do I have a blown head gasket on my s10?
I4, 5spd, 4x2. Got the truck a few weeks ago and ran fine. Developed a knocking sound which I thought was the throw out bearing going out but that wasnt it. the truck recently died on the side of the highway, we were able to start it again and get it to the gas station, I noticed coolant leaking, there was a lot around the right wheel well. Put some coolant in and got it home, Pulled the radiator out and checked all the hoses, everything turned out fine, seemed like when we died the coolant was leaking from the right bottom side of the radiator( if looking from the driver seat). Checked the oil and the dipstick came back dry, Changed the oil right away and it ran very noice with no smoke, smells or knocks......perfect. This lasted two days until I got in the truck one night after work and it just took a while to get it started, just didnt want to turn over. Kept trying with the throttle open and it fired up. This hard start happens at random but definetely hesitates every time to start. Once running, there is quiet a bit of white smoke from the tail pipe but goes away after 10-15 minutes. I had a car with a complete blown head gasket so it wasnt that much smoke but I would say little more then normal. When driving sometimes it hesitates while accelerating and sometimes it does fine, usually better after its warmed up but still hesitation happens at random.
Some things I found out of place, air filter dirty, moisture around fuel filter, very dirty throttle body and since we replaced the coolant it seems to bubble in the reservoir after shuting off the truck( i didnt "burd the system properly yet)some sort of oily build up on top of the valve cover near the firewall, around the air hose that goes into the valve cover, also there is a vacuum leak, on the driver side near the fender, there is a three way plug, I dont know where the third plug goes, I might just replace it with a straight plug . Where do I start? I will be doing all the work myself but since I recently bought the truck, I havent had the proper time to invest into it. Where do I begin? I really need some professional guidance. BTW, the check engine light is NOT on. Could I have a blown gasket or not?
Also, this is my short list of things to be replaced on my next day off, fuel filter, air filter, water pump, thermostat, drain and refill antifreeze, drain and refill oil, maybe an engine cleaner, thermostat. The temperature gauge keeps going up and down, mostly on the higher side. Oil gauge jumps up and down especially on accelertion
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Tags: 4x2, air filter, air hose, blown head gasket, bottom side, coolant, definetely, dipstick, driver seat, fuel filter, gasket, hoses, radiator, shuting, straight plug, tail pipe, throttle body, vacuum leak, valve cover, white smoke
January 25th, 2010 at 4:46 am
Check the engine oil for coolant. The oil will have a "milky" color to it. The white smoke (steam) from the exhaust pipe initially is condensation, and normal. After the engine reaches normal operating temperature no white smoke should be present. Suggest purchasing a Chilton or Haynes service manual for your truck. They are available from most auto parts stores, and both have a good "troubleshooting" section. The problems you describe might take a book to explain how to correct, one of these manuals will do the job nicely. Take them one at a time. Good luck!
January 25th, 2010 at 4:46 am
it sound like a mess,, i would say yes you have a blown head. with the white smoke yes and hard to start has to push out the water to start. and bubbles is a good sign too
January 25th, 2010 at 4:46 am
Asking the same question again isn’t going to help your motor. You ran it dry on oil and destroyed it. Your only option is to swap in a new motor.
January 25th, 2010 at 4:46 am
If it ran hot for several miles. Then it is possible. But since it ran good afterward it is not a blown engine. Which is good. If you didn’t use all color coolant , then that might be the reason for the oily stuff. Check for white stuff in the oil dipstick. If there is white on it then it is a blown head gasket or intake gasket.(The water got mixed with the oil) If there is not , then it is something else. The vacuum plug can be replaced with a good one . A leaky vacuum can be the cause of the truck running bad, it may have blown some sensors too. Have it checked at most any parts store such as Autozone for a trouble code. To see which sensor it may be. Always bleed the system. It can cause a hose or gasket to blow if it is not bled. Air pockets cause a lot of pressure in the system.Including the water pump.
I would start with the dipstick check. Then go from there to get a OB trouble code. If you find that there is a blown head gasket,by checking the dipstick, then the head may have warped. It has to be cut level or replaced. Also the cylinders and rings may be damaged.Check them with a pressure guage that goes in the spark plug hole.( They are fairly cheap to get) Check every cylinder. All should have strong pressure readings. If one or more have less than the others , they have been damaged.
January 25th, 2010 at 4:46 am
This is not a blown head gasket. The white smoke would be continuous and the hesitation and loss of power would be constant, especially noticeable when going uphill. If you are leaking coolant, that’s where it’s going…it’s leaking, not being burned. Pressure test your coolant system, this is the easiest way to see if you have any leaks. Replace your thermostat and water pump like you are planning, and also check to see if your reservoir cap is correct/needs replaced. If it’s not getting a tight seal then it may just be blowing out of your overflow everytime you shut the truck off. Your thermostat can also make this happen. If your throttle body is that dirty, it’s a big part of why the truck isn’t running so well. Change your plugs/wires. (Also, if any of your plugs are drastically cleaner than the others, this may be indicative of head gasket problems, so would be the milky oil mentioned in the other answers). Take a look at your coil packs or distributor, whichever you have. That’s about as much as I can give you without knowing the year.