Blown Head Gasket ?

Checked oil yesterday,had to add a little.Pulled filler cap and found heavy deposit of what looked like white grease.Cleaned it off.Checked today,even more. Slight loss of antifreeze in the overflow but don't know if it just started? Live in NE wonder what I should expect to replace either dealer or private.I know it's a subjective qquestion but figure I'll get an idea.

Reply to
Real Man
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I believe its NAPA Auto Store that sells a test kit to see if there is any oil in the coolant which would signify a bad head gasket.

Reply to
ilbebauck

Hi, I do not know what the weather is like where you live, but very low temperatures and short runs do not evaporate off the condensation formed within your engine. Come winter, my wife's car suffers from 'mayonnaise under the filler cap because the water vapour causes and emulsion to form in the coldest and highest part of the engine (top engine cover where filler cap is). If you have a leak into or out of the coolant system, your level will tend to change in the coolant expansion bottle.

Gio

Reply to
Gio

Thanks Gio,It is cold here in the NE NJ hopefuly your right.I have a feeling though combined with the MPG loss of 5 MPG it is the head gasket.I'll keep a close eye on the antifreeze just to double check.

Reply to
Real Man

I hope it is not a head gasket or cracked head and the fix is something simple and cheap.

Gio

Reply to
Gio

It's probably as Gio says, especially if you primarily take short trips. Coolant will evaporate from the reservoir over time since it's not sealed. In addition, the significantly colder temperatures in wintertime northeast (or is that Nebraska) will also cause the same amount of coolant to take up slightly less space.

Reply to
hyundaitech

Reply to
jp103

Basically short trip in succession.Temp guage did read midway.The grease not foam is inside the valve cover.There is a metal piece (I call the ledge) just at the mid point in the opening for the filler cap.That had the grease and so did the cap.This has never been present before on the car.Car has 100K on it.

Reply to
Real Man

What about the big loss of MPG!.I'm anal about filling the tank myself so I know the loss is real time.Barely going to hit 30 (if) this tank.Normal is 37-40???The other 2 vehicles I've had BHG have lost MPG too?

Reply to
Real Man

This is all consistent with failure to burn off the condensation in the engine. As for the drop in fuel economy, you should look at other potential causes first:

-- Colder temperatures will cause lower fuel economy

-- If you're waiting for the engine to warm up enough for the heater to work before driving away, this will lower fuel economy, particularly if most trips are short

-- Check tire pressures. Colder temperatures are enough to drop them a few psi.

-- Review driving habits.

-- If the check engine lamp is on, diagnose and address the cause.

-- Make sure the transmission, if automatic, engages all four forward gears.

-- Verify engine power feels normal.

-- Check tires for wear primarily on either the inside edge or outside edge. Excessive toe in/out will cause poor fuel economy.

Reply to
hyundaitech

Mechanic did compression check and it was good he says no HG problem.Tires good,no check engine light,air filter clean,new plugs?MPG at 32,from 37 -40

Reply to
Real Man

What kind of car is this? I find 37-40 MPG for nearly any car on short-trip drives to be almost too good to be true.

Reply to
hyundaitech
2000 accent.I drive very conservativley,keep tires at 40psi coast to lights long down hill,and am anal about filling my tank to full (even though illegal in NJ to pump your own) the odometer is accurate by GSPW mile markers. Check engine light finally came on yesterday car bucked and sputtered no power,pulled over shut off restarted,light went out.came back on in shoort order bucked and sghuddered and finally ran ok to get home (computer fail safe?) and light staye on.Will take to shop for diagnosis.Several months ago had Cat,map flow replaced so may just be wires?? as it was rainy and wet.Had come on for 1 second flashiing 2 months ago in same wet conditions.
Reply to
Real Man

Got car back and it showed missfire # 1.New wires and on the road,but,filled tank and usually when car is running well the guage doesn't move till 100+ miles are on the odo.When it started running crappy before the check engine light it was moving at 50 on the odo.This time it was 1/2 way to half tank at 30?? I hope this is the time the computer is resetting???? Do all cars have to be driven a certain milage after clearing the check engine light as my mechanic said I had to go at least 100 before the computer completely resets and the guy at the inspection station said the same thing???

Reply to
Real Man

They do take some time to reset. I don't know the specifics of your model though.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

It takes some time for the computer to run all its self-tests. That's what they're referring to. For all practical purposes, the car should run properly out of the box. More likely, you've lost some fuel due to the car running while not moving at the repair facility (and/or the facility not driving it like you drive it).

As for your fuel economy, after checking the EPA figures, 37-40 still seems high. Vehicle is listed as 23/31 for automatic and 24/33 highway. Typically, I'd expect close to the city value for short-trip driving, but we also know that driving habits play a large role in actual fuel economy. I could see that if you're very conservative, you'd get close to the highway value even for short-trip driving, but

37-40 is in the "I'll need to see it to believe it" range.
Reply to
hyundaitech

I can understand your skepticism.When people tell me they get wonderful gas mileage it's usually because they don't fill the tank to the top.I have always gotten much better than epa figures.First I replace the motor oil with Mobil 1 or Rotella synthetic 5-30 5-40 respectively.Then I replace the transmission oil with Redline synthetic and the rear (truck) end oil with Redline synthetic.Finally replace the stock air filter with a K&N.On my 1982 Nissan diesel pick up I was pulling 39 city and 50 highway.On my 1976 Datsun 710 station wagong 30 city 35 highway.My 1973 510 was over 30 but can't remember the absolute figures.Same for my motorcycles.I reduced rear sprocket size and could pull 50mpg on my CBX's and easily get 50 on my Kawasaki A-10 Concours's.I do drive very conservatevly anticipating lights and traffic and very rarely go above 70 on the highway.(retired so where do I have to be in a hurry) *

Reply to
Real Man

Not looking like the problem was solved.Gas guage is 1/4 down for less than 100 miles (normal is not moving off full till 100 miles) well over

300 miles on computer reset but no check engine light on yet???????
Reply to
Real Man

Today (snowing wet) in a turn like last time only in rain my check engine light flashed about 30 to 45 seconds then went out??? Any suggestions what would cause that?

Reply to
Real Man

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