Overheating and Head Gaskets

[andyw715]

Pardon the duplicate post in Problems and Solutions


Hello,

My 99 GA SE2 overheated this moring. 2 days ago I had a new water pump installed. The mech hinted that the possible culprit is a head gasket. He performed a pressure check on the cooling system and everything was ok, same situation with exhaust gas check. But at 2500 rpm she blew exhaust into the coolant res. Like a damn geiser.

Couple of questions for the more mechanically inclined here:

1) How accurate is his assement that a head gasket may have an internal issue?

2) What is a rough estimate if a new HG needs to be installed? (assuming dealer labor + parts)

3) What is the worse case scenario? cracked head? what is the rough cost of such?


Thanks for your time,

Andy

[usranger1]

How bad is it overheating? Is it going into the red? I just
had my 99 Grand Am gt 3.4 worked on. I had my intake
manifold gaskets replaced and the temp was running just
a bit passed half way. i was told that was normal for this
engine.

[andyw715]

The temp gague maxed out 260 I guess...and the red light came on (near the temp gauge), as well as the Trac Control light.

A while ago (about a year ago) the "Low Coolant" light came on, I had the intake manifold gaskets replaced.

Thanks for the help

-Andy

[Jason Lesbirel]

Are you getting a lot of (or for that matter, any) heat from the heater core? And are you constantly refilling the reservoir?

What I'm thinking is that the joker that installed the water pump didn't do an adequate job of refilling and purging air out of the system - an air blockage can be severe enough to stop coolant flow, thereby causing an overheating situation. If this is the case, then the heater core will, most of the time, be a good indicator.

Generally speaking, an airblock in the system will keep the heater from blowing any heat.

If coolant is bypassing the head gasket, it's being burned, and the exhaust coming out the tailpipe should be rather dense and white.

If it isn't being burned, then it should be (if a head gasket is the culprit) contaminating the motor oil, and a simple check of the dipstick will tell. Excessive moisture buildup in the oil will show itself as a milky film, possibly foamy as well.

If there's a head gasket issue, it has to show somewhere - if not in the two above areas, then it has to be an external leak, blowing out from the gasket, as opposed to blowing into either the combustion chamber or oil journals.

[andyw715]

Prior to the overheating event (the night before; 2 days after the water pump was replaced). Everything was fine. I drove about 30 miles. Heat worked fine. During the overheating and before no heat came out.

No white smoke, nothing noted in the oil. Just exhaust blowing into the coolant resivoir.

I have to call the shop today...I'll keep ya'll posted

thanks,

-apw

[andyw715]

Just an update,

2 cracked heads, a leaky radiator, and the need to purge the coolant system of air pockets caused the overheating.

GM paid for the heads and radiator and half of the labor. I paid for the water pump and labor.

total cost $450

moral of the story, ***** and complain enough, you can get what you want