Turns over, wont catch

[OldFred]

Hey all. My car had been running fine and one morning, I was cranking it and it made a weird, sort of belching noise (not as loud as a backfire) and then refused to start. It will still turn over, it just wont start. I found white stuff in crankcase, indicating a blown head gasket (or something allowing coolant in there anyway) and am wondering if that could be the reason it wont start? I figured that if the lack of cooling hadn't seized the engine (it still turns over) that the coolant in the crankcase can't be the reason it won't start. Does that sound right?

[4kQuad]

If the oil in the in the pan looks like a milkshake....that's why it won't start.

If it does start....you will blow a rod bearing trying to drive it any distance as the water in the oil will not lub the rod bearings.

Long/Short.

If you pull the oil pan drain bolt out and the oil comes out looking like a choc.shake..........it's rebuild time.

The bottom end has to be rebuilt.
Of course have the head checked for cracks before they replace it.

[Brad97GS]

To add to that, if all you see is white stuff on the dipstick, but not in the oil when you drain it, then it is not the head gasket. In colder weather, Quads tend to generate this foamy stuff on the dipstick. That is because of the engine's ventilation system, which doesn't always work perfectly in the cold. Let us know if the oil is milky or not. :)