95 MONTE CARLO HEAD GASKET LEAK--NEED ADVICE !!

Ever done one before?

I spose the first thing to do is pull the head and make sure it really

*is* the gasket. There's a chance that it could be a crack in the intake or head (though much less likely). Even if you pull the head off and the head gasket is obviously hosed, i would still take the head down to a local machine shop and have it magnafluxed for cracks and checked for true-ness. It's a pretty inexpensive process, IIRC. If the head's warped, they can mill it flat. If the head's cracked, it is junk. If the head is warped and you put it back on that way, there's a good chance that you'll be in the same situation in the near future.

There's a start, anyways.

Basically you have to find out why it was leaking and fix it.

1. First step would be to disassemble the upper end of the engine.
2. Next step would be to determine whether the gasket was leaking or the head was cracked and leaking or the block was cracked and leaking.
3. Based on what you find in 2 you will have to: Replace the gasket and probably mill the head; Replace gasket and the head; Replace the engine.

My sense is that you have not done this before. You should consider having someone with you who has done major repair work, or just pay a good mechanic.

I would think a compression test would be in order first to make sure it is a head gasket. If this engine is the 3.1, they had a lot of problems with intake gaskets leaking.

View this thread:

I would say, at this point, you definitely have a problem either in the intake gasket or the head gasket/Warped or cracked head. Either way, you will need to go through the intake to get to the heads. I would get the intake gaskets and head gaskets. When you pull the intake, look at the gaskets, you will see where they fail (at either end of the intake). If you find the intake gasket failed, you could just stop there and install the redesigned intake gaskets (no special procedure other than torque sequence, and no special sealer)and probably be good for another 200k. If you don't find where the intake gasket failed, you could continue on to the head gaskets. Since you have to remove one to get to the other you could stop when you find the problem. Again, if it is the 3.1 liter engine, they are known for intake gasket issues. It is a fairly easy job with a good set of mechanics tools and some mechanical knowledge.

Thanks, dewaynep !

I cannot say for sure where the leak is coming from. Just took delivery of the car. No external leaks apparent at full operating temperature after a 22 mile drive. Temp gauge stayed within the normal range except for towards the end of the drive getting into the "H" zone, the idiot light came on, but then shortly after the temperature gauge returned to normal. Both cooling fans observed working later at idle. Bubbling occurs in the coolant reservoir. Tried bleeding it off at the fitting where the upper radiator hose goes into the engine to no avail. Sometimes the heater blows hot air, sometimes cooler air. No abnormal heat coming from engine department, and can't smell coolant at tailpipe. Do the thermostats screw up? Sure hope its the intake gasket !

Fred

dewaynep wrote:

View this thread: