Blown Head Gasket?

[txdave13]

My engine overheated and quit. I took it into a garage and they told me that the head gasket was blown. They also wanted over $1100 to fix it.

So, my friend who is a much more skilled mechanic that I has come over to help. We drained the oil and he said that it should look "like a milkshake" from the oil and coolant mixing. It doesn't, it looks like oil. He asked if it was smoking. It was steaming some out of the engine, but not "smoking." We pulled the wire from the distributor to the coil and the coil is all burnt away. The car will crank, but won't catch and start.

So, does this sound like it's the head gasket? Or could it just be the starter coil and it was overheating for another reason?

[D323]

your headgasket could just be warped to the point its overheating.... It would be a cause, and might keep the oil from being "milky."

A burnt coil sounds like something different.

Any pics?

[Geoffwhite18]

My headgasket was blown. However coolent was leaking into the cylinder and getting burnt out the exhaust. The oil was fine!

[txdave13]

We replaced the coil and are trying to do a compression test to see what we get. However, we're still not getting spark and it looks like the wire to the coil may be burnt out. We're gonna replace that and see.

If the coolant were being burnt out the exhaust, that would produce a lot of white smoke, correct? I had no smoke, just some steam under the hood.

Also, my radiator was cracked so, I replaced it with an all metal one about 6 mo. ago. The lower hose always leaked due to the outlet on the radiator being bent up, but I straightened it the best that I could. Regardless, it would start running hot every 2 months or so. I am thinking that this caused the over heating, the coil started burning out, and .... hell I don't know, I'm just grasping at straws here.

I'll post how things go after we get the new wire on.

[D323]

The coil might have burned like that if it got wet..... i.e. radiator hose spraying it (hence the steam...)

good luck!

[txdave13]

OK, new coil works. We're getting spark from the coil to the distributor, but nothing to the plugs. Would heat have made the distributor go out, or perhaps the cap? Perhaps the wiring?

Too many problems, all at once.

[D323]

check the cap/rotor... might have been messed up.... and take it easy on that rotor, I have seen a few snapped from not being careful enough when getting it off.

[txdave13]

We took everything off and it looked "fine." Not sure what to be looking for. Took the cap off: nothing out of place or broken. Took the rotor off: again, looks "fine." Even took the distributor out (we marked the positioning carefully before we did) and nothing looks out of place. Is there something we should be looking for that we're not seeing?

[D323]

if everything looks fine and nothing appears broken, then it should be ok.

[txdave13]

Well, after working on the car when time would allow, the head is out and at a machine shop. Below is a list of what all I think I'll need once we go to put it back in.

Exhaust manifold gasket
Intake manifold gasket
Head gasket
Spark plugs
Fuel filter
Coolant sensor (I think. I’m gonna double check before I get it)
Injector o-rings and upper and lower insulators
Maybe thermostat and gasket
Coolant
Oil
Filter
Accessory belts
Water pump, gasket, and bolts
Plug wires

1. I'm pretty sure the water pump is shot.
2. The timing belt was replaced 20,000 mi or so ago. Should I still replace it?
3. Which of these items can I get at AutoZone and what should I get at the dealer?
4. DFW area guys: any recommendation for a dealer that is cheaper than the rest (if there is such a thing)?
5. What should I pick up that I've not put on the list?

Thanks for your help.

[D323]

for the gaskets and seals, look on ebay. You can usually get a kit for a hundred bux or so, and cover usually everything major you need.

Only 20k on the timing belt? You could replace it, but I would inspect it first.... if there are no signs of wear and tear I'd say reuse it....

lol @ cheap and dealer in same sentence. And they say ppl from TX have no sense of humor.

Look in the stickies, Wil made a list of virtually every part you will want to replace while doing a rebuild. (section III)

[hienishere]

i'm betting that when it overheats, you are usually sitting in one place? make sure you have enough coolent in your system, when you pour in the coolent, wait for the thermostat to open up and then pour more in and then close the radiator cap, not enough coolent in there will cause it to overheat now and then, i know, from experience, good luck with your headgasket job, i did one for 180 bucks, by myself at work. took all of about 3 hours, machine shop and all. be careful for the thermostatic fan switch, it breaks easy.. if you are running a bp. good luck.

[txdave13]

This is the first "big" fix I've ever done, so it's taking a very long time. However, I got my head back from the shop, had 'em do a valve job, I'm getting a new coolant temp sensor Saturday, and a new water pump tomorrow.

We hope to have everything up and running by saturday afternoon. Although, it's all that I can do to keep my wife from calling and having the car towed away. Once it's all done and running, I'll probably be selling it. Looking at a Mazda6, by the way.

[CBlaze]

discribe the scenerio when you over-heated if ya can please...

[D323]

how much did they take off the head at that machine shop?