What's it worth?

[Caleb]

depending on how long it has run with water, it should look like milk, or milky.

yeah, and if it has been sitting for a while without being ran it should be at the very bottm of the dipstick cause the water will seperate to the bottom...

 

[RockMonkey]

Okay, I went over there and screwed around with it just now. There was no water in the oil any of the several times I checked it both before and after running it. The leak is not coming from the water pump, thermostat housing, or the freeze plug at the back. I cannot see exactly where, because too much stuff is in the way, but it is coming from somewhere near the rear of the engine, on the drivers side. It is flowing down the block and falling onto the exhaust manifold. Apparently the engine never did overheat. The smoke just came from the water leak hitting the exhaust. I ran it for about half an hour, both idleing at on the gas, and the temp never got hot. You could watch the gauge go up and down as the thermostat opens and closes just like normal, it was just smoking from the ehaust manifold. I presume this is a head gasket, correct? The vehicle is in the hands of the original owner, who is a very reliable source.

So, how hard is it to change a head gasket? Any tips? What does a head gasket cost?

 

[Hickey]

Okay, I went over there and screwed around with it just now. There was no water in the oil any of the several times I checked it both before and after running it. The leak is not coming from the water pump, thermostat housing, or the freeze plug at the back. I cannot see exactly where, because too much stuff is in the way, but it is coming from somewhere near the rear of the engine, on the drivers side. It is flowing down the block and falling onto the exhaust manifold. Apparently the engine never did overheat. The smoke just came from the water leak hitting the exhaust. I ran it for about half an hour, both idleing at on the gas, and the temp never got hot. You could watch the gauge go up and down as the thermostat opens and closes just like normal, it was just smoking from the ehaust manifold. I presume this is a head gasket, correct? The vehicle is in the hands of the original owner, who is a very reliable source.

So, how hard is it to change a head gasket? Any tips? What does a head gasket cost?

There are freeze plug behind the flywheel too. Could be the intake manifold too. Head gaskets are pretty easy. Shouldn't cost more than 25 bucks, but I would make sure it isn't something else(I have a hunch it isn't the gasket)

 

[sticks]

There are freeze plug behind the flywheel too. Could be the intake manifold too. Head gaskets are pretty easy. Shouldn't cost more than 25 bucks, but I would make sure it isn't something else(I have a hunch it isn't the gasket)

could be a cracked head :-\

 

[RockMonkey]

Tell me about your hunch, Hickey. Wouldn't a cracked head cause mixing of oil and coolant?

 

[Hickey]

Wouldn't a cracked head cause mixing of oil and coolant?

I would think so in most cases.
I bet it is something to do with the intake manifold. Or the freeze plug on the back of the block.

 

[RockMonkey]

I would think so in most cases.
I bet it is something to do with the intake manifold. Or the freeze plug on the back of the block.

Hey, I re-read my original post. I noticed that I said "massive coolant leak". After examining the leak, I would no longer characterize it as "massive". It only starts after the engine has warmed up, and the volume is probably about what you would get out of a soda straw. It is definately coming from the side of the engine, not back where the freeze plug is. It is right by the intake manifold. Is there a gasket right there between the intake manifold and the head? Or do you think the intake manifold might be cracked or something? It does run smoothly, if that means anything.

 

[Coreshot]

Have you checked the hoses going to and from the heater core? These wouldn't start flowing until the thermostat opened, would they?

 

[JoeT]

Let me take a look before you dive into this Braden. As in don't start breaking it down yet.

 

[RockMonkey]

Let me take a look before you dive into this Braden. As in don't start breaking it down yet.

Come on over. I've got it in my garage now.