Timing gasket failure - common?

[ByteMe]

Mine failed about a week ago, dumping the coolant into the oil. The car has about 11,000 miles on it. How common is this? It seems like a critical failure for such a low mileage car. It's been fixed by a great mechanic out here in the Seattle area. He even had a guy trailer it to his garage the same day it failed - at 6PM!

 

[Steve-Indy]

I know of several...oddly, mostly 1998's

 

[ROCKET62]

Guess I was lucky with my timing cover gasket failure on my 93 Viper at 7500 miles as it "just" caused a nasty oil leak.

 

[Ron]

Most cause an external leak only. Sadly, fairly typical.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

The very first problem I experienced on my 98.

 

[PDCjonny]

Count me in. Bought my '98 with 9K miles on it, and first day I got it home noticed a little oil spot. (Wish I had seen it at the dealer). It was the timing chain cover gasket which Chuck T took care of. What did they do, use a different gasket material that year? This is very strange. Chuck Tator knew all about it, he guessed that was it over the phone and he was right as always.