I have a feeling something is possibly wrong with a head gasket or something else. first off my car puts out what I thought was just condensation vapor but It does it in the winter and also since warmer weather it still does it, next is sometimes I can smell coolant every once in a while when standing beside the car when its warm and I can't find a leak anywhere and doesn't seem to be losing coolant from the tank, also it seems the coolant tank has a lot of pressure because I don't drive the car very much but when I do I can take the rad cap off like 2 days later and its still holding some pressure. the car has never been hot in the 6 months that I have owned it and it usually runs around 150 but if i'm in traffic it will go up to 201 and the fans kick on and it cools down. my main concern is the exhaust vapor and the pressure holding so long in the tank and also it seems that sometimes when I first start it I can smell a hint of coolant but its hard to tell since the car has no cats and it puts out a lot of exhaust fumes, Any suggestions?
Possible head gasket problems
- Thread starter dmaxxx
- Start date
Hows your intercooler fluid level? Pressure in the expansion tank is normal.
the intercooler fluid is full I knew the expansion tank had pressure but didn't realize it would hold it for long periods of time since it doesn't in my truck.
so if I see bubbles its absolutely a head gasket and can't be anything else, it seems like I seen some small bubbles in the tank once before but i'm going to check it again tonight and make sure. Should the car be over heating or losing coolant if the gasket is blown?
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You can by a test kit at your local auto parts store to test for hydrocarbons in your coolant. This will tell you if my your getting exhaust gases into the cooling system. If your that worried also am compression and leak down test can be done. You can pull your plugs and looks for any plugs with white crystallization on the tip. If the leak is bad enough it will show on your plugs. Also depending on the size of the leak, if you even have one, the top of your piston will be shiny in the leaking cylinder. When the coolant and water mixture are heated they act as a steam cleaner to the top of the piston. I'm hoping its nothing! GL!
Sorry typing on my iPad mini sucks!
well it appears to be a head gasket, i pulled the plugs and noticed on the drivers side next to the last, the plug threads were kind of rusty looking and when i shined a flashlight down the hole i could see what appeared to be green coolant standing on top of the piston, So now i would try this on my own cause on my old fox body i did a rebuild on it myself but this engine seems to be far more complicated. What should i expect a good shop to charge for this job?
everything out the door i wouldnt be surprised at the 2k range?
That's sucks man, GL with your repairs! If you decide to do it yourself, there a bunch of guys here who have done it and have a lot of great info to share!
Thats terrible, i feel you're pain. And yes if you see bubbles in you're tank while the car is running its the combustion going through you're coolant system. It shouldn't bubble but just flow smoothly. I had my head gasket go last year. Do yourself the favor if you're on budget at least get mls gaskets and studs along with new pistons and rings. And as for labour prices be prepared for 3500-5g depending on shop rate. Its book rate is 20-25 hour job. Does it take that long? I cant say for sure but i doubt it. But hey shops need to make money too!
Does anyone know of a good place to take it too in Tn?
That's what my car in or was doing.... If it's heads gaskets I am really in trouble...... I can hear pressure coming from under my cap and I burped the system... My car only has 46000 miles I really hope it's not head gaskets...
Not real far from Kurgan: http://www.kurganmotorsports.com/site/index.php
I would expect head damage before head gasket. .
I have had 3 different problems on driver side..
as to cost...doing the job myself...1500 to replace head with new..
paid 1111.00 for head than bolts gaskets oil and coolant made up the rest..
my last head cracked in cyl 7 ...took head to machine shop..it was found with a pressure test..
it was repairable but I had cyl 6 fixed from valve seat dropping and cracking between valves. ..that repair was 350..I couldnt see the risk again so decided on new
I have had 3 different problems on driver side..
as to cost...doing the job myself...1500 to replace head with new..
paid 1111.00 for head than bolts gaskets oil and coolant made up the rest..
my last head cracked in cyl 7 ...took head to machine shop..it was found with a pressure test..
it was repairable but I had cyl 6 fixed from valve seat dropping and cracking between valves. ..that repair was 350..I couldnt see the risk again so decided on new
I believe mine is #7 also its on the driver side 2nd from the firewall, I have not had any coolant mixing with oil and it doesn't get hot at all I just noticed some smoke, the expansion tank smelled of exhaust and I thought I could smell coolant on start up.The shop I talked to quoted me 23 for the job if there is nothing else wrong with head or bottom end
I done a compression test and it came out #1 158 #3 165 #4 149 #5 165 #6 150 #7 140 #8 175 and the number 2 I couldn't get the compression gauge threaded in right to get an accurate reading my problem is at number 7 and not sure why the #4 is down. what do you guys think?
http://www.svtperformance.com/forum...ter-blown-head-gasket&p=14130145#post14130145
look at this resent thread..last couple replys have pic..
his is cracked..
I had 140 also...
how did you test? Engine hot or cold?
Throttle wide open?
Fuel pump fuse pulled?
4-5 complete revelations when cranking over?
look at this resent thread..last couple replys have pic..
his is cracked..
I had 140 also...
how did you test? Engine hot or cold?
Throttle wide open?
Fuel pump fuse pulled?
4-5 complete revelations when cranking over?
Mine did something strange ...I would not see smoke while running..but after you turn off car..wait 3 mins..white smoke would than flow from tail pipes..
I was loosing coolant but very slow..never overheated..
I did test. Got 140 on 7..
I than pulled mid pipe to find inside orange or rust colored
I was loosing coolant but very slow..never overheated..
I did test. Got 140 on 7..
I than pulled mid pipe to find inside orange or rust colored
I tested it at wide open throttle with engine warm and I tripped the red switch in the trunk before I did it and yes I turned it over 5 or 6 revelations
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