How do I know if I need a new head gasket?

1998 Mercury Sable, 103,000 miles- engine was overheating, losing
antifreeze. Mechanic replaced thermostat, flushed out radiator, put in
new antifreeze. Soon after, we had no heat. Brought it back and they
found large amount of air in cooling system. The flushed the heater
core, then told us temperature runs normal with cap off, increases with
cap on. They suspect internal engine compression leak (head gasket). How
can this be verified as a head gasket problem, or could it be something
else? I am sure they checked all the hoses for leaks. If antifreeze is
still leaking, it is such a tiny amount that it isn’t noticeable.
Now, weeks later, we are back to the no heat issue. Mechanic suggests
we take it to Ford dealer. What are they able to check for that a
regular mechanic can’t, short of taking the engine apart? We don’t like
the idea of taking to the Ford dealer, typical paranoia of being ripped
off since we never deal with them. Our regular mechanic doesn’t want to
get into a head gasket replacement- feels he’ll open a Pandora’s Box
once he takes the engine apart. How true could that be? We aren’t sure
if we should go through the expense, but rest of car SEEMS fine, so
far.
Any imput on this? We are not a mechanical family!:iceslolan


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irishgirl1957 wrote:
> 1998 Mercury Sable, 103,000 miles- engine was overheating, losing
> antifreeze. Mechanic replaced thermostat, flushed out radiator, put in
> new antifreeze. Soon after, we had no heat. Brought it back and they
> found large amount of air in cooling system. The flushed the heater
> core, then told us temperature runs normal with cap off, increases with
> cap on. They suspect internal engine compression leak (head gasket). How
> can this be verified as a head gasket problem, or could it be something
> else? I am sure they checked all the hoses for leaks. If antifreeze is
> still leaking, it is such a tiny amount that it isn’t noticeable.
> Now, weeks later, we are back to the no heat issue. Mechanic suggests
> we take it to Ford dealer. What are they able to check for that a
> regular mechanic can’t, short of taking the engine apart? We don’t like
> the idea of taking to the Ford dealer, typical paranoia of being ripped
> off since we never deal with them. Our regular mechanic doesn’t want to
> get into a head gasket replacement- feels he’ll open a Pandora’s Box
> once he takes the engine apart. How true could that be? We aren’t sure
> if we should go through the expense, but rest of car SEEMS fine, so
> far.
> Any imput on this? We are not a mechanical family!:iceslolan
>
>

If this is a V-6 it is almost certainly a head gasket. But pressurizing
the cylinders (with an air hose through the spark plug holes) with the
rad. cap off should prove it. If you see bubbles in the coolant while
pressurizing a cylinder then that's the issue.

good luck

nate

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On Sep 18, 9:01 pm, Nate Nagel > wrote:

> If this is a V-6 it is almost certainly a head gasket.

Well, yeah, if it's a '98 Taurus, there's a 99% chance that it has a
V6 engine in it. It either has the V6 or the SHO V8 and the poster
probably would have mentioned it if it was the SHO 32 valve V8. Now,
if you are referring to the 3.8 that is notorius for head gasket
problems, it was last used in 95 in a Ford Taurus. The 3.0 engine that
this car most likely has has very few head gasket problems, but in
this case might very well be the problem.
I

On Sep 18, 7:05 pm, irishgirl1957 <irishgirl1957.2x4...@no-
mx.nodomain.com> wrote:
> 1998 Mercury Sable, 103,000 miles- engine was overheating, losing
> antifreeze. Mechanic replaced thermostat, flushed out radiator, put in
> new antifreeze. Soon after, we had no heat. Brought it back and they
> found large amount of air in cooling system. The flushed the heater
> core, then told us temperature runs normal with cap off, increases with
> cap on. They suspect internal engine compression leak (head gasket). How
> can this be verified as a head gasket problem, or could it be something
> else? I am sure they checked all the hoses for leaks. If antifreeze is
> still leaking, it is such a tiny amount that it isn't noticeable.
> Now, weeks later, we are back to the no heat issue. Mechanic suggests
> we take it to Ford dealer. What are they able to check for that a
> regular mechanic can't, short of taking the engine apart? We don't like
> the idea of taking to the Ford dealer, typical paranoia of being ripped
> off since we never deal with them. Our regular mechanic doesn't want to
> get into a head gasket replacement- feels he'll open a Pandora's Box
> once he takes the engine apart. How true could that be? We aren't sure
> if we should go through the expense, but rest of car SEEMS fine, so
> far.
> Any imput on this? We are not a mechanical family!:iceslolan
>
> --
> irishgirl1957
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> irishgirl1957's Profile:http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...?userid=534356
> View this thread:http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=752418
>
> http://www.automotiveforums.com

===========
===========

There is a chemical "kit" that can detect exhuast gas's inside
the radiator. ANY.....decent garage should be familiar with
it's availabiltiy and how to use it.....not to mention....should
already own the kit. I paid around $45 for mine about 15 years
ago.....the chemical that you use in it is readily available through
NAPA.

It resembles a bigass Turkey baster, made out of glass.
Pour the chemical liquid into it, it seals against the radiator
cap opening, squeeze the bulb on the top of it to draw in
air......if ANY exhaust gas is in the radiator......the fluid turns
colors. Fact, not fiction.

anywhooooo.......
NOTHING....is gonna gaurantee any exhaust gas entering
the radiator....is because of a bad headgasket.

Heads.......crack.

and.......yuh gotta yank that sucker to be sure!!





~:~
mm
~:~

get a cooling system pressure tester. i don't have one but i have seen
one used. they take off the radiator cap and attach the pressure
tester. pump it up and leave it. come back a little while later to see
if the pressure dropped. if the pressure drops you have an coolant
leak somewhere. it may or may not be a head gasket.

irishgirl1957 wrote:
> off since we never deal with them. Our regular mechanic doesn’t want to
> get into a head gasket replacement- feels he’ll open a Pandora’s Box
> once he takes the engine apart. How true could that be? We aren’t sure
> if we should go through the expense, but rest of car SEEMS fine, so
> far.
> Any imput on this? We are not a mechanical family!:iceslolan
>
>

I can't comment on whether or not it's a head gasket - I'm just a DIYer,
and a GM guy, so no experience with Tauruses.

What I can comment is the Pandora's box - your mechanic is worried that
once he starts a major $$$ repair like a head gasket, he's going to find
the total price is actually 2x$$$ or even 4x$$$ because of the mileage
and/or the internal coolant leakage. Coolant kills bearings. 100,000
miles = maybe new rings, maybe needs a valve job, maybe a timing chain,
etc etc.... before you know it, it's a $2500 repair and you're freaking
out. He's "not wanting to go there" if you know what I mean. My mother
had an 86 Hyundai with a nasty oil leak way back when and no one would
touch it - it was leaking from the edge of the head, and they were
concerned that either the block or head was cracked or warped and that
she'd be effectively looking at a total engine overhaul on what was then
a $500 car. (FWIW, I didn't want to touch it either because I'm a GM
guy and I'm not a machine shop so I couldn't even measure the heads or
block to tell if they were warped.)

Ray

If its a 3.0 these vintage units had problems with the water pump
impellers getting eaten away. I am amazed that not one of your mechanics
suggested changing the water pump out.

Its not unheard of for a 3.0 to break a head bolt and cause a head
gasket leak.

If it is a head gasket, a inspection of the spark plugs would
relieve one or two that are much cleaner than the others from
being "steam cleaned".

Bob

irishgirl1957 wrote:
> 1998 Mercury Sable, 103,000 miles- engine was overheating, losing
> antifreeze. Mechanic replaced thermostat, flushed out radiator, put in
> new antifreeze. Soon after, we had no heat. Brought it back and they
> found large amount of air in cooling system. The flushed the heater
> core, then told us temperature runs normal with cap off, increases with
> cap on. They suspect internal engine compression leak (head gasket). How
> can this be verified as a head gasket problem, or could it be something
> else? I am sure they checked all the hoses for leaks. If antifreeze is
> still leaking, it is such a tiny amount that it isn’t noticeable.
> Now, weeks later, we are back to the no heat issue. Mechanic suggests
> we take it to Ford dealer. What are they able to check for that a
> regular mechanic can’t, short of taking the engine apart? We don’t like
> the idea of taking to the Ford dealer, typical paranoia of being ripped
> off since we never deal with them. Our regular mechanic doesn’t want to
> get into a head gasket replacement- feels he’ll open a Pandora’s Box
> once he takes the engine apart. How true could that be? We aren’t sure
> if we should go through the expense, but rest of car SEEMS fine, so
> far.
> Any imput on this? We are not a mechanical family!:iceslolan
>
>

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"Bob Urz" > wrote in message
...
> If its a 3.0 these vintage units had problems with the water pump
> impellers getting eaten away. I am amazed that not one of your mechanics
> suggested changing the water pump out.
>
> Its not unheard of for a 3.0 to break a head bolt and cause a head
> gasket leak.
>
> If it is a head gasket, a inspection of the spark plugs would
> relieve one or two that are much cleaner than the others from
> being "steam cleaned".
>
> Bob


There are so many different engines over the years and some of them have
these
inherent problems that you mentioned.

Wonder if there is a website that categorizes them for each make and
generation?

If not, someone should start one.

i posted an answer and it didn't show up. whats wrong? any way i
suggested that you pressure test the cooling system.

wrote:
> i posted an answer and it didn't show up. whats wrong?
>


I see it fine.

You are on the Google groups way of getting newsgroups, not directly on
Usenet. They can sometimes take a day to update their Usenet feed.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile...
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