Did I blow my head gasket?

[hatedonmostly]

Long story short, I was working on my Talon and forgot to put the electric fan back on before I took it for a drive. When I reached my destination white steam was rolling out of the hood and boiling coolant was spewing out of the overflow bottle. Coolant temperature on the dash was 3/4 of the way to the top, nowhere near the red.

The car starts fine, the oil is not milky, and the exhaust is not blowing white smoke. However, I am not sure if any issues would show symptoms this early; I haven't driven the car since the incident, so I don't know if the possible leaks could have transferred coolant/oil into undesirable passages yet.

I know there's always a possibility, but it is likely that I blew the HG? I am going to do a compression test in the next couple days, but until then I'd like to have some input from forum members...

 

[rEclipserGST]

Possibly a stuck thermostat. Try replacing that. Is the top radiator hose spongy & soft? Are you leaking any fluids around the block? Did you do a compression test or leakdown test?

I would start with a replacing the thermostat. Then compression test. Knowing those numbers is always good.

 

[hatedonmostly]

Possibly a stuck thermostat. Try replacing that. Is the top radiator hose spongy & soft? Are you leaking any fluids around the block? Did you do a compression test or leakdown test?

I would start with a replacing the thermostat. Then compression test. Knowing those numbers is always good.

Thermostat was brand new, only 150 miles on it. Not an OEM part though.

Radiator hose is stiff as it should be. Only leaks from the transfer case.

You don't think it just overheated from the lack of a fan?

 

[rEclipserGST]

Thermostat was brand new, only 150 miles on it. Not an OEM part though.

Radiator hose is stiff as it should be. Only leaks from the transfer case.

You don't think it just overheated from the lack of a fan?

The huge radiator fan? The one that stays on majority of the time? Yes, that is a possibility. But a stuck thermostat could be causing this as well. You can easily remove the thermostat. Boil it in water, to see if it is opening at the needed temperature.

I would def. install the fan. Most people are running two, as well as having them on full-time.

Any pix of the engine bay? We may be able to point additional things out.

When was the Coolant Temp Sensor replaced? Or even the radiator cap?

 

[tcbikerguy6]

My old one used to do the same thing and all it was the coolant reservoir was not being sealed correctly and was allowing the car to overheat and boil coolant everywhere.

 

[redpit]

Get a hg test if u are worried about it. it measures for co2 in the coolant and make there is no mixing of oil. I would change the thermostat has well because it over heated, especially if it's a daily driver. i have seen lots of new parts defective. even if it was just the fan not being installed or on.Doing what you know is correct will give a peace of mind in your investment.

 

[Rogi]

i say no, if your temperature never reached red and luck is on your side i've driven mine by accident all the way to redline temperature for minutes and its still fine, but you will not be sure until you do a compression test, good luck

 

[hatedonmostly]

I am pretty sure the car overheated from letting it run without the fan. As suggested, I'll replace the thermostat. I can't remember if the radiator cap is new or not, but I don't think the car has a problem with building pressure because it built enough to blow the lid off the overflow.

I just went ahead and ordered two 12" electric fans, they should be here in a few days. I also did a compression test, 160 psi in cylinders 1-3 and 140 psi in cylinder 4. But the rebuilt motor has only 150 miles on it.

I can't figure out why it is still so slow, it has a small 16G and FMIC on it with some other small mods. It seemed to be faster when I had a leaking sidemount on it.

 

[jed344]

that does seem kinda low my stock motor with 148k on it has 170ish across the board.. And id say u got lucky and did not blow the head gasket.

 

[LandoAWD]

Leakdown.

 

[Bluedemon97]

What should the compression be for a rebuilt stock internal 4G63t I'm a noob and this is my first import build. I'm also testing for a hg problem.

 

[Nasty Dream]

I doubt you need a radiator fan as long as the car is moving, or not sitting idle for more than like 10-20 minutes (both cycles of coolant will be getting very hot).

I know the 1g has a different radiator, but I've never had any radiator fans on my car, believe it or not.

This isn't bait for scorn or advice for me. I have a todo list for my car and just never needed one until I started working in the city and driving in stop and go traffic

My point is, look at other things.

Thermostat was brand new, only 150 miles on it. Not an OEM part though.

If you've just replaced it, that's a good sign that it is the problem, actually.

Hopefully you know exactly how to set up the cooling system when it was refilled, right? Running the engine with the coolant cap off, etc.

 

[Calan]

A compression test won't tell you much about your head gasket. You really need to do a leak-down test.

Since nobody has pointed these out yet (and apparently the search function no longer works):

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/336535-do-you-have-blown-head-gasket.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/338152-compression-leak-down-testing.html

My old one used to do the same thing and all it was the coolant reservoir was not being sealed correctly and was allowing the car to overheat and boil coolant everywhere.

Ehhh... what? Please explain.

i say no, if your temperature never reached red and luck is on your side i've driven mine by accident all the way to redline temperature for minutes and its still fine, but you will not be sure until you do a compression test, good luck

The stock temperature gauge is almost useless. On some cars, the red area is slightly hot; on others it's serious head-warping territory.

 

[EclipseGS-TuRbO]

i would go to your nearest mechanic shop and see if they could loan you a block tester. basically what it is is a test tube looking thing that sucks gases out of your radiator (if there is some) and if the dye turns yellow then you definitly have a head gasket blown

 

[bryanwheat]

i would go to your nearest mechanic shop and see if they could loan you a block tester. basically what it is is a test tube looking thing that sucks gases out of your radiator (if there is some) and if the dye turns yellow then you definitly have a head gasket blown

Highly unlikely that a shop is going to let a random person borrow tools. This is pretty simple. Pull the radiator cap, pressurize the cylinders and watch for air bubbles coming out or the radiator.

 

[BogusSVO]

i would go to your nearest mechanic shop and see if they could loan you a block tester. basically what it is is a test tube looking thing that sucks gases out of your radiator (if there is some) and if the dye turns yellow then you definitly have a head gasket blown

This is the tool you are talking about, you can buy one at NAPA
https://napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=BK_7001006_0282509199

But until you run the Block test, or a leak down test or coolent pressure test, there is nothing else we can advise you.

If the rad fan is not working/missing, the engine can and will over heat in low speed driving, such as city driving, alot of long stop lights.

There is just not enough airflow over the radaitor core for the heat exchange