Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

Well Saturday I was doing my brakes. Finished them fine, then went to lunch. I filled my car up with coolant that day. On my way to work later my car died. I pulled over because steam was coming out of the hood. I also heard a bad popping sound under the car. There was coolant all over the battery, belt, and block. So I know there is a leak of some sort. And I know thinking about it, there would of had to been a leak because I filled up with coolant a few weeks ago and it was already low again. But I guess Saturday it just got really bad. So I had a guy do a compression test and he said it was the head gasket. Now my question is, is that it? I had no smoke coming out of the exhaust like most people have?

Will that "Blue Devil" stuff work? I heard something about a guarantee with that stuff, hows that work out?

Shop said 14 Hours $1400 for the head gasket. Is it the head or intake gasket?

RE: Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

Did/does your car run rough? How much did it take to fill the radiator back up?

RE: Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

Not rough, but not as much power as it usually was. Like no fastness on a take off. took longer to build up speed like pressure was losing. not rough but like i said that bad pop under the car. The compression test said a head gasket was blown. I put 3/4 in it saturday and another 1 1/2 in it to make it to work.

RE: Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

It may be a blown head gasket. Did he give you some ballpark compression numbers, after doing the test?

RE: Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

Nope.

Should I try that blue devil stuff instead of spending $1400?

Dont they guarantee it works?

RE: Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

The way I see stop-leak products, is you're putting off the inevitable, and possibly causing moredamage than you had before. They're supposed to plug/seal up leaks, so what's to stop it from clogging up small passages?Was this popping sound made while the car was running or with it off?Also, where was the steam coming from? Could be something as simpleas the radiator cap was wearing out and finally gave up.Is the overflow line still hooked up?

RE: Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

Radiator cap was on tight, the overflow line was fine. That blue devil is a permanent sealer and im not looking at having this car much longer. Going with an 89 firebird formula 350. Ill just let the buyer know.

RE: Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

i had intake gasket replaced on mine. the car would heat up and you could see just a little steam and smell antifreeze. it wasn't all over the place under the hood or anything. so it's probably notyour intake gasket.

RE: Head Gasket or Intake Gasket?
 

head gasket all the way. $1400 is steep. Shop around before shelling out that much $$$$. I started pulling off my intake and heads last Sunday then got distracted by my neighbor who had more beer in his garage than I did in mine.