Blown Head Gasket Symptoms!

[mkIIIdraper]

I am currently in the process of determining weather or not i have the dreadded BHG. the guy that had the car before me said he put a metal head gasket on it, so i'm hoping that it's not that. I have some information though I'd like to share.

The heater core was replaced and the antifreeze that was put in was the orange kind from prestone. i have been putting that in it because it sounded like a good coolant. and the coolant was bubbling over. last night i went to buy some more at the auto parts store and the guy behind the counter almost took my hands off. WOAH he said don't put that in it. It'll gum up. it's specifically for GM vehicles!!!

i have already put two jugs of this in my car and now i'm gonna try to flush my cooling systtem with some anti gunk stuff and replace my thermostat as i suspect that it is gummed up and stuck. hopefully i can fix the problem


hope noone else has put this in their poor supra

[dcrusupra]

The guy behind the parts counter was right. Dexcool is bad for any car that is not GM. They didn't even make Dexcool until 2000. So yes, go for the green stuff or get Toyotas red stuff. Definitely flush the system. Also, ask the previous owner if he got the block surfaced and lapped.

[mkIIIdraper]

cool thanks for the advice i hate the orange stuff!!!

[mkIIIdraper]

thermostat:replaced
coolant system:flushed

still no heat and still bubbling over

i guess its time to bite the bullet and get a head gasket

anyone have any suggestions...... i dont think i can have the block lapped
but i definately will have the head machined

[IHateHacks]

Before you start breaking out the wrenches, why don't you run a block test and pressure test the cooling system? For a pressure test you only need to take the radiator cap off, and for a block test you need to take cap off and drain half the fluid in your radiator.

If you don't know what these things are just go to your local auto parts store and tell them you need a "block test kit" or a "Cooling system pressure tester".

[SideWinderGX]

blah, another question.

lets assume my head is nowheres near warped....like 1 thousandth or whatever its called. when replacing the headgasket with arp studs, the mechanic wouldnt have to mill the head or anything right? that would cost upwards of like 1500 bucks....and im seeing posts all over saying around 800 for labor (not including parts) for replacing the headgasket, making no mention of milling the head. and they didnt have a BHG, either, it was just being cautious of a problem that could possibly occur.

edit: wtf, cant ever NOT edit a post...planning on using HKS MLS headgasket with arp studs.

[IHateHacks]

My head wasn't warped at all, yet I still had my machine shop plane the head. To have a head cleaned (as clean as the day it was made), checked for cracks, and planed it only costs $150 give or take a few $$. No way in hell it costs $800 to have a head machined, you can buy a rebuilt cylinder head for that much.

If you are using a metal head gasket you must get the head planed. You also MUST lap the block. I used a factory head gasket and I still had the head planed.

I replaced every hose and gasket doing my head gasket, I even bought a new timing belt tensioner which cost $140 by itself, and I'm still well under the $1000 mark. Even with the 20 cans of brake cleaner and 5 rolls of shop rags I'm right around $850 total, machine work and parts.

I understand you will be having a shop do yours, which is not the smartest idea, because no matter what you say to them, they will still torque the head bolts to the factory 58ft/lbs. They are not going to listen to a customer over factory specs. And they will overcharge you, you'd be lucky to drive out of there with a new undertorqued headgasket for $1500.