Questions and Answers

Mercury Cougar Blows A Gasket Q. Hello Mr. Ciulla, I have a 1993 Mercury Cougar 3.8 liter V-6 with automatic transmission. It has 102,000 miles with fuel injection. I had my spark plugs and wires changed but noticed car was skipping afterwards. Before I could make it home car overheated. Made it to AutoZone where antifreeze was put in but car cranked and cut right back off.

AutoZone said may have blown head gasket. Could this be the problem? How much will this possibly cost? If not blown head gasket, what could have caused car to overheat? The gauge was completely to the end of hot range.

A. It probably is a blown head gasket. The symptoms would seem to confirm this. I suggest having a shop do a compression test to be sure.

As for the cost, you can figure on about 10 hours labor, about $100.00 to $150.00 for a gasket set and fluids. Somewhere between $850.. to $950.00 for the complete job.