i just bought a 96 camaro 3.8 . the guy said it has a blown head gasket but hes not sure..there is oil plus sludge in the radiator, and coolant in the oil....however i drove the car home for a hour and it didn't overheat and didn't leak..how would you tackle this. any help would be great. thanks

1 how do i make sure its a blown head gasket and not a cracked head or something
2 do i have to pull the motor to replace it or can i do it where it is.
3 how long of a project is this.
4 anything else i should fix while i'm doing this.

i am pretty handy with cars but never replaced a head gasket if it is a blown head gasket.

 

If you already have coolant in the oil and you have driven the car chances are the engine is going to be dead sooner than later. If the engine still has the factory coolant in it, the stuff when it gets old can look like muddy cruddy oil contaminated crap. A flush is needed.
head gaskets are not a common failure point for the 3.8L engine but the intake gaskets are. This can put coolant in the oil. To know for sure do a compression test on the engine.

If you suspect a cracked head or block then replacing the engine is the cheapest way to go. Here is a thread about where you can find compatable engines and what you need to do:
https://camaroforums.com/forum/93-02-v6-tech-14/3800-series-ii-iii-engine-replacement-info-57568/

You can replace the heads with the engine in the car but it is a PITA. You will need to replace the head bolts (DO NOT REUSE THEM) and torque to a certain angle (which is hard to read in the back bolt positions)

A average guy with good mech skills can replace the head gaskets in about a long day, a shop can do them in 5 or 6 hours. The engine can be replaced with normal shop tools, a cherry picker, and engine stand. It took me about 3 long days for the whole job.

If you get a new engine then I suggest replacing all the gaskets on the engine to give yourself a little piece of mind.

Massey

 

somebody told me to do a coolant pressure system test. by doing the compression test it will basically answer the same question..

 

I would not do the coolant contamination test because you are getting coolant in the water. Running the engine with chocolate milk oil will kill the engine fast.

Massey