First time poster here and I have been stumped with my 94' camaro overheating. I'm losing coolant, but I don't see any visible leaks on the ground. I've replaced the thermostat, upper hose, water pump, and temp sensor because the fan wouldn't come on.

I feared it may have been a blown head gasket, because I noticed white smoke from my exhaust constantly, as well as water droplets on my oil cap. The oil doesn't smell like coolant or checking oil from the dip stick shows no discoloration. I've used Bar's Stop Leak and the white smoke stopped, but I am still losing coolant and overheating. I was told at a shop that I had a timing cover leaking coolant, but my I am told from other sources that it may have been the water pump, thus the replacement of the water pump. What can I do to verify if the head gaskets are the source of my overheat?

Oh, and when I top off my radiator, it takes about 1-3 hours of driving before I need to add more coolant because I have to put in about 3/4 gallon of coolant.

 

There is a few way to verify a blown head gasket. some are absolute and some point to the issue. Losing coolant and white smoke already fall into there is very good chance you have a blown head gasket.

Simple test: When you car is cold check to see how firm the rad hose is. Start the car. See if it builds pressure right away. A car with out a blown head gasket will take several minutes for the hose to stiffen . A car with blown gasket can build pressure very quickly because the exhaust pressure is exscaping into the coolant. Note if your car does not build pressure it could be cause you do not have a blown headgasket or it could be because the damage is not that bad and it only leaks under higher cylinder pressure, like while you are driving.

If I had a car that was loosing coolant, puffing white smoke and building coolant pressure with in 30 seconds of starting I would start tearing it down. But that is just my opinion.


Simple test two: pull the plugs, your looking for one or two very clean plug maybe with a green tint to them (assuming you have green coolant)

I use a pressure tester to verify a blown head gasket, pressure testers can be borrowed from some parts stores. Youtube has some video on how to.

Part stores sell a kit that checks for hydrocarbons in the coolant system. It is a little pricey but the kit changes color. No way can it be wrong.

NEVER Put any stop leak in a modern car (or any car for that matter) The 4th gens are prone to the radiator plugging up without stop leak, Stop leak can make a good radiator unfixable. It can also plug up the small ports in the head. The old cast iron motors where a lot more forgiving if a port got plugged because the motors ran a lot cooler. The only way I know of to get bars leak out of a engine block is to flush it with acid. That is something the machine shop does after the motor is completely torn down.

 

I was considering getting the block test where it tests for gases in the cooling system. I just want to verify if it is indeed the head gasket so I can decide whether or not to replace them myself. I'll see if I can pick up the block tester in a few days and verify the blown head gasket.

 

To me the kits are a waste of money. They are like $60$


Also you can buy a kit.