# Blown head gasket 1.4l need advice on what to do



## Ravenv12 (Jan 28, 2021)

Chevy Cruze 1.4 l yesterday when I got on the interstate at about 55 lost power white smoke came out the rear and and I knew right off the bat it was the head gasket the car did not overheat I was able to make it down the road to pull off I only drive the car for about a minute and a half if that . The leak is on the exhaust side there is no water in the oil. 

I have not pulled a head off yet because I have to get the timing tool. 

So my question is should I just replace the head gasket get the head looked at at the machine shop? Or get a used engine if I can find one cheap with low mileage?


I guess my concerns is that the head is messed up and it's not just the head gasket..
The car does have 180 k it's been well taken care of for me and the person before me also took care of it and it was driving very good and told the head gasket decided to give out with no warning. 

Any advice would be appreciated thanks in advance


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## Johnny B (Jun 4, 2019)

Well, I had this happen to me many years ago. Fixing the engine turned into a nightmare, and it never worked right again. I vote replace it. My bad experience was from a Ford product, fixing a Cruze might turn out better. I'd go with what ever option is cheaper and comes with a guarantee.


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## Ravenv12 (Jan 28, 2021)

Johnny B said:


> Well, I had this happen to me many years ago. Fixing the engine turned into a nightmare, and it never worked right again. I vote replace it. My bad experience was from a Ford product, fixing a Cruze might turn out better. I'd go with what ever option is cheaper and comes with a guarantee.


Yeah well trying to find a used engine around here is a nightmare I've called a lot of places I was thinking like $1,200 maybe 1500 but that's not the case everybody wants 2,500 or more for a used engine. I think I will probably end up taking the head off taking it to the machine shop let them do what they need to do as long as my block looks good one other thing I'm concerned about is my Pistons I thought about replacing the piston rings.


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## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

Ravenv12 said:


> Yeah well trying to find a used engine around here is a nightmare I've called a lot of places I was thinking like $1,200 maybe 1500 but that's not the case everybody wants 2,500 or more for a used engine. I think I will probably end up taking the head off taking it to the machine shop let them do what they need to do as long as my block looks good one other thing I'm concerned about is my Pistons I thought about replacing the piston rings.


For $2,000ish you can fully rebuild the engine you have with NEW parts.


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## Thebigzeus (Dec 2, 2018)

Used engine


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

JLL said:


> For $2,000ish you can fully rebuild the engine you have with NEW parts.


Plus tools and shop labor for the block and heads.

You're not just replacing parts if you want the job done right.


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## Ravenv12 (Jan 28, 2021)

snowwy66 said:


> Plus tools and shop labor for the block and heads.
> 
> You're not just replacing parts if you want the job done right.


I know if I do just ahead and head gasket and stuff that the head has to go to machine shop to get it checked out I don't want to take it apart put it back together just to find out something's wrong with the head . I know everything needs to be done right.


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