1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

So this week I have been driving roughly a hundred miles a day in my 99 T/A for a school in Kings Bay GA. All week the car has been feeling weird for lack of a better term. So I decided to check all the fluids, and found my coolant was low, no big deal I thought, so tonight I had to go to the store and the car was idling rough, and I noticed alot of steam coming from the exhaust, and the smell of burnt coolant. I think its my head gasket, but I want to get your opinions before I pull it into the shop and tear it down. Thanks guys, and for any clowns who might say use the search, I did, but I didnt find anything that matched my scenario exactly.

DaveX

It's very possible. Rumor has that the dexcool slowely deteriorates some of the LS1 head gaskets. Or maybe all of them. Most people find out after they let the car sit for a week or two, coolant seeps into a cylinder, they start it and BAM it hydrolocks and blows a big hole through the block. It happens, and from the symptoms you have I would be afraid to even start it without pulling the heads.

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

I just put on a full exhaust not to long ago so, I figured the computer was just adjusting, but this past week it has gotten worse, and the coolant being low really concerned me. So do I just need to pull the heads and put a new gasket in or do I need to dig deeper. Could anything else have been affected? The car did sit for 4 months when I was deployed but that was back at the beginning of the year, this just started this past week, or at least I started noticing it.

98Camarod

iTrader: (43)

Burnt coolant has a very distinct smell, its a sweet smell. Is that what you were smelling?

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

yeah it was definitly burnt coolant. I pulled it into the garage and started tearing it down. I think im going to put in new valve springs while im in there, 114k on the ticker, its probably due. Could this be anything else? I dont want to do all this work for nothing.

eallanboggs

iTrader: (1)

Let's see. Low coolant and steam out the tail pipe. Last time I checked 1 plus 1 still equals 2. Time to pull the heads. You could do a compression or leak down first to confirm you suspisions. Has this vehicle ever overheated? Aluminum heads are prone to warpage.

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

No I have never let it overheat. I know it seems obvious, I just dont want to take the heads off and see thats its not the problem. What type of gaskets would be best, go with OEM or is there a better aftermarket gasket available? Im sure there is, whats the recomendation...

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

sounds like a head gasket to me, but im no mechanic....welder actually.

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

Well I am in the process of taking the heads off, what a pain in the ***, my hands are bloody from all the sharp edges. What exactly will a bad gasket look like?

DaveX

The factory gaskets will be destroyed when you pull the heads off. I doubt you will be able to tell anything by looking at them. I would go with some good MLS gaskets like cometics. You could even go a little thinner to bump the compression up a hair. And throw in a slightly bigger cam and some better flowing heads while your at it. And an LS6 intake. And a pulley. And . . .

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

Yeah that train of thought has started, I think I might look at a cam or getting the heads reworked or maybe...

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

good luck!!!

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

Thanks, i'll keep you up to date, im sure I will have some more questions tomorrow when I get back at it. For now though, im going to go out and find some rice for dinner, the SS is hungry...

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

Heres an update, finally got the top of the engine tore down, working on the drivers side head, havent had any problems with the smaller bolts, but the larger head bolts are a pain in the ***, I can get it to budge, I dont want to snap the bolt. Should I get a breaker bar on this?

DaveX

They shouldn't break but just be careful not to round the heads off. A breaker bar is a good idea for removing them.

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

I just worry they might be brittle, the engine has 114k on it. Well im off to the store to get a breaker bar or piece of pipe whatever will get these things off, or maybe i'll just buy a new LS7 and call it a day

3.4camaro

iTrader: (1)

LS7 would be the best choice.

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

I finally managed to get these bolts to come loose, cost me some blood but whatever. I would love to get an LS7. However last night I went out in the SS and there was some douchebag in a C6 Z06 saying he would race anyone for titles. This car was stock and it fueled me to just build a budget BAMF and for those who dont know what that means Bad *** Mother F****R, and make guys like him feel stupid for spending $70k on that car and talking **** to people, only to get beat by a $15k car.

Soul TKR

iTrader: (4)

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

I'll post some pics up tomorrow, girlfriend has the camera. It looks like any other head removal, but I will satisfy the angry crowd SOUL TKR what would you like me to take a pic of? Just so I know what it is you would like to see buddy.