See an indicative UK head gasket replacement cost and why diagnosis and cylinder-head condition can change the final bill significantly.
£822–£1,152
AutoAid reference: parts £120–£450, around 9 labour hours, using the built-in UK labour reference of £78/hour.
This is a broad sense-check, not a live quote. Vehicle or motorcycle specification, location, parts quality, corrosion and access can materially change the total.
Head gasket work is labour-intensive because the cylinder head usually has to be removed. The final price can rise if the head needs machining, bolts are single-use, timing components are disturbed or overheating has caused additional damage.
Accessing the gasket can involve removing intake, exhaust, timing and cooling components before the cylinder head can come off. The engine then has to be reassembled and timed correctly.
Coolant loss, overheating, white vapour or contaminated fluids can have other causes. Cooling-system pressure testing, combustion-gas testing and other checks can help avoid an expensive strip-down based on symptoms alone.
Cylinder-head machining, damaged threads, new head bolts, timing parts, water pumps, fluids and repairs caused by severe overheating can all push the final total above a basic gasket replacement.
Put the quote into AutoAid and compare it with the relevant job benchmark and regional labour reference.
Check my garage quoteSee all repair cost guides →Repair figures are indicative AutoAid UK reference ranges, not quotations. Exact specification, diagnosis, parts and local labour rates can change the final cost.