Overheating

[Nazeer09]

I have a 04 pontiac Grand Prix 3.8 engine my car was overheating so I flushed my radiator and took my thermostat out that worked well for a week or so also my upper intake manifold was replaced I have white smoke coming from my exhaust now it feels as if my engine wants to give out on me when I'm in traffic at a light is it time for a new head gasket or do I just need a tune up, oil change etc

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

So you are running no thermostat?

Put it back in if you are.

White smoke if your arent confusing it with steam is burning coolant, which is likely the lower intake gaskets, something that goes 1 step further than just doing the upper intake gasket.

I would not keep driving the car if its overheating like this, as you will blow a headgasket or the motor itself. Its really really hard to kill one of these, so don't do it.

[Scottydoggs]

are you eating coolant as well?

sounds like a blown head gasket, a compression test will tell the story.

[Nazeer09]

Yea no thermostat jus to save some money so I'm guessing I should change my lim as u suggested also received a bad signal from my fan relay number 2 which I replaced could that play any role in this to or.........

[Nazeer09]

Oh no I'm not eating coolant the flow tank looks ok to me

[Scottydoggs]

id rent a compression tester, or buy it, if it passes, then do the intake and lim gaskets.

if the fans were not working, and you were running hot because of it, well as long as you never over heated the hell out of it you should be ok head gasket wise. but its worth testing before dropping a 100 bucks in parts for the lim gaskets.

[Nazeer09]

Ok I will give it a shot

[Nazeer09]

I was told taking the thermostat out would do no damage

[Kilroy]

I was told taking the thermostat out would do no damage

Taking the thermostat out can actually cause overheating. Without the thermostat, there is no restriction there, and the coolant can run thru the engine too fast to be able to remove the heat from the engine. Nascar racers run no thermostat, but they DO run a restrictor, which is basically a plate with a hole where the thermostat would go. The coolant has to be in contact with the engine block long enough for it to remove the heat.

[Nazeer09]

Do u think it would be cheaper to put a new engine in my car of course used or pay the 1500 for head gasket work? Oh yea found out its the head gasket

[Scottydoggs]

if you were to d the head gasket yourself it would run you about 200.

being in PA im sure you could find a local to help out for far less then that 1500 price tag.

[Kilroy]

If you have the tools, the garage and the know how, it would be a lot cheaper to do it yourself. Going with a used engine is hit and miss. You might get a good engine, but if you aren't mechanically inclined, you still have to pay to have the engine swapped out. Then, if you get an engine that dies on you shortly after, you are really out the dough.