Head gasket replacement cost
A head gasket replacement typically costs £500–£1,000 at a UK independent garage on a common four-cylinder car, rising to £1,000–£1,500+ on bigger engines or where the head needs machining. The gasket itself is £30–£80. Everything else is labour.
Where the money goes
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Head gasket set | £40–£120 |
| New head bolts (stretch bolts, not reusable) | £20–£60 |
| Head pressure test and skim | £60–£150 |
| Labour (6–12 hours) | £350–£900 |
| Coolant, oil and filter to finish | £50–£100 |
Is it actually the head gasket?
Mayonnaise under the oil cap alone is not proof, short trips cause that too. The stronger signs together: losing coolant with no visible leak, white sweet-smelling exhaust smoke, bubbles in the expansion tank with the engine running, and overheating. A £30–£60 block test (sniff test) confirms combustion gases in the coolant before anyone commits to a big bill.
Repair or scrap?
The honest maths: on a car worth under £1,500, a £900 head gasket job rarely makes sense unless the car is otherwise excellent. On anything decent, a proper repair with a skimmed head is a permanent fix, not a patch.
A warning on sealants
Bottle sealants can buy weeks on a dying car you plan to move on, but they clog heater matrixes and radiators. Do not pour one into a car you intend to keep.
Common questions
How long does a head gasket job take?
Usually 1 to 3 days at a garage, because the head goes to a machine shop for pressure testing and skimming between removal and refitting.
Can I drive with a blown head gasket?
You risk warping the head or writing off the engine with every heat cycle. If you must move it, keep trips very short and watch the temperature, but really it should go on a trailer.
Why did my quote come in higher than the typical range?
Common reasons: the head is cracked and needs replacing rather than skimming, the engine is a bigger or harder layout (V6, boxer), or corroded manifold and exhaust bolts added hours.
Does a head gasket failure mean the engine is worn out?
No. On many engines it is a known weak point rather than a sign of general wear. Done properly with a skimmed head, the repair outlasts the rest of the car.