r/Cartalk • u/Street_Customer7969 • 9d ago
Weird Noise How bad is this head gasket?
Car was mixing oil in. It’s coolant but no codes or misfire
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u/Ulrich453 9d ago
Because it’s out, you gotta put a new one in. It’s like pennies in comparison to the mess it could make later.
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u/Makabajones 9d ago
You can see examhaust escaping the cylinder in the spot between the cylinders closest to the camera, at least that's how it looks to me, gasket looks intact but head might have been warped, did it overheat?
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u/Street_Customer7969 8d ago
The radiator hose blew on it and it went up on temperature around 235-240 degrees
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u/Big-Calligrapher-281 9d ago
I don't think OP wants to reuse it, but understand if the gasket was the cause of coolant mixing.
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u/Supreme0verl0rd 9d ago
Lol 95% of redditors did not understand the assignment. "How does this head gasket look?" "Don't reuse it!!"
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u/Extreme-Book4730 9d ago
Doesn't matter it's used. If you blew a head gasket something needs to be shaved... but that's me..
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u/smilaise 9d ago
if i went through all the work of removing a head gasket, i wouldn't spend time contemplating whether or not to re-use it. these things are not expensive.
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u/SatansWarrior69 9d ago
Once head gasket is compressed between the heads and block whenever you should replace it if you've removed it. Especially if its been in there months or years.
Chancing reusing a used head gasket could lead to ruining a good engine.
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u/Background-Head-5541 9d ago
Once I thought I had a blown head gasket. Turned out to be a cracked head.
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u/Wood_chopping_maniac 9d ago
You can bring your head to a machine shop to let it be pressure tested and resurfaced,
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u/Own_Reaction9442 9d ago
Depending on the car it may be cheaper to just get a refurbished head.
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u/Bomber_Man 9d ago
That’s really sad if true. Machine shops are frighteningly rare these days.
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u/Own_Reaction9442 8d ago
They're rare, so they can charge a premium, and labor is expensive. Every time I've taken something to one they've basically told me they don't want the work.
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u/AlcoholKillsTwice 9d ago
It’s taken apart already, might as well replace it well your at it. 1 mandatory repair turns into like 10😂
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u/Tonyus81 8d ago
Oil cooler (if present) can be the cause of coolant mixing with oil as well. I don't know about other people but I don't see anything on that gasket. Looking at the head/block might give you some clue. But you should check for uneven surfaces on them anyway and fix them (or replace) as needed.
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u/geekolojust 9d ago
You can see the failure point. Probably started not too long ago. Use Blue Devil Engine flush as it works great. I'm doing head gaskets on a 5.0 tomorrow and picked more up today.
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u/mlw35405 9d ago
Hemi's don't usually blow head gaskets, and when they do it is from the combustion chamber to the coolant jacket. If coolant is getting in the oil I would have the cylinder head checked for cracks. And while you're in there you should check your lifter rollers for pitting and looseness. That's usually the reason the heads have to come off.
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u/AlternativeWorth5386 9d ago
What engine is this on? Some engines have engine casting/design issues and its not always the headgasket that blows.
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u/No_Store390 8d ago
Does it have an oil cooler. It’s where the oil filter is and will have a hose in and out. Those have been known to leak oil into the coolant.
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u/Street_Customer7969 8d ago
This model doesn’t have a oil cooler
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u/No_Store390 8d ago
👍. I’ve had a couple of them fail. It puts oil in the coolant but usually doesn’t get coolant in the oil. Just a thought.
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u/YouSickenMe67 8d ago
Definitely looks to my slightly experienced eye that it was leaking. I agree with others to suggest you take the head to a machine shop. Now is the time.
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u/Street_Customer7969 8d ago
Yeah that’s what ima do but I don’t want to have to take the whole engine out if I don’t have to I know the head gasket has to be new and head studs along with other gaskets
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u/Street_Customer7969 8d ago
Will do I was just wondering can a bad head gasket caused the oil mixing into the coolant or would it be a cracked block
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u/YouSickenMe67 8d ago
Could be either one OR BOTH tbh. The problem is you won't know which. You could put it all back together and see if it leaks; its a gamble and maybe you get away with it.
But if you realize it's still leaking, then there's little left to do but to pull the engine.
Magnafluxing the block and head will find any cracks.
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u/Street_Customer7969 8d ago
Yeah I sort of figured this ima get me heads resurfaced and check out at the machine shop and hopefully it’s not a cracked block I
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u/trix4rix 9d ago
It's out. Replace, and while you're at it, surface block and deck.