Possible cracked heads....
12-05-2006, 10:55 AM
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Possible cracked heads....
Got a 99 Grand Prix with a 3800 "K" motor in my shop that ran hot. It was low on coolant so I topped it of and pressure tested the cooling system, has LIM leak. For ***** and giggles I ran it with the pressure tester on, the pressure rose pretty quick, probably has bad head gasket or head damage. To confirm this I tested it with a block tester. Sure enough, the tester fluid turned yellow, indicating exhaust gasses in the coolant. My thought is that he must have ran it pretty hot to damage something. There is no coolant/oil mixing, and when I tore the heads off the head gaskets looked OK. Im sending the heads off to be tested today. Ill post pics when I get home tonight. 
12-05-2006, 11:01 AM
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WOW! He must have ran it hot all the time! It'* actually pretty hard to crack the heads on a 3800, since my aunt ran hers almost dry for 5 miles, and she didn't know it!
12-05-2006, 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by PEARL_JAM
It would be the first for me to see that, also. But the block tester and the pressure tester dont lie!
12-05-2006, 11:14 AM
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Originally Posted by 1993 SLE
Originally Posted by PEARL_JAM
It would be the first for me to see that, also. But the block tester and the pressure tester dont lie!
12-05-2006, 05:37 PM
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WOW! He must have ran it hot all the time! It'* actually pretty hard to crack the heads on a 3800, since my aunt ran hers almost dry for 5 miles, and she didn't know it!
To crack the heads anywhere else I would agree that its next to imposible..
12-05-2006, 06:22 PM
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Originally Posted by PEARL_JAM
Originally Posted by 1993 SLE
Originally Posted by PEARL_JAM
It would be the first for me to see that, also. But the block tester and the pressure tester dont lie!
How the H*** do you warp a head like that... I will hazzard a guess and say that sucker was warped bad enough to have a .060-.080 gap when an opposite end was pressed on.... I'm sure Pat will agree with me... I have never seen a cast iron head warped that bad without cracking...Pearl Jam, do let us know what you find... I'm betting on a cracked head..
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12-05-2006, 10:23 PM
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Originally Posted by 1993 SLE
wow the gaskets are bad