Ok, my head gasket is blown, pretty sure, lots of white smoke, misfire on cyl 2, burning coolant, vehicles runs like dog poop when cold, good when warm. I took it to expedition autoworks in Minneapolis and they will fix it for 3 grand, that includes completely machining the heads so the top end of the engine will be pretty much new. The tech who wrote me up said I could have a shot engine if a sleeve moved. The engine never overheated and there was no coolant in the oil, none that was visible anyway. Good shot my engine is fine and the head gaskets are the only things that are bad, or should I be banking on a shot motor. If the engine is bad what is the cheapest fix?

 

The truck never overheated but white smoke was spewing up everywhere?

 

just out of the tail pipe when cold, greatly reduced when warm. sorry my head is in the clouds.

 

Why not pull the heads off and have a pressure test performed on the block to rule out a dropped sleeve?
Also, a normal price for head gaskets is around $1500 plus machine shop for a couple hundred.

 

The top two indy shops in the Pacific Northwest both charge $2400 for head gaskets, with machine work and a valve job included.

 

3 large was pretty much the going rate here in MN. Disco they are going to check it before doing the job. Pulling the heads is way above my paygrade, I can do breaks, oil changes, spark plugs etc etc. Head gaskets, not skilled enough. I don't think I dropped a sleeve, one sign is a ticking when the engine is running and that is not happening.

 

You probably didn't

 

$1500 + or - . by the way head gasket are not above your pay grade, pretty basic once you break it down to steps.

 

DIY parts kit $300, machine shop $200, 12-15 hours pro labor; or two weekends for a motivated owner with machine shop inbetween.

 

$99 craftsman tools set, a 12point 10 mm socket, 24 inch breaker bar and a 5/8 6 point shallow impact socket and a few screw drivers is all that you need