Hello, I have a 2001 Trans Am that overheats. It has 62,000 miles, manual, 6-speed, WS6, LS1, but seems to be one of the lucky ones with LS6 equipment. I live in Virgina, and my mechanic thinks it needs new head gaskets, but I wonder if it could be something else. Any thoughts as to what else it could be?

History: I've had the car since 2002 (it had 12,000) miles. I've autocrossed it for a few years. The only thing I've done to it is add a Torsen type T2R racing differential and lowered the ratio a bit.

This summer, the water pump failed and leaked out the coolant, but I never let it overheat to the red line. When I got that fixed, I still have overheating: after about 15 mins of driving, the temperature needle goes past 3/4, then I run the heater to cool it back down. The hydrocarbon count in the coolant was 1000ppm.

I've read that the power steering fluid cooler can fail, and leak power steering fluid into the coolant. My mechanic says that's not the problem because there is no foam in the power steering reservoir. I've never let it get all the way to the thermometer red line, definitely never steam coming out of the top, no other signs (or sounds) of head gasket problems. Any ideas? Should I have someone else look at the power steering fluid cooler?

Thanks!
-Jeff

 

Quick ways to check for head gasket problems are:

1. if the exhaust has a steamy look to it, kind of looking at the road on a really hot day
2. If the exhaust is a different color, i think white is a sign of head gasket failure
3. Are you losing coolant, not necesarily leaking where you can see it, but do you have to keep refilling the resevoir?

These will not tell you 100% that is is a head gasket problem, but try them and if they are happening then you are one step closwer to knowing what the problem is.

 

Jeff - Your mechanic answered your question with the statement in bold above: "The hydrocarbon count in the coolant was 1000ppm" - That is indeed a head gasket issue - I just replaced mine due to that very issue.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28 is correct - I might add if your oil has the look of peanut butter, then that is also an indication of a head gasket failure.

Having said all that, my exhaust was fine (no stream, not white), my oil was fine too (it looked like oil), but I was overheating when off idle (i.e. -above 1500 RPMs) and I was losing coolant.

So, I lifted the heads and found the rear 3 head bolts on cylinder #8 (i.e. - Pass side rear) were just a touch tighter than 'snug' AND there was a telltail trail of dexcool from the rear most coolant passage into cylinder #8 - Problem found!

One set of MLS head gaskets later and (Ta-Da!) - Problem solved. Oh, MY head were warped too, so they were milled prior to reassembly.

Do it yourself - it's a great learing experience! Oh, and get some ARP head bolts to replace the crappy Torque-to-Yield / once-and-done factory fasteners!

Good luck!

 

Go rent a radiator pressure tester. If you lose pressure, with nothing going on the ground anywhere, you have your answer.

 

Even simpler just take out the spark plugs and turn the motor over. If you have a blown head gasket, it will shoot out of the cyclinder.

 

I'm having the same problem with my 98 SS, sometimes on the heads there is a small few drops of coolant, thinking it's the gaskets.