Blown intake or head gasket?

[gonzoflick]

Changed my radiator a couple weeks ago because the old one was busted.

Car was running fine for a while but now I get the smell of burning coolant as I exit. The past couple of days I have been getting steam coming from the hood. Its strange because normally when I have lost coolant it was because my radiator was cracked, but my radiator now appears to be full of water.

I look at the intake manifolds and there is a small collection of water in the dip in the metal (its above the heads).

I'm guessing either a intake gasket leak or a head gasket leak. Im hoping the first one here.

What do you all think. Im going to do a compression test tommorow. Any BTW whats the deal with people saying the test only takes 15 minutes? I thought you had to remove the spark plugs one at a time to do the test. This for me takes a lot longer than 15 minutes.

Anyways how hard are the intake manifolds gaskets to change? I am pretty good with my engine and have a lot of tools but havent ever removed them or the heads.

As always any advice is appreciated as I need to take a trip this weekend and I cant drive my baby knowing she might blow up on the way :)

[CDNFB]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

I would monitor the situation a bit longer.

Check the "water" collected on the intake manifolds. Is it water, or is it coolant? If it's water you could be leaking water in from the hood/cowl seal (common problem).

Mop up the intake manifolds, and any traces of coolant that could be on the engine (maybe some got spilled when you were doing the rad). Then when using the car, keep checking to see if the coolant collection returns.

If it does, it is most definite that the intake manifold gaskets are toast! It's a very common problem.

Also make sure that the areas around where the radiator sits is dry because any spilled coolant (from when you changed the radiator) that is puddled around the base of the rad will give you that coolant smell when the rad gets hot.

When I changed my thermostat bypass elbow, the coolant smell didn't go away for quite a long time. Even though I cleaned up a lot of it, but some places you just can't get too, and when bleeding the system of air the coolant spilled into other areas. Next time I do that I'll flush the area with clean water to wash away the leaked/bleed coolant.

[Choppers]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

well sounds to me like intake gaskets. Do you have to add water or coolant? Have you checked your oil? Have you overheated the car?

My car did the same thing when my intake gaskets failed.

[gonzoflick]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

strange because my temp never seems to rise above 210. Im losing water from my coolant reservoir not my radiator. I dont know how much to trust my 200k temperature gauge though.

[blackRS]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

i vote intake gasket...had to replace mine too but i had a shop do it, its my only car so i dont have time or alternate transportation to jump into something i havent done/could really screw up.

[gonzoflick]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

Yea Im taking tomorrow off to do it. which sucks but if it can save me $500 Im all for it. Ive done lots of work on my engine but not this before. I have lots wrenches and basic tools. I even have access to an impact gun.

What specialized tools do I need to pick up from Autozone Tommorow? I hears a fuel rail disconnecter thingy and maybe a harmonic balancer removal tool? Do I need these/anything else?

Thanks

[CDNFB]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

A set of fuel rail disconnect tools would be good.

Harmonic Balancer removal tool? I pretty sure you don't have to mess with the Harmonic Balancer to remove the intake manifolds.

[Choppers]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

nope you shouldn't have to take harmonic of

[D_Fisher]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

What specialized tools do I need to pick up from Autozone Tommorow? I hears a fuel rail disconnecter thingy and maybe a harmonic balancer removal tool? Do I need these/anything else?

I changed my intake manifold gasket a few months ago and did not need any special tools. Just some PB Blaster or similiar. I just removed the gas cap and released the pressure in the rail via the release valve and a screw driver. Spilled a little gas taking the rail off but nothing major.

[gonzoflick]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

*****UPDATE*******

Spent all day yesterday replacing the gaskets.. I used enough gasket grease and tightened all the bolts down. It was a major PITA. The car started up fine..

PROBLEM... when I put water back in (with the car off) it started leaking from somewhere in the block....

Whole day wasted. Now its in the shop.... any ideas? Would it start and idle fine if I didnt put somethign back on correctly?

[gonzoflick]

Re: Blown intake or head gasket?

Doing a little bit more research I think it is the hard plastic elbow that connects to the bottom intake. When I was all done with my car yesterday I noticed that elbow laying on the ground crumbled up and didnt know where it went....