Need advice on head gasket

**firstgtp** · 10-08-2013

So I finally started driving my car and I can honestly say that I love every single thing about my car as weird as that sounds well today I was driving to school and after driving for about 20 mins stopped at a stop sign and white coolant smelling smoke started to pours out of my engine bay so I immediately shut it off and pushed it to the side of the road the scary part was my temperature never rose and when I opened the hood there was no visible coolant had two mechanics look at it and they told me my head gasket is shot and to just sell the car well I was so upset and I just really want to find a way to keep it but how hard is a head gasket job, how much does it cost, and if I fix it will I have problems in the future anyone with experience?!?! I don't wanna just seal it I want to do it right and preserve my baby forever and save her just really worried simeone please help!.......I heard if you do the head gaskets you also have to do your heads and then eventually your bottom end will go but she runs great and its not bad yet no oil/coolant mixture yet, plus if theres anything else I should know that could or has been caused or can be prevented if it is even savable please help me this is my last effort I am not leaving any stone unturned Im sure you guys all understand the relationship between a man and his grand prix

**dsmuts** · 10-08-2013

What are you driving?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-08-2013

what year make and model you got there? and miles?

what did the shops do to figure out its a head gasket?

if your changing the head gaskets you should have your heads checked over by a shop, cleaned up rebuilt if needed, no sense in having a problem in your hands and not fix it.

the bottom end should be fine as long as it has not hydro locked.

**firstgtp** · 10-08-2013

2000 pontiac grand prix gtp

**firstgtp** · 10-08-2013

80,000 miles

**tms8582** · 10-08-2013

Such a dramatic post! lol It sounds like a car well worth saving with only 80k. If it is a failed head gasket its a fairly expensive fix at a shop but not a reason to junk a decent car. A lot of us on here could do a head gasket at home in several hours. Call around and get some quotes at a shop if you don't have the skills or know a mechanic.

**dsmuts** · 10-09-2013

Your head gasket is probably fine. If anything your lower intake manifold gasket is bad and you need new coolant elbows.

**firstgtp** · 10-09-2013

Ok thanks well I am going to get more quotes on it so I will keep that in mind thank you

**Monday** · 10-09-2013

Which motor do you have 3.8 or 3.1?

**firstgtp** · 10-09-2013

3.8 supercharged

**Scottydoggs** · 10-09-2013

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

what did the shops do to figure out its a head gasket?

i asked you this already, still waiting for a reply. if they didnt do a compression test, its time you did one.

**firstgtp** · 10-09-2013

Just told them my story i dont have a compression tester

**Scottydoggs** · 10-09-2013

so they dont really know whats going on then if they never laid hands on the car...........

go to autozone or pep boys, they have a free tool rental, you leave a deposit they hand you a tool, return it and they refund you all of the deposit.

then pull all your plugs, and test it.

you can also get a cooling system tester and force it to leak that way.

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 10-09-2013

If you didnt ploom white smoke out the exhaust I bet you didnt pop the headgaskets.

Sounds like something else went be it a hose, elbow something like that to cause coolant to hit something hot and smoke up.

**QUICKSILVER462** · 10-09-2013

For a 2000 GTP at 80k miles, it is time to change the lower intake manifold gaskets, and while your at it change the coolant elbows, lower and upper radiator hoses, thermostat, flush out old coolant and refill with new coolant and top it off with a new radiator cap.

**BillBoost37** · 10-09-2013

Ahhh I'm me again. 3.8 blown HG.. that's not likely at all. Look for any signs of wetness in the engine bay.

**firstgtp** · 10-09-2013

I will definitely do a compression test, after i broke down I drove it home and my friend followed and said when I accelerated into my neighborhood a little white smoke came out of my tail pipes, as wetness there is a little wetness on the left side under the 3800 cover

**Scottydoggs** · 10-09-2013

if it had smoke from coolant ( you can smell it, and see the smoke under the hood) and coolant leaking on the pass side of the engine its a elbow or hose.

**firstgtp** · 10-09-2013

Does anyone know how much in parts the head gasket upper and lower intake manifold gaskets would cost me the good ones also coolant elbows, and if there is anything I should do as everything is already broken down and if there are any guys on here that know how to do this work and would be willing to help me fix it cheaply I don't have any tools or much know how on this