Blown head gasket, need some advice
Blown head gasket, need some advice My car has been losing coolant for a month or 2 and it finally happened today. I tried to start my car, but the motor locked up. So I pulled all the spark plugs and coolant came rushing out of #8. So I drained the oil, and when I first cracked the drain plug loose a few drips of water came out, then after that it was oil coming out. None of the coolant was mixed in with the oil, it was normal black oil. So are the odds in my favor of the motor being ok and it just being an issue of replacing the head gaskets?
I'm gonna be the pessimist and say it doesnt sound good...
considering coolant was already at the bottom of the pan... leads me to think the coolant and oil had already mixed and had time to separate
considering coolant was already at the bottom of the pan... leads me to think the coolant and oil had already mixed and had time to separate
Was your car blowing white exhaust at all for the last few months. Just trying to find out becuse my car is losing coolant. I did find a leak today but not big enough to lose as much coolant as I have. This has been going on for a long time, but i've never noticed any coolant in my oil.
It locked up when I was trying to start it, the motor barley got moving so I doubt anything got bent or damaged from that. And no, it never blew white smoke out the exhaust while it was losing coolant.
When I bought my car, it was understood that it had a blown head gasket. Although it ran, it ran real bad with a +100,000 mile distributer. I suppose it had never hydro-locked. There had to be over a gallon of anti-freeze in the oil pan, it just kept coming out. I did a AI head, intake and cam install using Cometic MLS gaskets. There’s blow-by when I get on it, there’s smoke when letting it rev up. I routinely run it to six grand and it’ll do high 12's at the track. There is a very slight main knock but otherwise, it runs and runs good.
I would say if after a head gasket change, you’ll be fine also. Check everything out when you have the heads off and consider some well thought out head, intake and cam work.
Meanwhile, I’m saving my nickels and dimes, one fine day I’ll get that Golen 383 short block. One day...
I would say if after a head gasket change, you’ll be fine also. Check everything out when you have the heads off and consider some well thought out head, intake and cam work.
Meanwhile, I’m saving my nickels and dimes, one fine day I’ll get that Golen 383 short block. One day...
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Originally Posted by VinR1
considering coolant was already at the bottom of the pan... leads me to think the coolant and oil had already mixed and had time to separate
Yea, definately tear the top-end apart, and see where else there is Coolant. That Cylinder and another may be flooded with it.
That is how I spun #4 Rod Bearing in my old Engine, blew the Head Gasket and it mixed. If yours didn't mix, then you might be alright, just take care of it quick.
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If you can afford it, I would at least freshen it up with new bearings and rings. If you decide to just do a head gasket you should be ok. It sounds like most of the water went into the cylinder instead of the crankcase. If the water and oil get really mixed up it will look similar to a milk shake.
Hydro-locking an engine is not good at all. Water is not compressable, and since its not it usually breaks stuff when an engine tries to. I have seen one hydro-locked motor that had 5 conecting rods snap in half. One of the bores got so messed up the block had to be junked. Pull the heads and check it out. Hopefully you got lucky and didn't break anything. Another thing to look for is what kind of shape your mains are in. Water doesn't lube very well, and if it got into your crank case; it may have wiped out some of your bearings.
Originally Posted by seawolf18
Hydro-locking an engine is not good at all. Water is not compressable, and since its not it usually breaks stuff when an engine tries to. I have seen one hydro-locked motor that had 5 conecting rods snap in half. One of the bores got so messed up the block had to be junked. Pull the heads and check it out. Hopefully you got lucky and didn't break anything. Another thing to look for is what kind of shape your mains are in. Water doesn't lube very well, and if it got into your crank case; it may have wiped out some of your bearings.
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One other item to consider before you decide to just do the heads....
It will not cost that much more to go ahead and put new rings and bearings plus have the block cleaned and decked. When I did mine, I didn't have any sort of ridge in the cylinder (at 225,000 miles
) but did go ahead and replace the pistons, rings, and bearings. Plus it is a good time to install a different cam if desired. I think I spent about $500 more on replacing things to the point where I was comfortable with the work and knew I would have fewer problems down the road. Other than oil changes, I have not had to spend any money on repairs - mods on the other hand....... I don't drive it like I stole it but I don't baby it either. I also just drove it 600 miles going back and forth to work and I don't worry about the motor (the ring and pinion is another story).
It will not cost that much more to go ahead and put new rings and bearings plus have the block cleaned and decked. When I did mine, I didn't have any sort of ridge in the cylinder (at 225,000 miles
) but did go ahead and replace the pistons, rings, and bearings. Plus it is a good time to install a different cam if desired. I think I spent about $500 more on replacing things to the point where I was comfortable with the work and knew I would have fewer problems down the road. Other than oil changes, I have not had to spend any money on repairs - mods on the other hand....... I don't drive it like I stole it but I don't baby it either. I also just drove it 600 miles going back and forth to work and I don't worry about the motor (the ring and pinion is another story). 