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I noticed it (the truck in my sig) getting close to overheating today. I discovered it has zero coolant. The heater stopped working a few weeks ago, but it’s making a gurgling sound upon acceleration. I still have misfires on cylinders 2, 7, and a P0300. The radiator cap, and the visible area below it are coated in a brown liquid.
Headgasket? BOTH headgaskets? (2 and 7 are not on the same bank…)
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could be head gasket failure from cylinder to coolant. further testing is required before we jump to conclusions; perform a compression and leak down test.
You probably should have checked the coolant when the heater went. Now I think you do have a head gasket that probably needs to be replaced. Low coolant may be the cause.
I’ve been trying to get a compression test done for a few weeks but I rarely get off work before dark. You’re right, I should’ve checked the coolant then but until today it’s been running dead on at 180* which is the temp of the thermostat it has.
I’ll update when I know something more.
Compression test and all other evidence gathering is being done on Monday. It seems unlikely, though, that it’s anything but a head gasket. (unless it’s actual block damage)
Considering the symptoms and how they unfolded, and for how long I’ve been chasing misfires) it would seem that the gasket blew between two cylinders (not sure which, the codes are different every time I check) and then it expanded into a coolant and oil passage. The coolant bottle now has oil in it, but the oil on the dipstick looks brand new.
Given the mileage on this block and likely cylinder damage, instead of doing the head gasket I’m going to replace it with a lower mileage engine. The frame and everything else is perfectly sound so despite the mileage, I see no reason to throw it away when an engine replacement is cheaper than a new vehicle.
Can anyone ballpark the labor cost of an engine swap for me? What about the engine AND transmission? (I might do both if the additional cost isn’t too ridiculous)
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