I read the FAQs section on headgasket failure. I'm curious if there's a pattern in terms of mileage and vehicle age for headgaskets blowing. Does living in a colder environment make blowing a headgasket more likely? How about having a turbo?

I replaced mine when I bought my 1980 242 DL with 260K when the headgasket blew (oil in coolant and vice versa). Prior owner probably ignored an overheat due to low coolant levels.

Seems like there have been several posts over the last 6 months from people with late 70s - early 80s 240s with head gasket replacements. Maybe there's an age effect. I replaced the head gasket on my 1980 245DL B21F this spring at 272k. Admittedly the coolant system was neglected - neither I nor my parents (original owners) bothered flushing the coolant as regular maintenance - but the car was never overheated.

Zack
1980 245DL M46 274k
1988 745T+ M46 196k

I've only replaced one head gasget and that was due to overheating. Head gasget replacement falls more into the "repair" catagory rather than "maintenance"

Skip
'93 850GLT
'83 242TI Flathood

304,000 miles so far. Never touched the head. But I do change the antifreeze every two years and use a good anti-corrosion type.

There are two types of headgasket failure that I have seen on these engines. The electrolysis kind, as mentioned, that eats away the sealing surface of the head, and the expansion and contraction of the head as it heat cylces. This can take place slowly over time by just driving the car, or quickly if it is allowed to overheat.
I have replaced gaskets for one of the former, and plenty of the latter. After about 250k kilometers it seems the gaskets are on borrowed time, but many go further.
I have seen a few cracked heads too.

Hi Rhys,

Did mine last Jan at 230K I think... it all started that week with the -50 degree winds parked 14 hours outside.... then collant was slowly entering the crankcase....

Good since then after I re-did it with the elring kit.

Greg
Ottawa - Canada

P.S. Remember I bought the virgos from you . They have been put to good use and the car has looked great since then.
Regarding the vibrations though... I have now noticed that three of the four tires have flat spots - not a balance issue. I had bought new C.Tire Predators... I hate them, never again. anyhow just 1.5 years later they are almost bald- I drive a lot. So new ones coming next spring.
The Michelin Xones were soooooo much better it's not funny...

I think a big factor for if and when a head gasket goes is if the car has been sitting for a long period of its life, and if the coolant has been neglected. I recently had to replace the gasket on my 1980 with only 145K. Upon talking to my mechanic, he showed me the bottom of the head itself and how the collant tubes had been enlarged and eaten away so much that they actually broke into the cylinder chamber. Aparently this is common in cars whose coolant hasn't been changed regularly because the anti-freeze will turn acidic and begin to eat away at the aluminum of the head. In my case, low mileage didn't save me. Recommendation was to change the coolant every 30K, and to always use distilled water with antifreeze. Aparently minerals in tap water can also cause damage over time.

So in the end, if you have a car that is 24 years old like ours, its probably a safe bet you'll have to look at the had gasket in one form or the other. Either because the car was taken care of and has high mileage with a naturally worn out gasket, or the car is low mileage and therefore had to sit for an extended period of time and gotten eaten away in that maner.

Jason

1980 245 B21F M46