blown head gasket.... engine done for?
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blown head gasket.... engine done for? Hi Folks. Here is a good question for ya. I checked my oil today and noticed a couple spots in the dip stick were milky. I thought oh **** looks like I blew a head gasket. Now the dipstick was not 100% milky just looks like 2 drops on the stick. But the oil fill cap had milky crap on it. So I got a blown head gasket. Not sure how long ago it happened.... 4 or 5 days maybee? So maybee 100 miles if that. My question is do you think the engine is done for and I should swap out the engine (LS1) or do you think I could just replace the headgaskets, flush the coolant and oil and call it good?
Thanks for the help.
Chris
Thanks for the help.
Chris
the milky crap on the fill cap is normal. Any other reason you think you have an issue? Coolant level low etc. You could have a tech pressurize the system at the radiater cap to confirm there really is a coolant leak. I really doubt you hurt the engine from driving it a short distance with contaminated oil.
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the dipstick itselfr has some spots of milk on it. but no other symptoms. if i didn't check my oil today I would have never thought the car is injured. Coolant isn't low. It has a blown rear main seal, but i'm living with it till I can get the car on the rack at my friend's shop.
I doubt you have a blown head gasket. Some condensation is normal and is more likely if you do a lot of short trips. I would have it pressure tested for piece of mind, but I really think you are OK.
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so here's a strange twist. I changed the oil today, and the oil that came out appeared to have no milky crap in it.... none. Even playing in the oil didn't make any appear.
I thought I was in the clear....
UNTIL
I put in 5 quarts of Mobile 1 and checked my level and saw a pretty good amount of milky crap on the dipstick now with the fresh oil.
any new thoughts?
Chris
I thought I was in the clear....
UNTIL
I put in 5 quarts of Mobile 1 and checked my level and saw a pretty good amount of milky crap on the dipstick now with the fresh oil.
any new thoughts?
Chris
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From: Franklin, Wisconsin
yep, before, just a bit of milky crap, like 2 or 3 'dots' on an otherwise fine dipstick.
now id say its random, i'll wipe the stick, stick it down, and itll come up with maybee 10% of the oil on the bottom of the stick being milky, then the rest fine. or I'll wipe it again and try again and itll be a bit on the side of the stick... or ill wipe it again and try and itll come up like the first time.... strange....
now id say its random, i'll wipe the stick, stick it down, and itll come up with maybee 10% of the oil on the bottom of the stick being milky, then the rest fine. or I'll wipe it again and try again and itll be a bit on the side of the stick... or ill wipe it again and try and itll come up like the first time.... strange....
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Maybe you just have some milky residue in the dipstick tube. How else could it move up and down the stick? Seems to me you would see it in the oil you drained out. I would take the dipstick tube off and clean it.
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I blew a headgasket in my 01 duramax, $4500 for headgasket replacement, $1500 for new heads since they cant be milled. It's parked and i drive the LT1 while I'm finishing the LS1. Trust me, headgaskets on these engines are a blessing compared to diesels. You'll be fine though. Id had that on a couple of my cars, not sure even what it is. Engine newly built or new parts? Maybe that cautozone or whatever its called they coat everything with to keep it from rusting that has worked its way through your oiling system and into your dipstick tube.
If it never ran hot I think you are gonna be fine. That is what is usually rough on rings and bearings. If you don't have any other symptons I kinda doubt you even have a head gasket issue. Get a pressure test done as noted above or a chemical test done on your coolant. This test will detect whether exhaust gas is seeping into your coolant. This is what usually makes an engine with a blown HG run hot. Good luck!!
