Under hood signs of a head gasket failure

[ZacHansonLover80]

I have a 2005 Mercury Grand Marqius LS. I recently expierience problems with the transmission whenever I start it up very hard it shifts like a bump into 2nd or 3rd gear.

[briansmobile1]

@ZacHansonLover80 Sounds like the bands need to be adjusted or it may be worn out.

[Richierich1285]

yeah thats bullshit to just bc theirs milky oil under the oil cap does not mean its a blown head gasket its nothing to worrie about all it is moister build up under the cap no if ur oil is milky now thats when u have the problem any car that sits up will have moister build up under the cap like that

[wtl1964]

i have that but in the radiATOR any ideas

[327patron]

I have a 98 Saturn SL that's been parked for over a year. I run the engine every week, it starts with no problem. I replaced the head gasket last year, it looks like the oil is leaking and there is oil in one of the spark plugs, the far left one. How can I fix it?? Thanks.

[briansmobile1]

@327patron Replace the valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals.

[Greendewful]

@327patron bad rings is probly wer is it leaking????

[boywonder1993]

My 1993 toyota paseo sat for two years (not being taken care of) and it needed a new fuel filter and it wont pass smog, the mechanic said that it just needs to run. Did he mean driven or just ran? also does it need to be driven hard or just 30 minutes in my neighborhood fine? any help is appreciated! thanks!

[briansmobile1]

@boywonder1993 I've heard it called "an Italian tune up" that is to run it hard for 30 minutes. It's also a good idea to emissions test it while it's hot. (op. temp)

[boywonder1993]

@briansmobile1 Alright, thanks! I guess I'll be hitting the freeway before I go on Saturday. Thanks again man!

[asleeperj]

@briansmobile1 Got an 87 mustang 5.0 notch, randomly it will decided instead of idle it will fluctuate, between 500-1000 RPM, then a little while later returns to normal Any idea? It's a regular 5 speed, has 230,000 miles, still pulls like a boss, and is not mass air...

[briansmobile1]

@asleeperj Idle air control valve/motor.

[tompwh]

hi. on my 2002 fiat. my oil looks a bit watery and runny. There is also also bubbles constantly in my coolant reservoir. is this alone a definite sign of heat gasket fail? thanks

[briansmobile1]

@tompwh Runny oil could just mean it's a low weight oil. Bubbles in the reservoir could be the result of a coolant leak creating excess air and therefore steam to be pressing out. One of the best tests is to see if there are compression gasses in the radiator. You can buy/rent a kit for this at Autozone.

[memadmax69]

God, that looks like an Expedition.... I hate doing the heads on those, especially the drivers side..............

[automotiveDIY]

and not always do you have coolant in the oil, or oil in the coolant. the headgasket can fail between a coolant port and cylinder, a cylinder and oil return, and between 2 cylinders (in sleeved engines)

all of them would not expose coolant mixed with oil. you would have steam out the exhaust for a coolant jacket to cylinder failure. and excessive blowby in a oil return failure. and just a power loss if it fails between cylinders.

[jaggass]

an oil cap can tell you many things

[apsert]

Not so fast peeps! if you have bad vacume i.e blocked air breather pipes or breather gasket then this will cause condensation in the head and create the same coffee coloured gunk on the oil filler cap. so check these first

[CcCulkucuCcCbozkurt]

my clio s engine cap has some cremy yellow thing is it that mean head gasget gone cos not fast any more like b4 thanks

[briansmobile1]

@CcCulkucuCcCbozkurt The cap is only ONE sign. Look for other signs before spending lots of money.

[Usernameinvalid16]

@CcCulkucuCcCbozkurt Brian Only Speaks English, Not hjdghsjhsdgh jhg ghjg

[briansmobile1]

@Usernameinvalid16 I do speak Spanish, French, Telegu, and Tamil as well.

[Usernameinvalid16]

@briansmobile1 Awesome LOL I was Refuring to as, You Do not speak Gibberish like that guy said to you He didn't make any sense what he said LOL.

[briansmobile1]

@Usernameinvalid16 lol

[Usernameinvalid16]

@briansmobile1 Keep up the awesome videos Brian. Hey I like the Videos on the Chevy Duramax's By the way You need more Duramax's in there...

[briansmobile1]

@Usernameinvalid16 I agree. They pay well.

[genx1973]

My 97 camaro oil cap has that type of mayo like residue also. An 850 dollar job to repair the blown head gasket.

[briansmobile1]

@genx1973 Check the oil drain plug for the same. If it's ONLY on the cap you're ok. It's just water vapour.

[josh61595]

what if u have white stuff in your coolant??

[briansmobile1]

@josh61595 If by your definition of white stuff you mean the crud in this oil cap then it could be oil mixing in with the coolant.

[Usernameinvalid16]

@josh61595 It means Oil is some how getting into the Coolent.

[Lasselkv28]

Hmm it could be an engine with a lot of cold starts or the head gasket as you say.

Some cars are worse than others regarding the grease in the oil cap.

Especially older Fiat cars here in europe did this.

GREAT videos by the way ;-)

[Nivicoman]

My 98 Corolla shows a small amount of WHITE goo on the underside of the oil cap but no antifreeze loss. Realized it's the humidity around here and short drives leaving moisture in the oil and as it evaporates it sludges the highest point of the engine.

[deemilieu]

oily gunk in the collant expansion tank, a radiator that you need to keep adding coolant too even though there are no leaks anywhere. my car would fart gas out of the expansion tank when i shut it off. also pull the oil dipstick and if the oil has a greenish hue, uh oh. anything that's blowing coolent out through the expansion tank means a bad gasket and or cracked head. that's bad news..maybe time to get a new engine.

[jthouse51]

@deemilieu could it possibly be a stuck, or "blocked" thermastat?

[deemilieu]

@jthouse51 the gunk comes from oil and coolant mixing... the only way this can happen, outside someone pouring coolant in the oil by mistake, is if the two systems are leaking into each other, meaning a messed up head and/ or head gasket. a bad or stuck closed t-stat could cause overheating, which can lead to head gasket and/or head failure.

[wafrederick]

A compression test will tell too and you will get a miss with a headgasket failure.The Ford triton 5.4s are also known for headgasket failures

[STREETSTALKERT09]

mmmmmmmm SOUP

[briansmobile1]

@STREETSTALKERT09 lol - Yummy!

[automotiveDIY]

i can tell based on that intake and crank case vent tube that the engine in that truck is either a GM 4.3L or a GM 5.7, both being the vortecs. and its probably just the intake manifold gasket that went. very rarely do the headgaskets on the vortecs go.

[briansmobile1]

@automotiveDIY That's correct.  Typically they don't. It's a 4.2L Trailblazer

[punx8086]

early warning sign of gasket failure? WTF, that's been blown for a long time...

[smiley1612]

Thats not chocolate kids

[blackericdenice]

I own a 4.2 with 109k and never seen any thing brown n my oil cap.

[cdnbrit]

Will a head gasket Leak on the exterior of the engine? I have an 02 Aztek with the 3.4, Some white crap under the Oil Cap.

[punx8086]

@cdnbrit yes, a blown head gasket can leak internally or out and on to the ground....My truck right now has a leaking had gasket and its leaking on the exterior side of the engine and probable internally too.....Getting ready to change it probable this weekend...

[10MickeyMouse]

No, I haven't seen others; When the first I come across strikes me this way, I usually stop. But if there were real symptoms, why not show that, since the video is entitled "signs of a head gasket failure"? If it really was failed, then I apologize for my accusation, but you should know as well as I that what you're showing is NOT a sign of a problem in a GM.

[streetlimitz89]

there are hundreds of cars that come into my shop all the time and have that, even BRAND NEW cars have that, the HUMIDITY causes that its kinda like taking a COLD beer and Sitting it in the heat. its going to create a "SWEAT" on the can. Learn what your talking about THEN SCARE PEOPLE.

[briansmobile1]

@streetlimitz89 A little is normal. This is in Utah where humidity is near zero all the time (desert climate). Also when you pull the oil drain plug and find coolant.... it's a head gasket failure.

[darkeyce02]

@briansmobile1 or cracked block like my 4.3

[briansmobile1]

@darkeyce02 OUCH! Not nice. Not nice at all!

[101jjackboyz1]

I bought a 90 cadillac deville it stutters when i want to turn it on.. then i dont have much power at times.. theirs no oil mixyture or nothing? could it be my water pump not working rite? because here and there it throws it out from my reserve tank

[strathmann2007]

My car has the same problem. Now it has loss of power. What do I do? HELP!

[briansmobile1]

@strathmann2007 Year, make and model.  Engine, mileage, etc?

[strathmann2007]

@briansmobile1 It's a 2001 Vauxhall Astra 1.6.. Mileage = 114,233. And it looks like their is oil in my coolant system "/.

[briansmobile1]

@strathmann2007 If it's been overheating it could be a head gasket, but if not I'd look closely at the intake manifold gasket.

[sohail786]

@briansmobile1 hi i have a 1.4 16v mk4 astra 1999 T reg 100k+m the gauge for temp heats up slightly i get warm air from the fan but it doesnt stay bang on 90ds what can the problem be? in mornings stains of water are on floor could be a radiator leak?

[BmxDieseldude]

@sohail786 this could be a radiator leak, but could also be the heater core, or any of the lines. if you start to lose heat, as the engine begins to get hotter, odds are you're getting air into the cooling system (air replacing leaked fluid) and so the pump isn't pumping the coolant. i'd guess heater core before radiator. what section of the country are you in. a failed heater core can be bypassed easily if you don't need heat in the winter.

[briansmobile1]

@sohail786 First make sure there's plenty of coolant in the radiator when it's cold. Then warm up the engine. Check for leaks when it's warmed up. Air gets trapped in the heater core first when coolant level is in decline. Poor heat delivery can be from a thermostat that is stuck open, air in the heater core, or corrosion sludge blocking the heater core. That last one you can check for by warming up the car and grabbing the heater hoses that go into the firewall. If one's hot and one's not.

[sohail786]

@briansmobile1 thanks alot for the info brian, im looking to sell this car i mean im from the u.k here we have a site called autotrader ive just put it up for sale :)

[seattlehawkins]

@strathmann2007 Pawn it off on an unsuspecting Nigger or filthy mexican! :D

[undergroundpredator]

I got a question, I have a 1994 Caprice LT1. My Oil always looks clean, I drained the antifreeze before, no oil. From the right side of the motor, there is a constant chat, chat, chat, chat, chat noise. I recently had my exhaust rebuilt (for multiple holes) & a new Exhaust manifold gasket on that side. I want to check for combustion, but if I put on a new head gasket, and that noise is still there, how do I know if my heads are bad and they need to be re-worked? I am lagging power really bad!

[briansmobile1]

@undergroundpredator Sounds like a lifter problem. I'm not familiar with the caprice specifically, but if the push rods plug up they dont get oil and can wear down and make not only the noise, but cause the valves to not open enough to give full power. Hydraulic lifters can get stuck or sticky and do the same thing.

[undergroundpredator]

@briansmobile1 Ok, Thanks for the advice!

[UberFAKnNooB]

@undergroundpredator Did you take a look to make sure no bolts came loose on the exhaust manifold? It happens. Always look at the last thing you did when something fails.

[undergroundpredator]

@UberFAKnNooB Yeah I heard the noise before and right after I changed out the Gasket. I was thinking this week at work, Maybe I have a cracked exhaust manifold. They say it happens alot on GM, usually on the passenger side. B/c my manifolds are covered w/ a aluminum shield, I won't know until I take it off.

[UberFAKnNooB]

@undergroundpredator Ah, don't get lazy if you take that shield off. Make sure you put it back on lol, otherwise it can turn the paint brown on your hood if it's close enough. Knew some people that had that happen with their Focus' haha

[undergroundpredator]

I got a question, I have a 1994 Caprice LT1. My Oil always looks clean, I drained the antifreeze before, no oil. From the right side of the motor, there is a constant chat, chat, chat, chat, chat noise. I recently had my exhaust rebuilt (for multiple holes) & a new Exhaust manifold gasket on that side. I want to check for combustion, but if I put on a new head gasket, and that noise is still there, how do I know if my heads are bad and they need to be re-worked?

[najju07]

I got a question for you, if the smoke coming from the hood after driving like 5 to 10 minutes or so, and it is heating up, is it just the head gasket? My dad have a 97 catera and would love to fix this once and for all.

[briansmobile1]

@najju07 If the color of the smoke is white and it's coming from under the hood and not the tail pipe it's likely a coolant leak under the hood. Most common are radiator and hose leaks.

[najju07]

@briansmobile1 Thanks for your reply, I believe it is a hose leak, everybody has been saying great stuff about blue devil sealant, can I ask your opinion or any suggestion on how to fix my problem cheaply? Thanks.

[briansmobile1]

@najju07 I recommend NOT using additives ambiguously upon suspicion and not at all unless the cars value is less than the cost of repair (totaled). Your best bet is to fill the radiator full of coolant and let it warm up at idle with the hood open and watch for where the coolant comes from. Then replace or repair only what's broken. If you use a sealant short cut it WILL plug up things you don't want plugged.

[Tappedya99]

good info nice vid

[joe23london]

hi buddy, i have mg zr 1.8 vvc the exhaust blows white smoke all the time, but there is no coolant leak and oil seems fine, what could be causing the smoke issue?

[briansmobile1]

@joe23london You can partially loose a head gasket such that the coolant and oil don't mix, but the coolant still leaks into the cylinder. That's what it sounds like- especially if your coolant level is going down. Raw unburned fuel can also cause white smoke. You can definitely smell the difference on your hand between the two. Also when coolant is in the exhaust system it destroys the O2 sensors.

[LeoLovesNature]

@briansmobile1 So what are the chances I blown a head gasket if the oil seems totally fine? There seems to be mud in the radiator, when I remove the cap it looks all muddy and the antifreeze is getting contaminated with I dont know what. Everytime I turn my car on there's this distinctive smell coming I think from the exhaust pipe, I havent seen any smoke lately but in cold days it used to come out a lot when I had to stop the car, for example in a red light.

[briansmobile1]

@LeoLovesNature If you're car uses Dexcool it could be the engine coating that came off, or if your radiator cooling line for the transmission cracked inside the radiator, or your car is a GM 3.1_3.4_3.8 V6 and your intake man gasket is bad. Otherwise it's likely a headgasket failure. I do better with a specific year make and model. Also when it's cold- put a pan under it and start it up- if it geysers- it's a head gasket.

[TopGearrules]

@joe23london Rovers do release allot of water vapor, and you can especially notice this on cold days. The K series are notorious for their HGF, however most of the time the symptoms are just something else. I would advice you going to the MG rover forum for more advice! Alex

[Lasselkv28]

This can just as easily be because of short runs and cold weather.

[briansmobile1]

@Lasselkv28 You're right. This alone can be.

[funnyandyetnaughty]

i have a subaru and the water doesnt seem to be going around the engine and theres small sign of white residue in oil head gasket?

[briansmobile1]

@funnyandyetnaughty If it's got 150K miles or so it's very likely. Check out my videos on Subaru head gaskets on my channel by clicking my name in blue and then search "subaru"

[Ms4ik]

пипиц ребята вода попала

[kinkaid25]

This can also happen in cold weather.

[caseyables]

I have this same milky, brown substance... but under the radiator cap, not the oil. Oil and crank case seem normal. Is this still a head gasket? It is a 2002 Honda Accord 4 cylinder.

[briansmobile1]

@caseyables Transmission fluid lines that pass through the radiator tank can do this too. But on the radiator cap.

[caseyables]

I have this same milky, brown substance... but under the radiator cap, not the oil.  Oil and crank case seem normal. Is this still a head gasket?

[Bighairyass1]

@caseyables if there is oil in the water or water in the oil, there's a leak somewhere in the engine usually HG.

[Delicious1268]

I have a Chevy Malibu that is overheating with in like two mins. I have had overheating issues all year water pump thermostat both replaced twice heat stopped working as well. Fan works and it does not have the milky oil. It started with me having to continuously put coolant in. It sometimes had an overflow of fluids for unknown reasons. My engine sounds like its low on oil but its not and coolant light stays on. Help please i cant afford to blow any more on my car should i be getting steel seal

[briansmobile1]

@Delicious1268 Your intake manifold gasket failed. The coolant loss make your heater not hot even though it would still blow. Replace the intake manifold gasket and it will save your engine.

[Rafaelipod]

MY CAR MAKES A KNOCKING SOUND, BUT LATER GOES AWAY, AND LATELY IT'S BEEN LEAKING OIL, IT'S A 1998 CHEVY MALIBU, DON'T KNOW TO YOUR EXPERTISE WHAT IT COULD BE?

[briansmobile1]

@Rafaelipod Intake manifold gasket failure resulting in blocked rod bearing oil journals resulting in rod knock. Sorry.....

[NotARealUTubeAccount]

@briansmobile1 Lol. It could be Piston slap that almost every 3100/3400 has. In his case his Malibu has a 3100.

[briansmobile1]

@NotARealUTubeAccount Most of the 3100's and 3400's I've torn down lost the connecting rod bearings due to intake manifold gasket failure causing oil/coolant contamination and oil journal blockage.

[NotARealUTubeAccount]

@briansmobile1 He stated it goes away one it warms up. Sounds like piston slap to me but i could be wrong...

[flopez425]

i have a chrysler 2002 making some knocking sound loud not sure what it is and oil cap dosent look like urs so idk

[briansmobile1]

@flopez425 Can you make a video response of it knocking? If so can you move the camera slowly around different areas around the motor while it's knocking?

[TeDuaMalakie]

@flopez425 if the knocking accure when u accelerating.. U have a cracked heads gasket.

[carib0055]

i THINK WORST THE MOTOR MUST BE SIEZED

[briansmobile1]

@carib0055 Alright then! he he he! It's actually still running today. It was a problem with the PCV system. There's another video on how to fix it. It's just a weird thing on this Trail Blazer motor.

[jayguy173]

most head gasket failures are caused by overheating

[harvesterofsorrow899]

@jayguy173

most overheating is caused from blown head gaskets

its a vicious circle

lol

[daveyof5d]

I have a feeling my head gasket may be damaged, but I don't have that crud on my oil cap, nor the white, sweet smelling smoke from my exhaust.

What I do have is a high temp reading and a kick back sound from my radiator. It starts to make that kick back after I've let it idle for about five minutes. It does it for a minute or two when I turn the engine off.

When I was driving home today, I noticed during acceleration that kick back noise was louder. Is this a head gasket issue?

[briansmobile1]

@daveyof5d What you may be hearing is exhaust being injected into the water jacket (antifreeze) There are two things you can do to test for this. 1. You can buy an expensive kit for $40-$80 that analyzes the antifreeze for traces of combustion gasses. 2. you can leave your radiator cap off from when your engine is cool, put a coolant drain pan under it and run it till it makes the noise and see if it geysers out or slowly raises over like it should. If it pops or violently expels... gasket.

[TeDuaMalakie]

@daveyof5d its the heads gasket, ... Without doubts !.

[Goregoon]

You gonna do a vid on this?

[briansmobile1]

The customer doesn't have the benjamin's right now... we'll see.

[Goregoon]

@briansmobile1 I know THAT feeling all to well, LoL