Blown Head Gasket?

**Zack** · 12-10-2013

Alright to begin with two days ago my car lost heat-wasn't over heating we then replaced the thermostat oring and gasket and it fixed the issue. Now-barely any driving between then and today-the car went for a 20 mile highway drive-no issues. Idled after work for almost a half an hour, still no issues. Then after getting out of the 25 zone the temperature immediately started to increase. At 60mph it hit about 250 and would go down if I let off the gas. Out of stupidity I decided that since the gauge wasn't quite in the red I'd try to make it home. After about five minutes the car started to get weaker and then eventually completely shut off. I got it home to find almost no coolant in it no surprise. There's no coolant in the oil and I also had a misfire code on cylinder 3 two times after. I filled the coolant back up and it's building up a LOT of pressure and I believe some of it is leaking from the overflow tank. It's still overheating but can take a ten minute drive after idling for a while.

Would this most likely be a head gasket? If so what would I most likely end up spending to fix it saying I were to do it myself

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**02NavyBlue** · 12-10-2013

What car do you drive?

**Scottydoggs** · 12-10-2013

if your not seeing a external leak of coolant, its either going out the tail pipe or pushed out the overflow tank.

id do a compression test. that will tell the whole story really.

**Zack** · 12-10-2013

When the cap is off the radiator there is a nice constant flow of water coming out. But there isn't any bubbles in it. It's a 97 GTP by the way.

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**Slick2500** · 12-10-2013

I would say cracked head, 97s had weaker valve guides hence the reason no one takes them as cores. I would also check your lower intake manifold gaskets, it might have blown out so your coolant is going into the cylinders instead of the crank case.

**Scottydoggs** · 12-10-2013

cap open engine warmed up. rev the engine to say 2,000 rpm's, then let off the gas, do you see bubbles when you let off the gas? if so, not good.

**Zack** · 12-10-2013

I can't have the cap off the radiator now when it's warmed up-the coolant all just flows out. I assume this is definitely a head gasket now. What would be required to fix this-intake gasket, headgaskets, heads, head bolts? I have an extra set of heads from a non-supercharged and can get a set relatively cheap from a sc one. The man deciding factor is price, if it would cost to much it'll go to the scrap yard. Time is not an issue.

**02NavyBlue** · 12-10-2013

Coolant does expand when hot, how much are we talking comes out? It should be slow, and revving the engine should suck it back down temporarily.

**Zack** · 12-10-2013

It might have been overfilled-very slow but constant. Revving it up does bring it back down I believe, I'd have to try again to verify for sure.

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**02NavyBlue** · 12-10-2013

At any time are there bubbles coming out? If it's slow and consistent(fluid), it sounds normal and mine would do the same if I gave it the chance. Idk maybe smell it too, exhaust has a distinct small and shouldn't be smelled in the coolant.

**Zack** · 12-10-2013

There's only bubbles right after putting more coolant /water in. There may or maybe not be exhaust... Couldn't really tell. I hooked it up to torque odb and the idle seems constant but possibly lower than before

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**Scottydoggs** · 12-10-2013

so if the cars cold, you take the rad cap off, the coolant flows out the rad?

or it was kinda hot when you popped the cap off and it surged out?

**Slick2500** · 12-10-2013

Originally Posted by Zack

I can't have the cap off the radiator now when it's warmed up-the coolant all just flows out. I assume this is definitely a head gasket now. What would be required to fix this-intake gasket, headgaskets, heads, head bolts? I have an extra set of heads from a non-supercharged and can get a set relatively cheap from a sc one. The man deciding factor is price, if it would cost to much it'll go to the scrap yard. Time is not an issue.

N/A heads will not work. Lower intake gaskets are an easy fix should only take 2-3 hours depending on how good you are with a wrench, I've done it so many times I could probably have it done in about an hour lol.