Oh man.....I think my head gasket is gone

[daveimme]

Well, the past few days the temp gauge has been kinda high and I've been watching it... It has never gone into the 'yellow' zone, but nonetheless past the 3/4th mark.....

Tonight, I got home, let it cool down a little and saw the coolant was a little low (no visible leak)....so I started it, and put water in the exp tank...bled at the bleed nut, and noticed that when I revved it some, coolant would often backup and pour out the exp tank (cap not on)......


What does this mean? I see no water in the oil, but tonight steam was going out the exhaust quite a bit.....what's the deal?

I really don't have the time nor money for this......anybody know what this means??

[ae1969]

... it means the car will be sitting for a while.

Yes it sounds like head gasket....

[Scott R]

The steam could just be condensation, and you may just have a bad thermostat.

Since you will be draining the cooling system either way, you might as well check the T-stat first.

[Frank B]

I'd bet my left nut on the thermostat

[Britwrench]

I'd bet Frank's left nut on a head gasket too....
If you can, get the cooling system pressure tested when it's hot and maybe do a leakdown and compression test.
Coolant will overflow out of the tank with the cap off, so tha't not a real indicator of what's happening. The other thing may be that the radiaor is partially blocked. With the engine hot (and off and fans wire disconnected!) feel the rad for equal warmth; cold spots = new rad

[ae1969]

Originally posted by Britwrench
I'd bet Frank's left nut on a head gasket too....

LOLOLLL

[Scott R]

Head gasket, you guys are really the "glass is half empty type." At least give him some hope!

At any rate, no big deal. Head gaskets are relatively easy to replace, just time consuming.

[88_944]

Originally posted by daveimme
I really don't have the time nor money for this......anybody know what this means??

You'll need both. I hate to say this but sell your 944 soon because it will break down and run you broke.

I see no water in the oil

It's not your head gasket.

[Roger Hall]

Its shure sounds like the headgasket. Becarefull too if the pressure from the leaking head gasket builds up in the expansion tank the tank can crack.

[todwic]

I'd bet Frankies left nut on the thermostat. 'course I bet his right one on Dole/Kemp. Sorry bout dat, Frankie.

[daveimme]

I checked the oil yesterday and sure enough, it was milky and orangy...my mechanic came over this morning to check it out, too, and he says it's the head gasket.....Shoot!

The only real problem I have is getting to and fro work...my bro in law lives in town and works not too far from me, so he can bring me and my wife get me later on....Work is 20 miles from home.

Ok....tomorrow I will see my 'other' mechanic and will talk to him about doing the head and all..so tell me, what mostl likely will I need and where do I get em? Timing belt has 10,000 miles, so I don't think I'll need more than a head gasket and top gasket set, eh?

I'll be checking here for what to put on my 'need to get' list...thanks guys....

[Mark_944S2]

Sorry Dave, it really sounds like the head gasket,

Two points :

1) Stop driving it. If the head gasket has gone you are causing damage to the head all the time that the engine is running. Problems you could have if you keep driving with a blown head gasket include : distorted head, cracked head, and erosion of the head where the gas is leaking past the gasket.

2) The best diagbostic of a blown head gasket is running the engine when cold. If revving it up causes surging or bubbles in the head tank it is fairly certain.

If you're lucky it could be a failed oil cooler, this can cause oil in the water / water in the oil.

Just thinking of my toyota supra that blew it's head gasket. I stopped driving it as soon as I began to suspect the head gasket, they just managed to save the head by straightening it, filling the eroded leak path by TIG welding, then skimming.

Mark