Chrysler Repair: Replace head gasket on 3.5L V-6?, head gasket leak, upper radiator hose

Question
I have a 1994 Chrysler New Yorker 3.5l engine that I am told needs a head gasket replaced.  I had the water pump replaced 3 weeks ago and every 7 days it over heats and I need it towed back to the shop.  He has never found anything wrong with it and I can drive it another 7 days before it happens again.  This time he tells me the head gasket is out and it needs to be replaced.  Does this sound about right and how hard is it.  Thank you very much for your time.

Answer
Hi Brian,
Other symptoms of a head gasket leak are:
excessive white smoke from tail pipe when starting from a cold engine
gurgling sounds from engine shortly after start-up, release of fluid from overflow bottle before engine is warmed up both due to internal pressurization of the cooling system
frothy/cloudy oil
The gold standard test would be to have a radiator shop test for exhaust gas in the cooling system which would prove such a leak.
The other possible explanation for your problem is that when refilling the system there was air trapped inside. Here is the way to correct that and then see what happens:
Drain off and save for reuse a couple of quarts of coolant.
Close radiator drain, hand tighten only
Install cylinder block drain plugs if removed earlier (located behind each exhaust manifold)
Attach one end of 1/4 inch ID clear hose that is 4 feet long to the bleed valve on the thermostat housing. Route the hose away from the accessory drive belt, drive pulley, and electric fan. Place the other end into a clean container. The hose will prevent coolant from contacting the accessory drive belt when bleeding the system during refill operations.
Open the bleed valve
Slowly fill coolant pressure bottle reusing the drained coolant until a steady stream of coolant flows from hose attached to the bleed valve.
Gently squeeze upper radiator hose until all air is removed from system.
Close bleed valve and continue filling to the top of the coolant deaeration pressure bottle.
Install cap on coolant pressure bottle
Remove hose from bleed valve.
Then see if you still overheat.
The removal of a head is not a trivial job, but I do have the manual for that engine if you need copies of the pages. I can xerox for 10 cents a side and postal mail them to you. But you need to determine which head is leaking: check for wet spark plug on all ports. Remove plugs; then have a helper try starting the engine while you watch for the expulsion of coolant on either side to occur to figure which head gasket is leaking.
Roland