Hi Group, I'm looking for opinions and perhaps a little previous experience. I'm dealing with a 2000 Chevy Astro with the 4.3 litre V-6, automatic AWD and about 160K miles on her. Just the other day, I noticed that it had run low enough on coolant to stop providing heat to the cabin, and the temp climbed up to about 200 degrees (F). I refilled the radiator right away, but found the same situation about 400 miles later. Further investigation showed no visible leaks that I can find, and I think the oil may be emulsified. I have also noticed a rise in oil pressure - not much, but running around 50 psi at 65 MPH when typical was closer to 40 in the past. There may also be more steam in the exhaust that normal, but it is hard to tell for sure. I know that it is likely that a head gasket has failed but I'm looking (hoping) for other possibilities with this motor. Right now I've got the doghouse off and the shrouds off from around the fan. I was hoping for an easy way to get a compression test done, but those plugs are still quite elusive and buried. I can get there if needed. I was also hoping that there would be a way to pull the heads without pulling the motor, but it appears to be unlikely. Any advice on how others have dealt with this sort of problem in this vehicle would be greatly appreciated.
TIA