Looking for opinions...

[tarrington2484]

I have a 2001 Chevrolet Crew Cab Duramax P/U that I have owned for the past 8 years. It now has 190,000 miles on it and until now has been flawless other than normal maintenance and repair items. It now has a head gasket leak that has been estimated at a little over $3,100 to repair. I am trying to decide if it would be worth it to fix the truck and keep it or get rid of it and buy something else. I do not need the diesel anymore but really like having it when I do pull the camper and such. I have considered changing to a suburban or yukon xl as either of these would pull the camper just fine. Cannot decide if I would rather put the money into a nice used vehicle or just stick with what I have and put the money into it. Wife and I haven't had a car payment in 4 years. Just trying to see what other diesel owners have experienced. I guess the real problem is that if I put the 3K into fixing it and then something else major goes wrong I will be putting out the better part of half the trucks value in repairs. I feel fairly confident that everything else is in good working order as I haven't been having any other problems as of yet.

[Al from Canada]

Well I know nothing about diesels but $3100. to fix a head gasket leak?

[m.t.hands]

i have an 01 dodge w/cummins and i am keeping it till the wheels fall off, i had to do a head gasket on mine and it was 1400 and change, my engine only has one head but 3100 sounds high to me...is this a dealer or a diesel shop???

my big thing, i'm not gonna make car payments, if i can't pay cash i'll do w/o

[Gambler Bob]

Get another estimate, for starters.

[C R]

I would look for a low mileage motor on E-Bay or somewhere, should be able to get one complete for $5K or so. Only a $K to have it installed.

[hunt22-250]

Pawn it off to some unsuspecting smuck and get a new one.

[BlaznbyU]

if you havent done this already with that many miles get ready for a tranny and a rear-end

[cougarcat22]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Gambler Bob Rourke &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Get another estimate, for starters.</td></tr></table>
^this

[tarrington2484]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Al from Canada &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Well I know nothing about diesels but $3100. to fix a head gasket leak? </td></tr></table>

I have checked with another well known diesel mechanic that is not affiliated with a dealership and his estimate was almost spot on with the dealership as well. They both stated it takes approx. 30 hours of labor to do both headgaskets plus machine both heads.

[m.t.hands]

wow 30 hours. mine was 8 hours and included parts...still don't know if i wouldn't keep the truck...after a year of 5-600 a month payments 3100 wouldn't seem so bad as far as other break-downs, i have 241K on my dodge, the only things i have had fail were a head gasket and a vp44 fuel pump..i have fixed both issues...fuel pressure gauge to eliminate the chance of "burning up a VP44" and had studs installed during head gasket replacement..

i have always heard about dodge transmissions, i have serviced mine on a regular basis and it still runs great, on wood you know your truck ...like i mentioned i'm running mine into the ground...besides it worth more to me than it is anybody else

[BMCD]

$3100 now is less then a new payment. Are they replacing any injectors while they are in there? My only suggestion is how long would you keep it if you fixed it? I wouldn't worry about the transmission or rear end. Unless you tow a lot and really heavy

[tarrington2484]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by BMCD &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">$3100 now is less then a new payment. Are they replacing any injectors while they are in there? My only suggestion is how long would you keep it if you fixed it? I wouldn't worry about the transmission or rear end. Unless you tow a lot and really heavy</td></tr></table>

They are not replacing the injectors. My truck had all 8 injectors replaced with the new style under warranty some time ago.

[billius]

Seems like a lot of money for a head gasket. But then I know nothing about diesel repairs, other than they are seemingly always expensive. If it were me, I'd look for another truck. Some like to keep putting money into an old high mileage vehicle, some, like me, don't do that. There are good arguments for both sides of that debate. I usually trade trucks at about 100k. I have a buddy who drives his until they just quit. He spends a ton of money on repairs, but doesn't have any truck payments either. Out of the last four trips from Alabama to Indiana and back, he has broken down twice. Had to spend a couple of nights twice and his repair bills for each break down were just over $2000.

[bigredglass]

Id fix it. The tranny in that truck still has a lot of life left in it. If I had the extra cash, Id make you an offer as is. Sold my 02 duramax last year and have been sick ever since.

[tllewis]

Tough call i know, but the estimate is spot on. Those are some great engines, but are a bear to do engine work on. Warranty time is 24 hours to do both heads. 35 hours customer pay @ 85.05 an hour comes to 2975.00 plus parts.

[Sigma]

Fix it and drive it. If you don't fix it your going to loose more than that trying to trade it in. Selling it with a bad head gasket and not telling the buyer would be wrong then they will want a big chunk knocked off the price.

If you like the power I would fix it.

[SSNCHIEF]

190,000 is nothing for a duramax. I think you may find a better price on the repair but I'd fix it and keep driving it. If you have doubts, go look at what a new one will cost and what your payments will be.

[NCsmallies]

I have owned four powerstokes and from my experience a diesel truck is nice and powerful but the truth is, to get that 400,000 miles out of it, you will spend thousands in repairs. After spending 5k on a diesel with 130,000 miles and then they'll me I need an injector pump and a high pressure oil pump...this ol boy will NEVER own another diesel.

[JerryT]

It would be a simple question for me..Fix the truck...You would spend triple that minimum to get something you would even be happy driving

If you decide to sell it...Shoot me a number on it

[NCsmallies]

A properly cared for gas burner can easily get 200 or 300,000 miles and repairs will not be a fraction compared to a diesel.