My 3s just overheated *Update*, UPDATE: Radiator/ Head Gasket replacement need help Options

[eggman40]

*****UPDATE*****

Ok so i was replacing my radiator today and when i disconnected my catch can i saw it was milky... It was not like that a week ago... sooooo im assuming the head gasket finally gave out.

Ive already started taking everything out: plugs, dp, alternator..... basically getting ready to pull the motor.

my question is now....

Is it possible to replace the head gasket w/o pulling the motor out of the car??? or does the whole thing have to come out?

Im REALLY strapped for time so I might hire someone to do it for me so i figure i would get as much crap out of the way so I save on labor... How much would be a fair price to pay for this?

and lastly, is there a way to tell if the BLOCK will need to be machined? becuase once the head is out, it would be easy to machine, but the block is a different story. i would have to pull the whole motor at that point.

Again thanks for your help guys, i really miss driving my car

This post has been edited by eggman40: Mar 14, 2009 - 9:54 PM

[azian_advanced]

i am betting the radiator cap is faulty. the radiator cap is designed to hold enough pressure that prevents it from 'hissing' or seeping out. if the pressure is too strong, the pressure should redirect itself through the overflow tube/reservoir.

another possibility is that there may be a hairline crack near the radiator cap. i had this issue once and coolant spewed all over the engine bay and the engine overheated. when i put more coolant in and let it idle for maybe 30 mins to warm up, it wouldn't reveal where the leak was coming out from since the crack was so tiny and almost invisible that it was able to retain most of the pressure inside at idle. but only when i was actually driving (revving above 2k rpms) that the pressure and heat would build up high enough that coolant is forced to leak out from the crack simultaneously making hissing noises... you can verify this by pouring water over the rad while looking for bubbles which will help locate the crack..

[eggman40]

i am betting the radiator cap is faulty. the radiator cap is designed to hold enough pressure that prevents it from 'hissing' or seeping out. if the pressure is too strong, the pressure should redirect itself through the overflow tube/reservoir.

another possibility is that there may be a hairline crack near the radiator cap. i had this issue once and coolant spewed all over the engine bay and the engine overheated. when i put more coolant in and let it idle for maybe 30 mins to warm up, it wouldn't reveal where the leak was coming out from since the crack was so tiny and almost invisible that it was able to retain most of the pressure inside at idle. but only when i was actually driving (revving above 2k rpms) that the pressure and heat would build up high enough that coolant is forced to leak out from the crack simultaneously making hissing noises... you can verify this by pouring water over the rad while looking for bubbles which will help locate the crack..

Oh ok great! then im gonna go ahead replace the cap this week and see if that helps normalize things.

Next on my list if that doesnt work, will be the thermostat. maybe that could be fault as well.


thanks for the help up azian_adv.