i hate when this happens. good luck. 
Pretty sure my head gaskets are done
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Pretty sure my head gaskets are done Hey all,
I tried using the search function but it is failing me today.
I want to say my head gaskets are toast. I have been noticing the car running a bit on the hot side lately and loosing coolant at an accelerated rate. I recently had to have some hoses replaced that go to the heater core so I thought it may have been leaking from there and evaporating from the heat before I noticed it on the ground. Well I decided to really take sometime and figure out whats going on with it. Yesterday I filled the radiator and drove it to and from work. When I got home I was missing roughly 1/4 of my coolant in the radiator. Nothing on the ground or on the block. Engine oil looked ok also. I noticed my upper radiator hose wasn't hard until almost 210 degrees, I have the stock thermostat which i think is 187. So I figured I was boiling whatever water was in the system. The last thing I decided to look at was the exhaust. I closed my cutout and before my eyes I could see a puddle of coolant form in the tailpipes.
The car seems to still run fine so I don't think it is completely done yet but if I can literally watch a puddle form and run out of the tailpipes that would be a pretty good sign huh?
Also if the heads are coming off anything I should look at while it is in the current state?
98 Trans Am 165k miles. All stock besides cutout and air filter.
I tried using the search function but it is failing me today.
I want to say my head gaskets are toast. I have been noticing the car running a bit on the hot side lately and loosing coolant at an accelerated rate. I recently had to have some hoses replaced that go to the heater core so I thought it may have been leaking from there and evaporating from the heat before I noticed it on the ground. Well I decided to really take sometime and figure out whats going on with it. Yesterday I filled the radiator and drove it to and from work. When I got home I was missing roughly 1/4 of my coolant in the radiator. Nothing on the ground or on the block. Engine oil looked ok also. I noticed my upper radiator hose wasn't hard until almost 210 degrees, I have the stock thermostat which i think is 187. So I figured I was boiling whatever water was in the system. The last thing I decided to look at was the exhaust. I closed my cutout and before my eyes I could see a puddle of coolant form in the tailpipes.
The car seems to still run fine so I don't think it is completely done yet but if I can literally watch a puddle form and run out of the tailpipes that would be a pretty good sign huh?
Also if the heads are coming off anything I should look at while it is in the current state?
98 Trans Am 165k miles. All stock besides cutout and air filter.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Got my first quote...1600 bucks
Includes tear down, sending the heads to a shop and getting them machined and pressure tested and assembling with all new top end gaskets that come with the kit. I figured it would be around there. Anything I should ask to have done with in reason while it is torn down?
@Omar: Thanks, yes it does suck when things like this happen.
Includes tear down, sending the heads to a shop and getting them machined and pressure tested and assembling with all new top end gaskets that come with the kit. I figured it would be around there. Anything I should ask to have done with in reason while it is torn down?
@Omar: Thanks, yes it does suck when things like this happen.
Got my first quote...1600 bucks
Includes tear down, sending the heads to a shop and getting them machined and pressure tested and assembling with all new top end gaskets that come with the kit. I figured it would be around there. Anything I should ask to have done with in reason while it is torn down?
@Omar: Thanks, yes it does suck when things like this happen.
Includes tear down, sending the heads to a shop and getting them machined and pressure tested and assembling with all new top end gaskets that come with the kit. I figured it would be around there. Anything I should ask to have done with in reason while it is torn down?
@Omar: Thanks, yes it does suck when things like this happen.
its not gonna happen everyday lol id go with H/C just like he said ^ i mean your already there! good luck
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Florida
After a block check it isn't the head gaskets. I guess it had a lot of condensation in the tail pipes, more than likely due to the cutout. Ended up the Water pump had a bad bearing and was leaking at the block also. It wasn't leaking where I could see it either. So after a new water pump, belt tensioner and idler pulley, thermostat (160), new belts, new rear shocks the car is driving better than ever.
On The Tree
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Missouri City, TX (Outside Houston)
wow you lucky bro.. i had the same thing but only difference was that i was getting alot of blowby through my oil cap and it was a ugly color in the oil.. i just took it apart and had the heads sent to the machine shop n they passed the comp test but it had to be one of the gaskets so i am changing out the water pump too and the thermostat... hope it gets better..she looks like she on life support hahaha.. best of luck to ya
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Florida
wow you lucky bro.. i had the same thing but only difference was that i was getting alot of blowby through my oil cap and it was a ugly color in the oil.. i just took it apart and had the heads sent to the machine shop n they passed the comp test but it had to be one of the gaskets so i am changing out the water pump too and the thermostat... hope it gets better..she looks like she on life support hahaha.. best of luck to ya
Wow yeah I squeezed by on this one. I was positive it was a blown head gasket because I couldn't see the pump leaking and the amount of water in the tail pipes sold me right there. Oh well I still spent roughly the same but on other things that needed to be done. Sorry to hear about your ride. Hopefully you get it back together soon!
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Verdad Gallardo After a block check it isn't the head gaskets. I guess it had a lot of condensation in the tail pipes, more than likely due to the cutout. Ended up the Water pump had a bad bearing and was leaking at the block also. It wasn't leaking where I could see it either. So after a new water pump, belt tensioner and idler pulley, thermostat (160), new belts, new rear shocks the car is driving better than ever.
then the water pump bearing went bad we checked it was leaking on the block! thats gr8 man glad to hear that. 