SPONSORED LINKS

Suspected blown head gasket.

Tiny
PHILMITCHINSON1
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 CHEVROLET LUMINA
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 165,000 MILES
Bubbling in radiator water and loss of water suggests blown head gasket. How do I test which bank/cylinder is blown (3.8L Chev Lumina v6)?
Regards, Phil Mitchinson- New Zealander currently living in the UAE.
Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 AT 4:57 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
You could pull the spark plugs and pressurize the cooling system to see which cylinders fill with coolant. I would tend to think that if one cylinder heads needed to come off, that the other might just as well come off to as insurance against having to do the job twice.
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 AT 5:03 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
I don't know why it would matter. If the engine got hot enough to damage one side, there is likely damage to the other side too and it would be very foolish to only remove one head after going that far.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 AT 5:43 PM
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
As usual, my fellow moderator has made an excellant point and I couldn't agree more.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 AT 5:58 PM
Tiny
PHILMITCHINSON1
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks for your advice guys.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 24th, 2011 AT 2:35 AM
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
OK
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 24th, 2011 AT 2:40 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Cylinder Head Gasket Blown Content

Cylinder Head Gasket Blown Test
GUIDE
Cylinder Head Gasket Blown Test
Diagnosing a blown head gasket in an automotive engine requires a systematic approach to ensure accurate results. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to...
VIEW MORE

Sponsored links