Head gasket failure
06-23-2009, 10:37 AM
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Head gasket failure
So I go to start my car and it wont turn over. Pop the hood and see that all my practically all my oil is either on the motor or on the pavement. The head gasket is visiblely sticking out in places and seems to be melted? The car drove fine before it was parked and it wasn't acting strange when trying to fire. Oil light flashed so I went to check the oil... and found this.
So my question is what are the steps I need to find out what kind of damage was done? New head gasket, obviously, but should I have the compression checked or anything else along those lines?
Thanks in advance.
So my question is what are the steps I need to find out what kind of damage was done? New head gasket, obviously, but should I have the compression checked or anything else along those lines?
Thanks in advance.
06-23-2009, 12:27 PM
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Re: Head gasket failure
When the headgasket goes, typically you'll see coolant coming from the gasket and from the exhaust ports(bubbling around the flanges). If you're seeing oil everywhere, chances are your rings have a problem.
If you're saying it wont crank now, after you drove it fine and parked it. The problem was there before you parked it. If the motor is seized, then that would cause it to not crank.
I wouldn't try starting it anymore at this point. Try to ID if theres coolant leaking externally, or drain your oil and check for coolant in it. If you can't find any coolant, then it was prob the rings. Compression test could verify, but if it wont crank that wont work.
If it was losing oil as bad as you're saying, it should have been smoking. How did the oil light flash when you couldn't start it?
If you're saying it wont crank now, after you drove it fine and parked it. The problem was there before you parked it. If the motor is seized, then that would cause it to not crank.
I wouldn't try starting it anymore at this point. Try to ID if theres coolant leaking externally, or drain your oil and check for coolant in it. If you can't find any coolant, then it was prob the rings. Compression test could verify, but if it wont crank that wont work.
If it was losing oil as bad as you're saying, it should have been smoking. How did the oil light flash when you couldn't start it?
06-23-2009, 02:21 PM
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Re: Head gasket failure
When the headgasket goes, typically you'll see coolant coming from the gasket and from the exhaust ports(bubbling around the flanges). If you're seeing oil everywhere, chances are your rings have a problem.
If you're saying it wont crank now, after you drove it fine and parked it. The problem was there before you parked it. If the motor is seized, then that would cause it to not crank.
I wouldn't try starting it anymore at this point. Try to ID if theres coolant leaking externally, or drain your oil and check for coolant in it. If you can't find any coolant, then it was prob the rings. Compression test could verify, but if it wont crank that wont work.
If it was losing oil as bad as you're saying, it should have been smoking. How did the oil light flash when you couldn't start it?
If you're saying it wont crank now, after you drove it fine and parked it. The problem was there before you parked it. If the motor is seized, then that would cause it to not crank.
I wouldn't try starting it anymore at this point. Try to ID if theres coolant leaking externally, or drain your oil and check for coolant in it. If you can't find any coolant, then it was prob the rings. Compression test could verify, but if it wont crank that wont work.
If it was losing oil as bad as you're saying, it should have been smoking. How did the oil light flash when you couldn't start it?
Don't worry, as soon as I saw the oil I didn't try to start it any more...
No smoking and the oil light flashed as I would try to crank it, which is not normal as all other lights shut off.
06-23-2009, 03:33 PM
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Re: Head gasket failure
vr6 motors are good for head gaskets leaking oil or coolant at the corners.. pull the spark plugs out then turn the motor over. also pressure test the coolant system then look for leaks. if the oil cooler is bad it will mix coolant in the oil something to check
06-23-2009, 04:13 PM
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Re: Head gasket failure
I'd love to see a picture of this. Are you sure you're looking at the head gasket and not the valve cover gasket? I can't see how you could possibly melt a head gasket, and there are other things that don't seem to make sense.
06-24-2009, 05:16 AM
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Re: Head gasket failure
Hahaha, yeah I had already started to drink my sorrows away yesterday when I wrote this up. Im def seeing the valve cover gasket.
06-24-2009, 07:05 AM
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Re: Head gasket failure
This still has the potential to cause damage when it was driven though, correct? I don't know if I feel comfortable just throwing another valve cover gasket on it and calling it a day.
What steps should I take to check the damage?
What steps should I take to check the damage?
06-24-2009, 07:59 AM
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Re: Head gasket failure
i dont think even the valve cover gasket wont spontaneously blow out like that, so maybe you just have blow-by from worn pistons or something, so maybe a compression or leak down test would help.