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Topic: Okay...blown head gasket, or cracked head or... (Read 863 times) previous topic - next topic

Okay...blown head gasket, or cracked head or...

...both?

So I'm driving to 'Vegas on Friday. I check all my hoses and coolant--everything seems fine. So I leave Long Beach, head up the 91 to the 15 freeway. I start to hit the grades in San Bernadino and it starts to get warm...I keep an eye on the gauge but it keeps creeping up. I pull off and check the level. It's low, so I top it off. On the freeway again, it quickly jumps to hot and starts knocking and begins to slow down. I pull off just in time as the engine shuts down. Thank the good Lord for AAA Plus! So I'm back home and start it up--runs just like nothing's wrong. Let's put some coolant in it to see if it holds water (pun intended)--it leaks out just as quickly as it goes in. I can't see, but it appears to be coming from under the exhaust manifold, and there seems to be some water around the #4 spark plug. I have two theories:

#1. The head gasket blew in a place where the water jacket is exposed and the water is leaking from there.

or (this is the one I dread)

#2. The head is cracked and water is leaking from the water jacket.

However, I don't think I'll know exactly without pulling the exaust manifold off. However, I figred I'd put it out there and maybe one of you have had a similar experience. Hopefully I'm WAY off!

Okay...blown head gasket, or cracked head or...

Reply #1 –
Freeze plug maybe ???? Had a beemer that blew one out, water leaked out as fast as I put it in (almost)
88 sport,TW heads, comp xe270hr, cobra u/Tmoss ported lower, 65 mm throttle body, under drives,smog delete,
1.7 roller rockers, cai, k&n, bbk adj regulator, 76mm Pro-m,all MSD ign. MSD dist,18° base timing, 3g alt.1 5/8 ceramic headers, 255lph walbro, 2.5" h-pipe, flowmasters, silverfox valvebody, 3.73 gear,
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc154/flipnbird/DSCF0185.jpg ( RIP : ( )
 

Okay...blown head gasket, or cracked head or...

Reply #2 –
Im not savy on the 2.3 but i would just have to get in there with a mirror and hunt the leak down.
hopefully its just a hose for the heater core or water pump bypass.  I dont have any ideas how the 2.3 water plumbing works but if you have the metal pipe arrangement for the heater core that ties in the water pump, that might be the problem.

you could unhook the little hose that goes to the coolant resivoir and blow into that and hear the air coming out where the damage is.  replace that hose for the overflow with something longer so you can hold it and move around the car while you test/listen.

Okay...blown head gasket, or cracked head or...

Reply #3 –
You know, I never considered a freeze plug...that might be my issue. There was signs of leakage under there, which is a sign of a freeze plug slowly rotting away...Not sure about blowing in it either, but as fast as it's coming out, it might work! lol...

Gonna get under there with a mirror tonight...I sure hope it is a freeze plug!

Thanks all! I'll keep you updated!

Okay...blown head gasket, or cracked head or...

Reply #4 –
Quote from: BlackCardinal;279173


Gonna get under there with a mirror tonight...I sure hope it is a freeze plug!

Thanks all! I'll keep you updated!


id rather it be a coolant pipe or a bypass hose than a freeze plug.  you may not have enough room to swing on a socket to set one in.

or
perhaps you will not want it to be a freeze plug if you see coolant leaking from your bellhousing area:D

Okay...blown head gasket, or cracked head or...

Reply #5 –
Quote from: jcassity;279270
id rather it be a coolant pipe or a bypass hose than a freeze plug.  you may not have enough room to swing on a socket to set one in.

or
perhaps you will not want it to be a freeze plug if you see coolant leaking from your bellhousing area:D


Yeah, so true! Well, looks like I won't really get a chance to get under there until the weekend...I'll keep ya all posted.

Okay...blown head gasket, or cracked head or...

Reply #6 –
Okay, I finally had to send the car to a friend to fix. Good news and not so good news. The good news is that it was a freeze plug, but the not so good news is that now after it's fixed, I have steam coming out of the exhaust. Which still begs the question, blown head gasket or cracked head? But it makes no nevermind, I've decided to build another engine for it! :D