94ConvertibleZ

Sounds very much like what my mom's car was doing. You probably have an internal coolant leak. If you saw steam rising up from the side of the engine, try to follow it down to the source, I have seen head gaskets that have leaked right down the side of the block already. You may have some leaking on to your exhaust manifold.

If your car is burning coolant, it should really be running/idling pretty crappy. Does it feel like it's misfiring...say like as if you were only firing on 5 cylinders? Keep you eye on the coolant level too. The 93 I just finished working on would lose about 1 quart for every 20-30 minutes it ran. The #5 cylinder (furthest one back on the passenger's side) was where it blew. Two big cracks right through the dome of the cylinder head.

Craddock

Ok, I can't really go out and look at it now, but I will in the morning. I think it seems to be running ok, but I haven't really owned it long enough to see it at it's best. I don't even have the liscense plate for it yet, so I can't really just go out and drive it or I would. I'll check the coolant level in the morning, and see if it went down any since it was when I filled it up this morning. I'll also run it for about a half hour and check to see if it's losing much.

It seems to be idling pretty crappy, and it won't stay set at any certain level. The level at which it idles changes every time I start it up anywhere from 1000 to 2000 rpm. When it idles high enough it even pulls up the oil pressure.

Craddock

Ok, so me and my dad are going to put a new head gasket in. So how much is that gonna cost me in parts?

Craddock

Well, I guess me and my dad aren't going to put a new head gasket in, because someone told me that you have to drop out the engine to put in a new head gasket. Do I really have to drop out the engine, because I don't think I'm gonna do that myself, too much to mess up. So, do I have to drop out the engine to replace the head gasket?

Craddock

Ok, I called some shops today, and the lowest price I could get for service alone was 640$, so 94ConvertibleZ, you've done it before, can you do it without dropping out the engine?

easyc4

As far as i know, i believe the enigne ahs to be pulled in order to get in there and change it. I had a leaking head gasket, right that the front of the passenger side head. I went and got this sludge stuff taht u put in the radiator, its only like 30 bucks, and here 6 months later, the sludge is still holding the gaset very well. The guy that recommended it to me said he's seen the stuff hold up the life of the car, and then again, it could go in a week. It's all dependant on how big the leak is, etc. Your best bet would be to try this, and if it doesn't work, then sell the car, or invest in a new lt1, b/c the head gasket will cost you upwards of 3-4 hundred. Not worth it in my opinion.

Craddock

Ok, I called Advanced Auto Parts, and they have the stuff for the gasket, I'm gonna try to pick some up today, or have mom pick me up some.

After calling a few places, the lowest price I got for the service alone was $640. So, I'm hoping that someone has did this before and can tell me if you can do it with the engine in the car.

easyc4

honestly, you probably wont be able to do it yourself unless you have the proper know how, and i highly doubt you can change it unless you remove jsut about everything from the engineto get everywhere u need to get. Try the sludge, if it doesn't work, then ur best bet is to move on and get rid of her, or drop in something else. 3.4's are not worth it to save, once my ehad gasket goes again, i'm doing my engine swap, simple as that :P (come on old bessy, dont let me down now, only a few more months...)

Craddock

I don't plan on doing it myself, my dad is going to do it for me when I have to get it done. If the slude can hold it for about 6 months, I drop in an lt1, but I'm not getting rid of it.

Knight5

I never heard that you have to drop an engine to change a head gasket

94ConvertibleZ

I just wanted to clear up a misconception before it turns into a rumor. You DO NOT have to drop the engine to replace the head gaskets on a 3.4. Craddock and I have already private messaged about this. I just replaced a pair of head gaskets in my driveway with ordinary hand tools. It's a time consuming job, but well worth it if you want to avoid an entire engine replacement. The labor time estimation guide calls for 12.5 hrs to remove and replace the head gaskets.