Blown headgasket/Trans failure

[GaPrix]

Drove to work last night, went to back in to park, shifted to car to reverse stepped on the gas and heard a noise similar to a tea kettle but very short and intense. Loss power to wheels, engine idled at 1500 but with rattling noise for a couples minutes, I saw a little bit of residue on the oil cap...I've never had a blown headgasket before but I can only assume thats what this is. I've gone through tearing down an engine before, but what am I looking at here? What it be trashed possibly because of a gasket material bouncing around in there, can it be machined and fixed I have no clue about that stuff or the cost

Edited December 3, 2011 by GaPrix
Better title

[xtremerevolution]

Drove to work last night, went to back in to park, shifted to car to reverse stepped on the gas and heard a noise similar to a tea kettle but very short and intense. Loss power to wheels, engine idled at 1500 but with rattling noise for a couples minutes, I saw a little bit of residue on the oil cap...I've never had a blown headgasket before but I can only assume thats what this is. I've gone through tearing down an engine before, but what am I looking at here? What it be trashed possibly because of a gasket material bouncing around in there, can it be machined and fixed I have no clue about that stuff or the cost

 

Its very likely not a blown head gasket, but a blown lower intake manifold gasket. Its also a very common problem, as in, a 100% failure rate (only a matter of time).

 

There's a revised gasket you can buy and install. While you're in there, you should also replace the valve cover gaskets (which come with the kit), clean your lifters as a preventative measure, and check your pushrods for excessive wear.

[GaPrix]

I've had that before, I replaced the lim gaskets about two years ago, would that explain why theres no power?

[xtremerevolution]

I've had that before, I replaced the lim gaskets about two years ago, would that explain why theres no power?

 

It might if you're dumping coolant into the intake. Can't say I've seen a head gasket just blow randomly and out of nowhere on a 3100.

 

Run a compression test on the cylinders and you'll find out.

[GaPrix]

Alright, I'll do that, and I'll tear it down a bit to have a look at the lim, hopefully thats it. Your right it shouldnt blow at random, i've never overheated, always been serviced properly (since i've had it). I only have minor coolant loss, i cant see any milkshake on the cap now either

[Schurkey]

Drove to work last night, went to back in to park, shifted to car to reverse stepped on the gas and heard a noise similar to a tea kettle but very short and intense. Loss power to wheels, engine idled at 1500 but with rattling noise for a couples minutes, I saw a little bit of residue on the oil cap...I've never had a blown headgasket before but I can only assume thats what this is. I've gone through tearing down an engine before, but what am I looking at here? What it be trashed possibly because of a gasket material bouncing around in there, can it be machined and fixed I have no clue about that stuff or the cost

Car doesn't move anymore?

 

I'd be looking at transaxle problems instead of engine problems.

 

Failed torque converter, failed friction, failed one-way clutch, etc.

[xtremerevolution]

Car doesn't move anymore?

 

I'd be looking at transaxle problems instead of engine problems.

 

Failed torque converter, failed friction, failed one-way clutch, etc.

 

Hadn't really thought of that, but I haven't heard of it happening on our cars too much either. People don't usually shred transmissions in reverse. That being said, its certainly possible if the engine is running and he can't move anywhere, although it wouldn't explain the high idle. Even a blown transmission will not stay in a 1500rpm idle out of nowhere unless your foot is on it lightly.

[tornado_735]

I had a random head gasket failure, but it was on an LH0 3.1 MPFI.

 

Compression test will tell the tale.

[Crazy K]

VEHICLE IMMOBILE FROM A PROBABLE TRANSMISSION ISSUE, NOT AN ENGINE ISSUE!!! (not to say that the engine doesn't need an intake gasket, but the car would go till it spins a bearing)

 

TEST:

To get a baseline, with the car off, check level on transmission dipstick

Now with the car running in park, check level on dipstick

 

If you can see fluid:

is it the same level on both checks?

is it way too high on the running check?

 

If you cannot see fluid:

add fluid as needed and repeat the test

p.s. is the car peeing transfluid? is there transfluid in the radiator?

 

 

The fluid level should drop to the full line if the car is running(if the transmission is properly full, of course).

 

If the fluid level does drop but the car does not move in reverse, does it move in ANY forward gear?

 

Can you roll the car in neutral?

If you cannot roll it in neutral, can you roll it in FIRST (with the engine off)

[GaPrix]

I'll get on all that first thing in the morning.

 

We did roll the car in neutral. And there was no trans fluid leaking (when it happened or after), although today I noticed coolant had seeped out from that metal black coolant line that runs in front of the engine around the side passes behind the oil dipstick. Whats the chances of both a gasket blowing and trans breaking same time, I just went to back in a parking spot.

 

No my foot was not on the gas as it idled, I got out the car to listen and look underneath for maybe 5 mins, the engine just idled like it would normally, except with the racket like lightly shaking a penny in a coke can

 

And the coolant is still bright green, in reservoir and whats leaked out.

Edited December 2, 2011 by GaPrix

[Crazy K]

Trans fluid if leaking from the internal cooler would fill the top of the radiator first. check under the cap

 

Since the leak you describe is a when, not an if issue, I must state that it is not likely related.

 

I'll state that I think the transmission pump broke. if the fluid level is way too high both with the car on or off, the pump has died.

[Mark 97 Cutlass Coupe]

Is there any way to tell if the LIM has been replaced before? I bought my Cutlass 4 years ago with about 115k, now have about 134k, and no leaks/problems. By the way, once that repair has been done, with the updated parts, is the engine good for another 100k before it needs it again?

[Crazy K]

take your finger and feel the side edge of the intake gasket.

if it is plastic it needs replaced...

-the factory plastic ones crack and leak at the coolant ports, but sometimes they last and last even when broken, just as long as the coolant pressure never rises enough for them to shift

-the felpro ones suffer gasket squirm, where their orange gasket material swells and shifts from contact with coolant or oil, or??? I did one engine with them, and they had failed with less than 20,000 miles, though it was 5 years since they had been done.

 

if it is rubber, feel for three small diamond shaped divots, which means it is the fel-pro perma-dry plus gasket and I would call it a lifetime part.

 

 

p.s. I feel dexcool equipped engine gaskets fail more severely, I think dex-cool reacts more with the original plastic style intake's gasket material making it swell... and i am honestly not wearing a tinfoil hat when i state that... I've ripped the intakes off of over 40 different 3x00s and seem plenty of swelling in orange juice equipped cars.

Edited December 3, 2011 by Crazy K

[GaPrix]

So I went out did all that, afterwards stuck it in drive and it acted/sounded normal, any position outside of that got a horrible noise. I did see some fluids in the radiator, I wasnt sure if it was rust though.

 

I put the perma drys on the car about 2 years ago, i'm hoping that hasnt failed already.

[Schurkey]

stuck it in drive and it acted/sounded normal, any position outside of that got a horrible noise.

No evil noises, and it moves in "drive", doesn't move--sounds bad in Reverse and manual forward ranges?

Transaxle failure.

[Oilpatch197]

when you go into reverse, you have 2x the pressure compared to normal forward. Were you COMPLETELY stopped before engaging reverse? If you were moving forward and shifted into reverse, the pressure shock could have blown a seal or something.

[GaPrix]

I had stopped completely, once a about 1.5 years ago I didnt 100% stop and shifted into reverse ever since I've made sure to stop fully. I have to shift into reverse every night. What model transaxle does this have, 94/3100/GP, 4t60e?

[AL]

Yes

[tornado_735]

Yeah, 4t60E is correct. They Final Drive Ratio was a little different between a couple models...IIRC, the Monte Carlo is 3.29, the GP and pretty much everything else is 3.33.

[GaPrix]

Would it be bad if i got one from a Monte? I've never studied drive ratios

[AL]

Yah you'll will be fine with a Monte trans

[Crazy K]

all 94-96 W cars with a 3100 had the same 3.33 FDR 4t60e... these all interchange with each other. the only difference is 96 trannies have a different reverse cut gear ring for the differential, making the planetary gear set of the differential not interchangeable. 94-95 would be the most straight forward, but grab what you can get!