Pontiac Repair: 1998 Pontiac transport, signs of a blown head gasket, blown head gasket

Question
QUESTION: Hi Todd, I recently took my transport to a local repair shop because the temp gauge was spiking it was sputtering and the check engine light was flashing. They changed the intake gasket, ran a flush yet the problem continues. I today changed the thermostat but still the same thing...Could this be a blown or cracked head? I let it run and turn on the heater which it took a long time to heat up and the temp gauge is up and down. The pressure test the replace the radiator cap.

ANSWER: Hi victor.

Those are classic signs of a blown head gasket. if you keep driving it and this keeps happening there is a good chance if could crack a cylinder head a warp a head. Usually the chain of events on these is an intake gasket leask like you had and the fact that it's low on coolant makes it run hot and then the head gasket go bad from the heat. good luck :-)


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QUESTION: Thanks Todd...though it was not quite what I wanted to see lol, would I hear any knocking or see smoke or anything like that?

Answer
No always will you see smoke. It depends on where the coolan it leaking into the cylinder or into the crank case. pull the engine oil dip stick if the oil has a milky look to it DO not drive it anymore. intermix of coolant and oil will damage the engine bearings and cause a knock eventually. it doesn't take much coolant in the oilto cuase damage to occure.