%od.140975$HA.132183@attbi_s01...
>>
>> I just took our '00 Saturn wagon in to my local mechanic, 'add coolant'
>> light was on,
>> a little antifreeze on the garage floor. He put it up on the hoist & said
>> looks like it's leaking
>> out of the head gasket. -- He put some stop-leak liquid in, for a
>> temporary fix.
>> Has anyone on this NG replaced a head gasket on one of these? The car
>> only has 44K
>> on it, so I don't want to lay out a lot of $$in labor to let someone else
>> do it, but
>> I'd never torn down the engine on one of these....
>>
>> Terry
>>
>>
>
>

"Terry" > typed until their fingers bled, and came
up with:

> Well I wish you were my neighbor, I'd have you help me do it!

If you're anywhere near St. Louis, I'd be glad to help.


> I have a garage and tools, but I'm used to working on muscle cars,
> I've never did engine work on a 4 cylinder--

just think of it as working on 1/2 of a V-8.

--
Visit the Saturn Performance Club - http://www.saturnperformanceclub.com

In article .net>,
"Art" > wrote:

> If it were me I would first try Saturn to see if they will pay a share for
> the repair.

If it were me i'd first try re-torquing the head bolts and see it that
stops the leak. Pull them out one-at-a time and clean & oil them to
pull the gasket tight.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

I might re-torque the head bolts, I did take the car to a mechanic I know,
he put in some stop-leak, said if the leak was real small that might stop
it.
They then pressure-tested it and it seems okay...I've put almost 1K on it
since, so far so good---



"Nick Hull" > wrote in message
...
> In article .net>,
> "Art" > wrote:
>
>> If it were me I would first try Saturn to see if they will pay a share
>> for
>> the repair.
>
> If it were me i'd first try re-torquing the head bolts and see it that
> stops the leak. Pull them out one-at-a time and clean & oil them to
> pull the gasket tight.
>
> --
> Free men own guns, slaves don't
> www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

Do NOT try retorquing. IIRC these are torque to yield bolts. You WILL do
more harm than good. Bite the bullet and replace the gasket.
Larry
"Terry" > wrote in message
news:7sWud.181488$V41.112091@attbi_s52...
>I might re-torque the head bolts, I did take the car to a mechanic I know,
> he put in some stop-leak, said if the leak was real small that might stop
> it.
> They then pressure-tested it and it seems okay...I've put almost 1K on it
> since, so far so good---
>
>
>
> "Nick Hull" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article .net>,
>> "Art" > wrote:
>>
>>> If it were me I would first try Saturn to see if they will pay a share
>>> for
>>> the repair.
>>
>> If it were me i'd first try re-torquing the head bolts and see it that
>> stops the leak. Pull them out one-at-a time and clean & oil them to
>> pull the gasket tight.
>>
>> --
>> Free men own guns, slaves don't
>> www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/
>
>

"jdoe" > wrote in message
news:u9Zud.178005$5K2.152774@attbi_s03...
> Do NOT try retorquing. IIRC these are torque to yield bolts. You WILL do
> more harm than good. Bite the bullet and replace the gasket.
> Larry
> "Terry" > wrote in message
> news:7sWud.181488$V41.112091@attbi_s52...
>>I might re-torque the head bolts, I did take the car to a mechanic I know,
>> he put in some stop-leak, said if the leak was real small that might stop
>> it.
>> They then pressure-tested it and it seems okay...I've put almost 1K on it
>> since, so far so good---
>>
>>
>>
>> "Nick Hull" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> In article .net>,
>>> "Art" > wrote:
>>>
>>>> If it were me I would first try Saturn to see if they will pay a share
>>>> for
>>>> the repair.
>>>
>>> If it were me i'd first try re-torquing the head bolts and see it that
>>> stops the leak. Pull them out one-at-a time and clean & oil them to
>>> pull the gasket tight.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Free men own guns, slaves don't
>>> www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/
>>
>>
>
>

Yes I would follow my mechanic's advice before trying some backyard
re-torquing...
Does it seem wierd that this would happen with only 45K on the car??