97 a4 1.8.....when the car starts it idles rough for a minute or so then it goes away. when i accelerate i.e. on ramp....it runs rough. The dealer said the head gasket was leaking. but the oil looks clean. they gave me an estimate of 1,900$. does anyone have opinions on other possible problems. The dealer said it was misfiring beacause of the gasket. it has a 150k on it.

 

My 2.8 would start then die or idle rough, did you check your plugs? When I checked mine, they were pitch black.

 

Diagnose the misfire first. It can be the cause for roughness. Get the codes and see which cylinders are missing and go from there. After you rule out all the things that cause a misfire like the icm, coil packs, and plugs, then consider the head gasket. Has the engine ever overheated that you know of?

 

i bought the car used about 7 months ago and I have no idea if it has ever been driven while overheated.