A few common-sense preventative measures can keep you from ever paying to replace your blown Lincoln head gasket. If you feel constant misfires in your engine, get a tune-up right away. A tune-up will normally clear up the problem of detonations and preignition episodes, which is what you are probably feeling during the misfires. Detonations and preignition episodes are caused by poor timing in the combustion cycles, which result in combustion explosions. These conditions can create so much heat in the engine that the gasket is damaged. Other preventative measures include replacing your fuel and air filters regularly. When adding coolant, use the right type and mixture of coolant. You can prevent an engine overheating episode by those measures; overheating is the biggest cause of a broken or 'blown' Lincoln head gasket. The metal in the cylinder head will warp and the gasket will be "blown." So, if you have a blown head gasket, you will also have to inspect your head for damage, and resurface it if the heat has warped the surface. The goal is to prevent any gaps between the gasket and the head and block, which will break the seal. The gasket will also suffer from friction because of the tremendous pressures it withstands; that friction will shorten the lifespan of the gasket. Taking these few extra steps will help prevent future failures in your head gasket, and reduce the risk of engine damage to your Lincoln.