I bought an 84 el dorado a few months back with an olds 350 swapped into it. A few weeks after I bought it the head gaskets were done and since it was the most expensive car I ever bought at 1200 I would like to fix it rather than get rid of it. Right now I am without a job but I don't want to let it sit too long while I save up money so my question is this: How much should I expect to spend getting heads checked or serviced by a machine shop to make sure they are good for gaskets. Since I only drove it a short amount of time I can't really say what the cause of the head gasket going was. Someone spotted possible signs the day i bought it. But in a ballpark what should I be looking at?

 

Have the mechanic check the block deck for straightness, and the head surface also. He SHOULD have an idea why the gasket went out. He may not want to speculate, though. Have him also check the bores of the adjacent cylinders to make sure they are not cracked. Water can do that. You may need a new engine, if that be the case.
GET ONE.
You could EASILY double that investment.
Just make sure that EVERYTHING is good before you have him bolt this back together. It could get real expensive, and you do not want to waste any dough on junk parts.
If you have a credit card, you have the cash.

 

Slow down friend. I am trying to get a job. Before I can do that I would like to have a car to get me there. If it is going to be all kinds of money going out like that I may take the 350 out of my soon to be project. I would prefer to get it in storage before it becomes immobile though.

 

An auto machine shop can check the heads for straightness for a few dollars, and Corteco head gaskets are reasonably priced (check the internet; I got some from a machine shop in Atlanta thru the mail). Be sure the surfaces are totallly cleaned. If you don't need resurfacing, you should get away for under $100 for parts (intake and head gaskets, RTV sealer at the front and back of the intake--don't use the rubber seals).

 

I do not think that I would rely on this car yet, if it were my only source of transportation, with the current problems. With the engine problems you detailed, your current situation may dictate a course of a known good powerplant (a used 260 or 307 perhaps) until the money situation is good enough to repair the 350.

I don't like pushing, flat towing, or being stranded with no cash.
JMHO.

 

I just don't know what to expect. How often do heads warp in this kind of situation and were the 350s bad with head gaskets...I never had a problem with my other one. Also I learned the first time it stranded me that this is not as reliable as I had thought when I bought it so I am going with the two beaters and a bike technique. The bike runs good but in the rain or winter it is useless the truck is schetchy but It has been doing ok and If I have the cadillac running again I might just have enough transport that I shouldn't have to worry about getting stranded again. Or maybe I should get the delta going too.....

 

Rarely.

No.

Now: Quit looking for ghosts, and follow the above advice.

Norm

 

So I should just get the gaskets start it up and see what happens? I mean the gaskets are cheap enough that I could probably handle it. I talked to someone who thinks they may have an extra set sitting around. Some one told me I ought to jump it and see how well it turns now that the hydro lock has drained. could that be damaging?

 

Please re-read my earlier post.
Water can crack cylinders, and wipe bearings.
BTW---RUST
Good luck
Jim in Phx.

 

No, head gaskets are not a big problem with Olds. The previous owner may have had a bad habit of letting it overheat, not maintaining it, and beating on it.