Head gasket blown! Bought car today! Please help!

[amdforever2]

So if WJEs 4 cylinder can take that much abuse and not crack, shouldnt my V6 in theory be fine still?

Just need replacement of head gasket?

I still think it's head gasket because head gaskets are common failures on this car.

 

[Ultima]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
I don't want to replace the head gasket if that's not whats wrong and besides I can't tell if the engine is permanetly damaged or not. If it is, replacing the head gasket at 8 hours work isn't worth it.

if it was burning coolant, there's a good change a head gasket was involved (as opposed to just leaking coolant).

Seriously, the symptoms you list (other than the fuel problem) are what happened to me when my head-gasket went.
Just get the car diagnosed by a mechanic, hands-on is the only way to tell as nobody here can check your car through the net

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
So if WJEs 4 cylinder can take that much abuse and not crack, shouldnt my V6 in theory be fine still?

Just need replacement of head gasket?

I still think it's head gasket because head gaskets are common failures on this car.

Fine, replace the head gaskets and dont lsiten to anything anyone said. Tear the whole top of the motor apart, and then find out it was the water pump, but you were too stubborn to even check.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge
OK, everybody who said "Just buy a head gasket and replace it" How many of you guys have ever done one? I love these threads...." Its just a rear seal.. $5 and 15 min of work"

I've done extensive work of this nature before. However, I'm not one of those advising this individual to perform the changing of the head gasket. Had this vehicle been one from the late 60s, early 70s, then changing both head gaskets on a V-8 would take about 2 hours (including the removal and replacement of the intake and exhaust manifolds. Plus, you have to keep in mind that most cars of this era had lots of room under the hood - and a simple vacuum line system with no smog gear. However, newer vehicles are cramped and there's lots of smog gear to worry about. Plus, the heads and such are probably aluminum, unlike the old cast heads of the past.

I don't think I'd ever think of replacing a head gasket on a newer vehicle. I'd wait until the seller comes over to look at the vehicle. Even if the seller wants to return half of the purchase price - and you do whatever you want to the car, I think you should take him up on the offer. Cut your losses at this point. Plus, as most vehicles get up there in the mileage area, most *honest* mechanics will be reluctant to just replace the head gasket. Normally, if just the head gasket gets replaced, other parts start to fail. I've had friends in similar situations and the mechanic didn't want to the do the work because he knew the work wouldn't last long - and he didn't want customers to be mad at him.

 

[KGB1]

smoke out of exhaust

Happened to my dad's Bonneville. There was NO coolant in the reservoir nor the radiator, it must have leaked when I was away for 2 weeks and my sister was driving the car. I come back, get on the highway...(in my case no rattles, stalls) I'm getting onto an off ramp.. POOF... I look in my rear view mirror and there is a White Cloud of Smoke from my exhaust, my car barely gets to a repair shop. My cylinders are busted (good thing I didn't crack anything) car wouldnt even start afterwards. I paid $600 total repair, I was so pissed off. I lost money because my sister was not noticing how high the engine temp was when she drove it every day to work. Man I learned later I could have done it for $200 easily myself. Try it out yourself man... no way will you pass an inspection if not dealt with.

 

[Ultima]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge
OK, everybody who said "Just buy a head gasket and replace it" How many of you guys have ever done one? I love these threads...." Its just a rear seal.. $5 and 15 min of work"

EDIT: I have seen VW diesels crack between both the intake and exhaust on every cylinder and still run fine. In fact the VW dealer mechanic says that was a common thing and never seemed to cause any harm. In fact the rabbit diesel I had rebuilt had it.

I've done a head-gasket.. it was a pain in the ass but that's because everything was rusted and broke. It took forever the first time. To do it again would only take half a day or less now. That's how you learn though

 

[T2T III]

no way will you pass an inspection if not dealt with.

Here in Virginia, if a car has *any* visible smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe, the car automatically fails the inspection.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: amdforever2

I still think it's head gasket because head gaskets are common failures on this car.

Yesterday I was driving down the road and turned on my radio. A few seconds later my s-10 stalled and would not start no matter how long I cranked it for.

The engine it has is a 2.8L v6. These are known for blowing up all the time. I will change that first without even looking into anything else because it is a common failure on this truck.

Heaven forbid it be because the ignition fuse also powers the radio, and the fuse blew.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Actually we had a ford 302 smoke out the exhaust once. She dropped a intake valve and the piston decided to exit out the cylinder wall Nothing like pulling the dipstick and finding 6 inches of milk on it.

We were changing a intake manifold gasket once on a 360 ford and found a quarter in the lifter valley, never did figure that one out. Them were the days.

 

[amdforever2]

Would bad water pump, which causes overheating, cause the engine to smoke and stutter?

It was smoking a little before it even heated up. Turn ignition = smoke in minor amounts, before any chance of heat.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
Would bad water pump, which causes overheating, cause the engine to smoke and stutter?

It was smoking a little before it even heated up. Turn ignition = smoke in minor amounts, before any chance of heat.

Take it to a mechanic, nobody can help yea anymore than give a guess on what it is over the internet and your eventually your gonna have to take it to a garage anyways.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
Would bad water pump, which causes overheating, cause the engine to smoke and stutter?

It was smoking a little before it even heated up. Turn ignition = smoke in minor amounts, before any chance of heat.

You are missing the point. Badly I may add. Most of the people here will hapily explain things. but we disapear when we have to repeat ourselves 2-3 times. Which reminds me... Bye!

 

[amdforever2]

Sorry



Right now I'm -$1150 and + one smoking car and I know nothing.

Sorry.

 

[Bignate603]

My sister ran a car with no coolant, warped the heads off the block (Crappy aluminum heads, should have been made out of iron). The car was toast. She's an idiot, and currently is driving a geo metro because that's all she can get.

Yes, running without coolant is BAD, very BAD.

 

[incallisto]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
Sorry



Right now I'm -$1150 and + one smoking car and I know nothing.

Sorry.

Take the car to a mechanic and have them check it out. In the immortal words of Jim Carrey (Dumb & Dumber, Lloyd Christmas): "Just go man!"



EDIT: Just read the first thread. When you say "Dirty fuel injectors (poured some stuff in gas tank to cure it)." what EXACTLY did you pour into the tank? I'm surprised no one else asked that (or at least I didn't see them).

 

[CraigRT]

same thing happened to my friend
bought a really nice 1990 Sunbird GT turbo
head gasket lasted 3 days later.
we changed it in about 10 hours (take apart, put back together) and it only cost like $100
including new oil and everything (Canadian)
it's alot of work... esp. if you don't know much... but MAN does it save you in the long run.
if you can't fix it yourself, find a buddy who can... for cheap.

 

[Iron Woode]

You best hope the block isn't cracked. If it is, you're looking at a new engine.

I have rebuilt and modded engines. It can be easy or hard to repair a head gasket. One tool that is essential is a torque wrench.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Ever consider contacting a lawyer licensed to practice in your state?

You may have rights that these pimple farmers simply don't know about.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
Would bad water pump, which causes overheating, cause the engine to smoke and stutter?

It was smoking a little before it even heated up. Turn ignition = smoke in minor amounts, before any chance of heat.

The stuttering could easily be the dirty injectors (if the injectors are indeed dirty and the seller didn't just say that to cover something up). The minor smoke, if coming out the tailpipe and if the weather is cold and if the smoke was white, was probably just the normal condensation. Any car will pass a little bit of white vapor out the tailpipe when it starts up on a cold morning. It's likely that the car has overheated before, and that there was pre-existing damage which was not severe enough to show up to a novice.

Best Advice: Take the car to a competant and reputable mechanic and tell him what's wrong, ask him to take a look at it.

ZV

 

[dxkj]

Just in case no one said this yet


take it to a mechanic
take it to a mechanic
take it to a mechanic
take it to a mechanic
take it to a mechanic
take it to a mechanic

no matter how much I am sure it is problem A or problem B there is no way to find out for sure unless one of us, or a friend of yours, or a mechanic who knows what they are doing looks at it.


Do yourself a favor, take it to a mechanic, after you figure out what the problem is then you can decide if you want to pursue legal action or not.

 

[MorphineChild]

That sucks to hear, but maybe that is why he is selling his car on ebay instead of locally. I would never buy a car on ebay.

 

[SuperSix]

Yep.. pulling teeth...

STOP MAKING ASSUMPTIONS - YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT CARS

Take it to a mechanic and be done with it.

No the seller isn't responsible for the repairs.

<shaking head>

Or buy a bicycle..

 

[amdforever2]

Contacted previous owner, which I thought this guy was.

He isn't. Previous owner has never heard of this guy and says he junked it for $300.

It has cracked head gasket and cylinder heads are damaged because of it.

The previous owner had the same problem evaluated before junking it.

This means the seller misrepresented the vehicle and so many other things.

I will probably just rejunk the car and cut my losses.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
Contacted previous owner, which I thought this guy was.

He isn't. Previous owner has never heard of this guy and says he junked it for $300.

It has cracked head gasket and cylinder heads are damaged because of it.

The previous owner had the same problem evaluated before junking it.

This means the seller misrepresented the vehicle and so many other things.

I will probably just rejunk the car and cut my losses.

BUMMER! Too bad . . . I think you learned a lot about "cars" the last couple of days.

So . . . you need an engine . . . you might "look around" for a "used" engine . . . but you'd also need to know a mechanic . . .

good luck (in the future)

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
Contacted previous owner, which I thought this guy was.

He isn't. Previous owner has never heard of this guy and says he junked it for $300.

It has cracked head gasket and cylinder heads are damaged because of it.

The previous owner had the same problem evaluated before junking it.

This means the seller misrepresented the vehicle and so many other things.

I will probably just rejunk the car and cut my losses.

SOunds like you need a lawer not a mechanic.