Results 1 to 17 of 17
  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Maryland
    Age
    37
    Posts
    224

    Arctic White
    2001 WS.6

    Blown head gasket?

    Today I was checking my oil for the hell of it, and I noticed that my oil is tan and milky....great, coolant in my oil. So I'm guessing that it's a blown head gasket. Is there any other way I could get a substantial amount of coolant in my oil other than a blown head gasket? And is there anyway I can be sure that I do have a blown head gasket? I want to be sure that's what the problem is before I go tearing into it. Looks like I may be doing a H/C swap in the near future.

  2. #2
    Life in the Fast lane sunsetorangess's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Bragg NC
    Posts
    2,834

    Met. Sunset Orange
    01 SS

    have you been adding coolant lately? i would change the oil to comfirm and you can do a compression test and see if any of the cylinders are low, if its a blown headgasket normaly you will have to joining cylinders with low compression. Once you get the heads off and should be able to see clear as day where the coolant was entering the cylinder or oil passages.
    J
    2001 SS, Its not the car its the Driver that matters....

  3. #3
    Veteran 0rion's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    ohio
    Posts
    22,554

    98 Formula
    06 duramax

    Quote Originally Posted by sunsetorangess View Post
    have you been adding coolant lately? i would change the oil to comfirm and you can do a compression test and see if any of the cylinders are low, if its a blown headgasket normaly you will have to joining cylinders with low compression. Once you get the heads off and should be able to see clear as day where the coolant was entering the cylinder or oil passages.
    J
    I agree. Has the car gotten hot? Does it sit and get driven short distances to where maybe condensation could be building up? The reason I ask is you don't hear about these motors popping head gaskets a whole lot. It's not unheard of but it's also not very common.

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Maryland
    Age
    37
    Posts
    224

    Arctic White
    2001 WS.6

    The car hasn't over heated and I'm sure it's not just condensation. My oil level on my dip stick is much higher and the oil has a lot of water in it

  5. #5
    formally 01 T/A 0verkill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    San Diego ca
    Posts
    2,253

    "Arrest Me Red"
    2001 trans am

    they uset to have a tool you could test the coolent with and it could tell you but i dont know how well they work. most of the time you can start it and see if you smell some thing sweet in the exhaust.
    "The Camaro SS looks like it could kick your ass. The Trans Am WS6 looks like its on its way over to do it."

    treat stressful situation like a dog. if you can't eat or hump it, then piss on it and walk away.

    keep your foot in it,till you see god

  6. #6
    old timer blue02Z's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Texas
    Age
    37
    Posts
    3,806

    Navy Blue Metallic
    2002 Z28

    they make a block tester, we have one at work. it is a fluid that changes color if it senses exhaust gas in the coolant

  7. #7
    formally 01 T/A 0verkill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    San Diego ca
    Posts
    2,253

    "Arrest Me Red"
    2001 trans am

    Quote Originally Posted by blue02Z View Post
    they make a block tester, we have one at work. it is a fluid that changes color if it senses exhaust gas in the coolant
    thats the one i havent sean one if a few years

  8. #8
    Senior Member Cutlass's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Madison, WI
    Posts
    7,006

    1999 Formula WS6 M6-sold
    2001 Silverado Z71

    Quote Originally Posted by INeedLS1 View Post
    Is there any other way I could get a substantial amount of coolant in my oil other than a blown head gasket?
    Cracked block or head is possible...not likely but possible

  9. #9
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Mansfield, PA
    Posts
    22,146

    Black & Blue
    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    How about pressure testing the cooling system?

  10. #10
    old timer blue02Z's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Texas
    Age
    37
    Posts
    3,806

    Navy Blue Metallic
    2002 Z28

    you could, but sometimes a head gasket wont show up till hot. i guess you can get it hot then test it. just be careful not to get burned

  11. #11
    Senior Member bigrondownhiller's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Orange County, NY
    Age
    48
    Posts
    2,693

    always dirty
    2013 Ram 2014 Caddy ATS

    Another way they used to test is to put the emission sniffer in the radiator neck. If it detected exhaust then there was a problem.

  12. #12
    Alabama Member bamaz28's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    heart of dixie
    Posts
    1,214

    06 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
    02 superchipsZ28 M6(sold)

    Quote Originally Posted by Cutlass View Post
    Cracked block or head is possible...not likely but possible
    +1 hope not

  13. #13
    Alabama Member bamaz28's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    heart of dixie
    Posts
    1,214

    06 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
    02 superchipsZ28 M6(sold)

    Quote Originally Posted by pajeff02 View Post
    How about pressure testing the cooling system?
    start here

  14. #14
    Member clovenhooves's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    275
    Is there any change in performance, like poor acceleration going uphill?

  15. #15
    Senior Member Redphoenix1998's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    San Jose
    Age
    43
    Posts
    2,050

    Red
    1998 Pontiac Trans Am

    Do a compression test first then a cylinder leak down when you narrow it down. You should get bubbles out the radiator when doing a leakdown with a blown head gasket

  16. #16
    Retired NOT tired SteveC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Poway, Ca
    Posts
    1,126

    SOM
    2001 Z28 (Sara)

    You can remove your radiator cap, start the engine, and see if you have any bubbles coming to the surface of the radiator once the thermostat is opened, if you do you have a bad head gasket.

    SteveC

  17. #17
    Senior Member Redphoenix1998's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    San Jose
    Age
    43
    Posts
    2,050

    Red
    1998 Pontiac Trans Am

    Thats the other quick way

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Help: Possible blown head gasket????
    By youngrigo in forum Internal Engine
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: 01-26-2011, 08:55 AM
  2. blown head gasket
    By ultra_badass in forum Internal Engine
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 01-17-2011, 05:03 PM
  3. STS blown head gasket?? What head gasket
    By 2000sts in forum Forced Induction
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 08-26-2009, 02:23 PM
  4. Question: Blown Head gasket
    By Orrin's Z in forum Internal Engine
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 10-10-2008, 05:52 AM
  5. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-13-2007, 08:58 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •