A guy pulled into the Ridley's lot here in Jerome last summer with steam rolling out from under the hood of his 6.0 Power Stroke. The temp gauge was buried, the coolant tank was low, and he could smell it cooking. He got it shut off before it got worse and had it towed to us. The head gasket had let go and the heads had lifted. That is the kind of diesel head gasket repair in Jerome we do all the time — find out what failed, fix it once, and put ARP head studs in so it stays sealed.
A blown head gasket is a big deal, but it is fixable. The trick is doing it right the first time. On a diesel that makes boost, the head wants to lift off the block under pressure. If you just slap a new gasket in and bolt it back down with the old factory bolts, it can blow again. That is why we stud it. Below is what the job is, how to tell you need it, and what to expect.
Diesel Head Gasket Repair
The head gasket sits between the cylinder head and the engine block. Its job is to seal in the burning fuel, the oil, and the coolant, and keep all three apart. When it fails, those start to mix or leak past, and the engine overheats. To fix it we pull the head off, send it out to be checked and machined flat, clean everything up, and set a new gasket. We also look at what made it fail in the first place — a bad cooler, a stuck thermostat, or a truck that got run hot — so we are not fixing the same thing twice.
ARP Head Stud Installation
Here is the part that matters most. The factory head bolts stretch a little every time they tighten down, and on a diesel under boost they let the head lift just enough to push the gasket out. ARP head studs are stronger and they clamp the head down harder and hold it there. They do not stretch like the stock bolts do. When we have the head off, putting ARP studs in is the cheapest insurance you can buy, because it keeps the head planted so the gasket stays sealed. On a 6.0 Power Stroke we put studs in every time — it is the whole reason these jobs hold up.
Signs of a Blown Head Gasket
Most folks roll in describing the same handful of things. Any one of these is worth a look right away:
- Overheating, or a temp gauge that climbs fast under load
- White smoke out the tailpipe, often with a sweet smell
- Coolant going low with no puddle on the ground
- Bubbles in the coolant tank when the engine runs
- Oil that looks milky, or coolant that looks oily
- The truck losing power and running rough
If you see overheating or bubbles, shut it off and call. Driving a diesel with a blown head gasket can warp the head or crack something, and that turns a fixable job into a much bigger one.
6.0 Power Stroke, Cummins & Duramax
We see all three in the bay. The 6.0 Power Stroke is the one known for this — the factory bolts on a 6.0 just are not enough to hold the head down once you ask the truck to work, so they lift and blow gaskets. The fix is studs, every time. Cummins and Duramax trucks blow head gaskets too, usually after a hard overheat or once they are tuned and towing heavy. No matter the engine, the answer is the same: machine the head flat, new gaskets, and ARP studs so it does not come back.
What to expect: time and cost
Magic Valley diesels work hard. Farm and dairy trucks tow heavy, run hot on a summer day, and rack up the hours, and that is what cooks a head gasket out here. Here is how a visit goes. We diagnose first to make sure the head gasket is really the problem and not just a leaking hose or a bad water pump. Once we have the answer, we hand you a written price before we touch the teardown, so there are no surprises. This is a multi-day job because the head comes off and usually goes out to be machined. If we find a cracked head or a hurt cylinder once we are in there, you get a call first.
Head gasket and stud work ties into the rest of the diesel repair we do, and into our wider engine repair work. If the truck has been run hot or has other trouble, we will look at the whole picture and give it to you straight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the signs of a blown head gasket?
Watch for overheating, white smoke out the tailpipe, coolant going missing with no leak on the ground, and bubbles in the coolant tank. You might also see oil and coolant mixing. If you see any of these, stop driving it and call us before it gets worse.
Why use ARP head studs instead of the factory bolts?
The stock head bolts stretch and let the head lift when the engine makes boost. ARP head studs clamp the head down a lot harder and hold it there, so the gasket stays sealed. On a 6.0 Power Stroke especially, studs are the part that keeps the job from coming back.
How long does head gasket and head stud work take?
This is a big job. We pull a lot of parts off the front of the engine to get the head off, and the head usually goes out to be checked and machined flat. Plan on several days, sometimes longer if the head needs work or parts are slow to come in.
How much does diesel head gasket repair cost?
It depends on the engine and what we find once the head is off. A clean job costs less than one where the head is warped or a cylinder is damaged. We diagnose first and hand you a written price before we start the teardown, so you know the number going in.
Will the head gasket blow again after the repair?
Done right with ARP studs and a machined head, it should hold for the long haul. The studs are the key — they keep the head from lifting under boost, which is what kills the gasket in the first place. We also fix whatever made it overheat so it does not happen twice.
Which diesel engines do you do head gaskets and studs on?
All the common ones — 6.0 and 6.4 Power Stroke, 5.9 and 6.7 Cummins, and LB7 through L5P Duramax. The 6.0 Power Stroke is the one we see most for this job because it is known for lifting heads.
Ready to get on the schedule?
Call us, book online, or stop by the shop in Jerome.
