A little background. I've driven this car for the past few years (Since 2001-2002). I got it with around 70k miles. Its a 1995 C280. I had a problem with the thermostat !110k miles and it results in blowing out the head gasket. I proceed to have the thermostat fixed and the head gasket replaced. The head gasket replacement included some valve work, an entire set of gaskets, had the head taken out and sent to a shop and finally I think had block ground down to make it all nice and smooth (I'm not sure on my terminology, someone can correct me if I am wrong). New bolts were put on and all. Anyway, I found the other day that my car is making smoke and its coming from a corner of the block. The engine has blown out a part of the head gasket and I'm losing a little bit of oil. Its a rather stinky problem but isn't serious to the running of the car. I'm sure it will deteriorate over time. My mileage now is ~139k. I've been told that a replacement head in my situation typically last 60k-70k. Is this accurate? Do heads **** out like this on the little 6 cylinders? Any advice?

Currently the estimated repair is $2500. They may work with me since they put the head gasket on originally. It is over 50% of the KBB of the car, so I'm not sure where to go from here. Suggestions?

 

I had a similar problem with a VW GTI. Had a shop replace the head gasket and it was never right afterward after only a few thousand miles. I think my problem was two fold. 1.) the repair shope wasn't very competent, I had to bring them my Bentley Manual so they could set the timing. 2.) I had driven the vehicle for several thousand miles with intermittent overheating at times over almost a year before I had the head gasket replacement. They had head work done on the vehicle like you. One thing I didn't do and knew I should have is retorqued the head bolts a few hundred miles after the repair. With my new Merc sitting in the garage it wasn't a priority.

 

I have a '95 C280 also and unknowingly purchased it with a leaky head gasket at 83k. The seller replaced the head gasket, but did an extremely poor job. First of all, there is a new(er) reinforced head gasket for that vehicle which they did not install. Secondly, they did not replace the head bolts with a proper replacement, but replaced them with regular bolts that they cut to size and put in washers to make up the slack. Unbelievable huh? Needless to say, it leaked after <10k. I then went to a qualified mechanic which told me (and showed) me their shotty workmanship. It cost me $2400 including some new ignition wires and a few other small things, but he says it shouldn't leak again. Perhaps you have the non-reinforced head gasket and along with shotty installation, you can bet it's going to leak eventually. I wish I could tell you what to do. If it happens again on my car, it's gone!! Good luck.