Header Background Image

Quickly find and book Head Gasket Repairs in Maidstone

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

Excellent

5,903 reviews on

Don't know your vehicle registration?
Head Gasket Inspection

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

Excellent

5,903 reviews on

happy man using his phone

16,883,639 happy drivers can’t be wrong.

“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 Maidstone (4 found)

Malling Repair Service Logo
Malling Repair Service
34-38 Foster St, Maidstone, ME15 6NH
212 Reviews
Quality workmanship at fair pricesReliable, Friendly garageCertified automotive service experts

Loan Car

Collect & Deliver

Customer Drop-off

Visual Inspection FROM £0

We are a team of dedicated and certified automotive service experts. For many years we are delivering top-quality repairs and replacement services. Our customer-centric approach and enthusiasm in automobiles drive us to provide the best products and services for almost all car segments. Over the yea...

AN Tyres & Company Ltd Logo
AN Tyres & Company Ltd
Square Hill Rd, Maidstone, ME15 7TL
71 Reviews

Loan Car

Collect & Deliver

Customer Drop-off

Visual Inspection FROM £0

,

HiQ Tyres & Autocare Maidstone Logo
HiQ Tyres & Autocare Maidstone
Unit C, Hart Street Commercial Centre, Hart St, Maidstone, ME16 8RF
13 Reviews

Loan Car

Collect & Deliver

Customer Drop-off

Visual Inspection FROM £0

At HiQ Maidstone we offer a complete range of car care services including: tyres, MOTs, wheel alignment, servicing, brakes, air conditioning. We specialise in TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems), head light mapping, steering joint and clutch replacement, as well as offering a number of free veh...

Elite Garages Maidstone Logo
Elite Garages Maidstone
165 Upper Stone St,, Maidstone, ME15 6HJ
35 Reviews

Loan Car

Collect & Deliver

Customer Drop-off

Visual Inspection FROM £0

Elite Garages are one of the South’s leading independent tyre, MOT and car service operators with a turnover in excess of £53 million and around 240 employees. Elite Garages is a family-run company covering the whole of the South and South East of England. The company recently celebrated 50 years ...

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?

You may live within walking distance of a garage which offers most of the services you need. However, by sticking with the nearest garage in Maidstone you could be missing out on a better deal. What if a garage with a collection / drop off service or courtesy car could do the same job at a good price, without the inconvenience of losing your car for the duration of the repair? BookMyGarage allows you to search for local garages which offer this facility, and compare their prices, all in one session.

Book Online Today!

Don't know your vehicle registration?
Head Gasket Inspection