Dear Tom and Ray:

I am currently stationed on Suwon R.O.K. Airbase, Korea. I purchased a beater, or "hoopdee," as many of us in the military do. It ran great for two and a half months, until a lieutenant borrowed my car. When he returned, it ran on only two cylinders. I immediately changed the spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, all to no avail. The car does not overheat, so I did not suspect a blown head gasket. All the spark plugs fire, but it still runs only on cylinders number one and four. I drove it to Osan Airbase car care center, and they say that it needs a head and valve job. The car is a 1986 Chrysler LeBaron turbo. Please give me some advice. -- Dan (Captain, U.S. Army)

Ray: I advise you not to lend your car to any more of those lowly lieutenants, Dan.

Tom: When you have two adjacent cylinders (two and three) that aren't firing, that almost always means that the head gasket has blown between those two cylinders. That's a classic symptom.

Ray: So you probably need a head gasket, and you need to have the head machined. And that's not cheap. How much is it?

Tom: Well, it depends. Are you paying in South Korean won or U.S. dollars?

Ray: In U.S .dollars, it could cost you between $500 and $1,000 retail.

Tom: But you don't have to pay retail, Dan. Remember, you're a captain! So I'd pull rank on the guy who borrowed your car. Tell Lieutenant Leadfoot that once he finishes latrine duty, he can start practicing his head-gasket-changing skills ..." on that '86 LeBaron, soldier!"

In their pamphlet "Should I Buy, Lease, or Steal My Next Car?" Tom and Ray break down the strategies for buying a car, so you can make the most of your money. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1998 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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