re: blown head gasket

["Dan Cooke Cooke@cs.lmco.com" <COOKE@taurus.cs.lmco.com>]

>
>> Any other tests I should do first before I tear it apart?
>
>Check bank balance and credit card limits.

  If the head is not warped, then petty cash for a do-it-yourselfer.

> 
>> What are the chances the head's warped?
>
>Pretty damn good, I would say.  Perhaps even the block.  John Coughtrie ran his 
>car with a coolant leak into #5 for a very few miles and had almost no 
>compression in that cylinder thereafter.
>

 On the other hand, my 4kcsq blew a head gasket (radiator leak).  Coolant
gauge pegged the high end for a few miles as well.  I pulled over before the
engine siezed.  Once I had the head off, I had an Audi mechanic friend come
over to look the head over for warpage.  Bought a gasket kit from IPC and
haven't had a problem in over 60K miles.

Dan Cooke
86 4kcsq
90 90q20v