Oldsmobile/Buick Repair: Heads or manifold gaskets, intake manifold gasket, manifold gaskets

Question
I own a 1999 olds sill. minivan, as all the reports show, they have an intake manifold gasket problem. What I want to know is how do I tell if its the intake manifold gasket or the head gasket which is blown? My oil was 3x above normal level, radiator almost empty (fluid went into oil), vehicle never overheated but had a real hard time passing warm air, vehicle was very sluggish and did not want to start, valves are very noisey with a loud tapping. Ive ordered new heads and gaskets along with bolt set but is it the heads?

Answer
You stated: "Ive ordered new heads".

WHY would you order NEW HEADS when you don't know what the problem is ?.

Either way you have to pull the intake and it will be quite obvious at looking at the intake gasket if the gasket is faulty.

You could pressure test the cooling system and see if you acn detect any coolant leaking from around the intake gasket but this can be inconclusive.

Making this type of a diagnosis really depends on experience and an eye for what you are looking at when you pull the intake.

I honestly can't tell you without having access to the vehicle and looking at it in order to give you an EXACT cause.


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