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Quickly find and book Head Gasket Repairs in Andover

Looking for a garage to fix your Head Gasket Repairs in Andover?

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Head Gasket Inspection

Looking for a garage to fix your Head Gasket Repairs in Andover?

Excellent

5,903 reviews on

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“I’m always on the go, so booking my MOT on my phone was really useful.
I compared garages, picked the best one for me and even saved money, all whilst waiting for my morning coffee!”

4.6/5 based on over 5903 Trustpilot reviews*
* Based on Trustpilot: our average rating 4.6/5 from 5,903 reviews.

Top Garages for Visual Inspection in Andover (6 found)

Harewood Garage Andover Logo
Harewood Garage Andover
Andover Down, Andover, SP11 6LQ
268 Reviews
We are a Family companyTrading for over forty years

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Harewood Garage Andover is an independent and professionally run garage offering a wide range of motor vehicle services based at Andover Down in Andover, Hampshire. As leading and experienced car mechanics in Andover, we offer a personal and friendly service to all our customers. We are a Family co...

Andover MOT & Servicing Ltd T/A Broadway Garage Logo
Andover MOT & Servicing Ltd T/A Broadway Garage
Broadway Garage, Suffolk Road, Andover, SP10 2JF
312 Reviews

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We are one of the busiest independent garages in Andover, and just two minutes walk from Andover town centre. The key to our success is our determination to offer good value coupled with an excellent, personal service from our highly trained technicians. We offer: MOTs and repairs, Car servicing,...

Portway MOT Centre Logo
Portway MOT Centre
Unit 1 Brunel Gate, West Portway Business Park, Andover, SP10 3SL
274 Reviews
Family-owned vehicle repair workshopEstablished in January 2006

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Portway MOT Centre is a family-owned vehicle repair workshop established in January 2006. We offer top quality repair services for motorcycles, cars and other vehicles across Andover. We also offer a free collection and delivery service as well as a free courtesy car if required conditions apply.

Wiltshire Tyre and Autocentre (Andover) Logo
Wiltshire Tyre and Autocentre (Andover)
Weyhill Road, Andover, SP11 0PH
13 Reviews

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Customers come to us for a car service because we’re the car experts. We know autocare inside out, and our friendly team will keep your vehicle running all year round. Your MOT and full service are carried out by a team of professionals who have extensive knowledge of all types of vehicles. We carry...

Multi Service Centre - Andover Logo
Multi Service Centre - Andover
Shamrock Works,, Faberstown,, Andover, SP11 9PE
9 Reviews

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Welcome to Multi Service Centre. We are a family run business, with a great team of very knowledgeable technicians. We are very skilled in all aspects of the trade, whether that be; general repairs, servicing, clutches, add blue faults, timing belts/ chains, engines, welding or recovery.. We pride ...

The Brake Shop Logo
The Brake Shop
The Broadway, Suffolk Road, Andover, SP10 2JF
13 Reviews
Specialist DPF CleanersExperienced Brake work provided

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Local brake specialists with experience in Pipe fabrication, Brake diagnostics and Brake Skimming we also have specialised equipment with fully trained staff to enable us to do a thorough DPF Clean.

What is a head gasket?

The head gasket in your car separates the oil and the coolant in the engine. As its name suggests, it is a gasket, which is located between the cylinder head and the engine block - in the car’s engine. Its main function is to seal the cylinders to ensure the highest compression possible and separates the oil and water; oil to lubricate the engine and water to cool the engine. The head gasket also ensures that the whole internal combustion process is contained within the engine.

Why is a head gasket important?

The head gasket is a critical sealing component of your vehicle's engine. Any potential problem with your head gasket should be dealt with immediately as it can lead to more severe issues developing, which if ignored will increase the cost of your repairs. Once a head gasket is blown, it can cause further damage to your vehicle's engine such as leaks, loss of water, decreased fuel efficiency and overheating. The longer you drive with a blown head gasket, the more damage it will cause to your engine. In the worst cases scenario, if left for a long time you could be looking at a complete engine replacement. That's why you must book a head gasket repair promptly if you notice any of the following warning signs.

What causes head gasket problems?

The head gasket is a very important part of an engine. It can fail due to the engine overheating so it’s always important that you check your coolant level regularly (when the car has cooled down). If you are having to top up your coolant regularly and you can see no water leaks on the ground, then this is a sign that you have a head gasket problem and you should have this checked out as soon as possible. One of the main causes of a damaged head gasket is extremely high engine temperature, and an overheating engine temperature is often caused by a coolant leak. There could be other reasons behind a head gasket failure, including; incorrect coolant inhibitor, the cooling system not working efficiently causing hotspots between the centre cylinders, and pre-ignition problems.

How do you know if you have blown a head gasket?

Warning bells should be ringing if:

  • your car's coolant level warning light is on (if the car has one),
  • on checking coolant (when the engine is cold) - the level is very low, or if your engine is showing a very high temperature on the coolant temperature gauge (if fitted)
  • your vehicle is not running smoothly, or you see light coloured smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe or white discoloured oil on the engine oil level dipstick
These could all be signs of a blown head gasket and should be promptly seen to by a mechanic.

 

Can you drive your car with a blown head gasket?

If you suspect that your car has a blown head gasket, do not try to drive it and have it seen to by a mechanic promptly. They may need to have your car towed to their garage to diagnose the issue and either repair or replace the part(s).

How much does it cost to replace a head gasket?

Repairing and replacing a head gasket often requires:

  • A new gasket kit and replacement bolts.
  • Testing and flattening the cylinder head.
  • Replacement of oil filter, oil and ant-freeze.

 

Head gasket repairs will require the engine cylinder head being removed from the engine block as the gasket sits between these two components. The cylinder head may need to be resurfaced and new bolts will need to be fitted as they can stretch. The work will also involve changing the engine oil and coolant, and all water hoses will be checked at the same time.

If the cylinder head is cracked, it can sometimes be repaired by first being pressure-tested to detect any cracking or warping, which are the results of the high temperatures in which it operates, then being skimmed flat to return it to its proper shape.

As soon as you suspect that you may have a blown head gasket, you should get booked into a garage to have it replaced. The parts and labour costs will vary depending on the garage that you choose to take your car to. All of the above work will probably take a mechanic roughly six hours (depending on the severity) and you have to take this labour into consideration on top of the parts required. Each garage has its own hourly rate and if you enter your vehicle registration number and post code at the top of this page, you’ll be able to compare the labour rates, reviews, distance, and more from all of the top garages in your local area. This allows you to choose a garage that you can trust for a rough price point that is suitable for you.

What do you need from your garage?

We all have different needs, and choosing a garage is no different. For some of us, it’s the quality of the overall service which matters most; not just the work that’s done under the bonnet, but the human interaction that comes with it. BookMyGarage allows you to compare Andover garages on everything from their waiting room refreshments or whether having your toddler in tow is going to be a problem, to how clearly the staff can explain the work your car requires.

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Head Gasket Inspection