blown head gasket?

[chevy the kid]

Hi all,
Excuse my bad english...
I'm worried about my car (98 3.8L). Since i have the car i have a little oil in coolant, but i was thinking it's just dexcool. Since today no coolant consumption, oil consumption...

Today i check the coolant level and it miss a liter...
I have a little moisture on oil cap but it's the winter and i think it's condensation.
I have made the past month an oil change and there is no antifreeze in oil, any sign.

The smoke on exhaust, i think the little clear white is normal cause of the ext temp.

My coolant temp is at max 80°C.

Do you think it's a blown head gasket, Does this is possible that my heads are broken?

Does it's a very hard job to change the gasket?
I was thinking the 3.8 is reliable but...

Many thx and happy new year.

[UDLOSE98]

Re: blown head gasket?

change oil, and check for coolant, if it is a blown headgasket its usually accompanied by a lot more smoke, but i still wouldnt rule it out. Could be a bad lower,upper intake gasket

[nascar24jd]

Re: blown head gasket?

It does not really sound like a bad head gasket to me.

You say that your oil looks fine.

Your coolant is a little dirty but you are losing some now.

First you need to ckeck for leaks. Is the coolant leaking somewhere?

It is not running very hot, maybe it is just a leak.

[tkoforpresident]

Re: blown head gasket?

having a 3.8 in france must be totally awesome

[Archer]

Re: blown head gasket?

I'm having the same problem that you just described! My oil is still clear as ever since I changed it, no more fuel smell. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS!!!

I AM NOT TAKING THE HEADS OFF! lol

I started reading, and its talking about turning the new bolts 130 degrees, and some lash and lifters... lol

I am in the process of taking off the intake upper and lower. I just cant find my star bit to take off a sensor so I can finish taking off the fuel rail. Its a BIOTCH! let me tell you. I have bolts, parts, wires EVERYWHERE! lol its a total mess under my hood right now, everyone that has shown pics make it look so easy.. It isnt! I am going to finish it up tomorrow tho... my lower gaskets are actually plastic, and it feels like my upper is a rubber material, but I dont know, I didnt try to stretch it out. I did notice my throttle body was dirty as hell. alot of oil on the back it looks like. the gasket was fried and the water holes are gunked up with corrosion and dirt. So I think I need to flush the radiator aswell... People keep on talking about this brown snake deal.. dont know what they are talking about.. But my car doesnt over heat, it stays warm, the heater works, I dont have smoke coming out when its warm outside, only when its cold... and its 20 degrees outside... I dunno, I know im not touching the heads. screw it, i'll let it blow before I mess with those while the motor is still in the car... I'll buy another motor and rebuild the damn thing. lol it would be easier! lol

Archer

[tkoforpresident]

Re: blown head gasket?

I'm having the same problem that you just described! My oil is still clear as ever since I changed it, no more fuel smell. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS!!!

I AM NOT TAKING THE HEADS OFF! lol

I started reading, and its talking about turning the new bolts 130 degrees, and some lash and lifters... lol

I am in the process of taking off the intake upper and lower. I just cant find my star bit to take off a sensor so I can finish taking off the fuel rail. Its a BIOTCH! let me tell you. I have bolts, parts, wires EVERYWHERE! lol its a total mess under my hood right now, everyone that has shown pics make it look so easy.. It isnt! I am going to finish it up tomorrow tho... my lower gaskets are actually plastic, and it feels like my upper is a rubber material, but I dont know, I didnt try to stretch it out. I did notice my throttle body was dirty as hell. alot of oil on the back it looks like. the gasket was fried and the water holes are gunked up with corrosion and dirt. So I think I need to flush the radiator aswell... People keep on talking about this brown snake deal.. dont know what they are talking about.. But my car doesnt over heat, it stays warm, the heater works, I dont have smoke coming out when its warm outside, only when its cold... and its 20 degrees outside... I dunno, I know im not touching the heads. screw it, i'll let it blow before I mess with those while the motor is still in the car... I'll buy another motor and rebuild the damn thing. lol it would be easier! lol

Archer

i'm feelin ya bro, i'm just tryin to take apart my uim and valve covers and its a jungle of a mess tryin to figure out what to disconnect and how.

We'll get it tho :wavey:

[chevy the kid]

Re: blown head gasket?

Thanks,
I have a doubt too about the head gasket...
I have just white moisture on the oil cap and tube but with this time the condensation is very important.

But i don't know why this is the first time on 7000km i have to refill the coolant and 1 liter...

I have no sign of exterior leaks.
Does a head gasket means obligatory a overheating, mine never drop the 1/4 mark only on heavy trafic the gauge is at the 1/2 mark.

And for the oil in coolant i have never refill oil since the oil change and it is the correct level on dipstick.

On start up when cold i have a strange noise on the engine, like a gurgling. Someone tell me it's the water pump seal. What to you think of it?

Many thanks for your help, in france i fell lonely with this car...

[chevy the kid]

Re: blown head gasket?

I have check the engine (my coolant was under the top of the radiator since yesterday).

No sign on the oil dipstick, condensation (a lot) on the oil cap, there is water spot on the cap but no oil.

My coolant dispstick is dirty. I have no big smoke when car warm.

I have notice maybe an amount of water behind the support of the a/c pump, on the left of motor. the rest of the engine is clean, no residue of oil or coolant, only a white deposit on a sensor on the face of the intake manifold, under the TB.

Maybe my water pump...
What do you think?

[bigbrian442]

Re: blown head gasket?

Does the oil in the coolant look like trans fluid? The automatic cars have problems with the trans cooler in the radiator leaking trans fluid into the coolant and coolant into the trans. Antifreeze in the trans fluid is the bigger problem as it will kill the transmission.

Brian

[UDLOSE98]

Re: blown head gasket?

just an FYI, taking the heads off is not that big of a deal.

[chevy the kid]

Re: blown head gasket?

If i need to take off the heads i will go to the shop or a guy who know.
Does i need to resurface the heads?
Does a pressure test could tell if this is the gasket?

What do you think of the water on the face of the block?
I have no coolant smell on interior or in exhaust.

Many thnaks

[UDLOSE98]

Re: blown head gasket?

a pressure test wouldnt tell you specifically if your problem was coming from the heads (could be a valve seal, piston ring, etc.)

[chevy the kid]

Re: blown head gasket?

sorry i would tell a compression test. What is the gurgling sound on start up. Maybe a leak on intake

[Archer]

Re: blown head gasket?

is when you dont have the time and the knowledge of lash and blah blah blah. lol

It just looks like a pain in the butt with the motor still being in the car. I'll just get another motor. play with that one

Archer

[chevy the kid]

Re: blown head gasket?

Yes but in france to find a motor...
What is the risk to drive with it if i look at the temp gauge and level?

I don't have coolant sign on oil, only on the oil cap.

What i need to do? Intake gasket or head gasket?