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Symptoms for Bad Head Gaskets?

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Old 11-06-2007 | 01:52 PM
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Symptoms for Bad Head Gaskets?

I think my car may need new head gaskets. I already fixed all problems related to the cooling system. But a month after everything was fine it started acting dumb. My gauge shows weird fluctuations in temperatures, it actually dropped really cold and 30 sec later super hot. My coolant is dropping about two inches consistantly every other day. Also, when I do refill the coolant, it makes this annoying che-che sound until its warm and driven for a while. Dont know how to trouble shoot this but what should happen if the gaskets were bad and on the verge of dying.
Old 11-06-2007 | 03:10 PM
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A Blown head gasket would cause a lot of white smoke out the exhaust, exhaust will smell sweet coolant in the oil, very sluggish perfomance. Check your dipstick to see if your oil is cloudy from coolant getting in from a leaky head gasket.

Go through the whole coolant system if you come up with nothing there check for leaks on hoses, test your thermostat, check your water pump. There is a weep hole on there if its leaking then its time to replace that.
Old 11-06-2007 | 04:08 PM
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are you following the coolant fill procedure? If you don't do it right you won't get all the air out of the system. Bad gaskets will cause a white smoke, but not always, you may have a missfire, coolant in oil, or I have seen them leak coolant from the head mating surface (not real common) a pressure tester will help, if you pump it up, and it loses pressure you have a leak somewhere (you may be able to see it if your lucky)
Old 11-06-2007 | 08:51 PM
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I agree, first thought is that there is air in the system/stuck thermostat. Also, you may see the coolant "bubble" in the overflow; but by then it would be pouring white smoke out the exhaust.
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