Head gaskets leaking externally in montanna 2001

Hi,
I'm afraid holding out will end up costing you more in the long term. For example - you will need to buy more oil or coolant as it escapes. Plus - if it overheats - that's a tow and possibly vehicle hire while it's fixed.

What you can save on is the cost of parts.
Look around online for a new gasket set. Make sure you get the right type for your engine number. There may even be improved versions if this is a common fault.
You can search on Ebay for one that perhaps is old stock or bought in error.

If you can do the work yourself - then do, otherwise - ask a local garage in mid-month as it gets busy towards the end of each month.

If it needs a Cambelt fairly soon - get this done at the same time to save overall labour costs - but buy it online.

Go to the parts store and find a product called Barr's Leak Head Gasket Repair.

Do not skip any steps. Follow it to the letter. I have be a master tech for 20 plus years, and I have been able to permanently repair over a dozen engines with this product. I even bought one after I fixed it and drove it over 8000 miles before selling it at a profit.

It will take two days, but as long as the car runs, you can fix it .

Hope this helps.

Get a bottle of Bars Beaded radiator pelets if there is a leak. Stuff works great. Make sure it is the pellet/beaded stuff and not anything else. And change the coolant and thermostat anyways sometime soon. Brown coolant can be bad for waterpump bearings.

You don't want to put off repairing this too long.You can blow the motor if you do.Then you will have to spend more money on a new motor.
The only solution that I can think of is to change the head gasket.If it's made out of paper,then you can get a gasket maker kit at your local parts store.But I think All head gaskets are made out of metal.