My sister has a 2002 Z24 with the ls sport body kit. her engine blew last year so a garage put in a junkyard motor in the car. now a year later the head gasket blew and is leaking coolant out of the rear drivers side of the motor. I was wondering what is involved with changing the head gasket on a 2.4l. a garage wants 1400 to change it.

Just take off the head and replace. That price may include machining to true out the head.

You will also need new head bolts and of coarse the new head set

Just get the head gasket set from any auto-parts place and also make sure you have a torque wrench and all the torque specs for each bolt. All seals and gaskets above the head should be replaced. The 2.4 Twin cam is NOT the easiest engine to just jump into and rebuild. It is a PITA to mess with if you don't know what you are doing and most mechanics will charge a lot to touch it because they know that. Good luck on whatever you do...

Like Freelancer1988 said: the 2.4 twin-overhead cam is not the easiest engine to work on. You should get the manual and take a good look at what you are getting into. You are going to have to lock those cams down, and take the timing chain loose. That means you are going to have to pull the motor support, and support the engine. Then put it back together in time. I would change the timing chain, water pump, and anything else you can get to, while you are in there.




The Cavalier is the '55 Chevy of your generation.

yeah we decided today we are done putting money into this car. its a 2002 z24124k 5 speed with the ls sport body kit. we are going to see what we will get for trade in on it. the car still runs fine and you can drive it. it wont over heat but it leaks while you are driving it. she started looking at newer cars

Well, it might also be the plastic coolant outlet as well. They are known to leak and in that area as well. It is a cheap part and not too hard to replace as well. I just wasnted to know how you figured it was a head gasket?

she brought it to a chevy dealer to have them fix the power window motor and the coolant light was on. so they looked into it and said the head gasket was leaking. we didn't believe but then the leak got worse. so she took it to the shop that put the junkyard motor in it and they told her it was the head gasket as well

It ain't to bad to do actually I've done a couple in a grandam with the 2.3 and 2.4 its not to bad but it is involved.if the rest of the cars in good shape and you plan on keeping it awhile fix it if you just want it to last for a few months get sone head gasket repair In a bottle.if its just leaking externally and you don't wana keep the car for awhile more that bottle stuff will fix it for awhile. Just a thought.

She is going to take it to one other shop and get a price from them. Her mom just wants her to run the car just till she is done with school so she wants her to fix it. My sister also said she likes the car so right now its up in the air with whats going on.

Maaaan, keep the car. Pretty awesome its a 5spd too.I need to find a good granny to switch into mine!

It is a 5 speed she liked the look of the car its a 2002 the dark blue color with the ls sport body kit. she tinted the windows painted her rims black has a intake for it. but the engines keep going on her. just need to know when the time to stop putting money into something that not worth it.

It's worth it to the right person. Try not to just junk it. At the very least, if you guys are for sure going to junk it, part it out here on jbo. People would buy the engine and transmission, and body kit, and pretty much everything from the car.

no we wouldn't send it to the junkyard. she wants to fix it because she likes it but shes tired of putting money into it. so if she can find a shop to do it for cheaper then 1400 she will fix it. if not then she wants a jeep wrangler.