Hi everyone,

I have a 2010 Ford Fiesta, and unfortunately, it seems like the head gasket has failed due to overheating.

I am exploring options to either get the head gasket replaced or potentially swap in a used, working engine—whichever is more cost-effective and reliable.

Could anyone please guide me on what kind of cost I should expect for either of these repairs?

Also, is it generally a good idea to go ahead with this repair, or would it be better to consider other options?

If you know of any trusted garage or mechanic who can do the work at a reasonable price, I would appreciate it if you could share their contact details.

I am in a tough spot right now as I don’t have another car, and commuting to work and getting around with kids is proving very difficult. I

It would be great if I could get any help or advice to get this fixed as soon as possible.

Thanks so much in advance!

It would've really, really helped us if you'd told us what the engine was????

1 hour ago, DaveT70 said:

It would've really, really helped us if you'd told us what the engine was????

Quote

 

Sorry the engine size is 1.25 Engine CC: 1242

Hi,

If the engine overheated badly then the head could be warped or cracked by now.  That would need a lot more work than just a new gasket fitted.

For this particular engine, I'd probably look for a good used one.

Should cost around £500 to buy and most will come with some warranty.  I would recommend having the timing belt replaced before fitting, as well as oil and filter.  That's another £200 or so.  Rough estimate of 6 hours labour at £80/h is another £480.  So looking at just over £1000 for a good used engine to be fully fitted and serviced.

If your engine is still good, and it only needs a new head gasket (plus timing belt and a few other bits) then you're probably looking at about £600 all in for repair.  Unfortunately there's no way to tell whether the engine is ok until you remove the head, which will cost you around an hours labour just to confirm the fault. 

There's no right or wrong way to go here.  Either way you have to take a bit of a risk and obviously it's not going to be cheap whatever happens. 

It might even be worth seeing if you could buy another car locally for not much more than £1000, which saves all the hassle of dealing with garages etc.