98 Lumina Head Gasket Problem

Ok. I am new to this site and I am in need of some help. I have a 1998 Chevy Lumina with a 3.1l engine. Now I have just found out that it has bad head gaskets. I have anit-freeze going into my engine. Now if there any kind of temportay fix out there that people recommend? Now I need my vehicle to get to work. I am also a firefighter and need my vehicle to go to calls. Now I have been searching the net for some temporary fixes and I have found 2. Barrs leak and K&W block sealer. Do any of these work? I just need a temporary fix to get me to work until I can get the money to fix it. Any and all help would be great. Thanks

Unless you've overheated it, I doubt you have a head gasket issue. The engine in your car is infamous for cracking the junk OEM intake gaskets and that's most likely where the coolant in your oil is coming from. The problem is that the OEM gasket is made of plastic, so no type of sealant in a bottle is going to help. You need to get that intake gasket changed ASAP or you'll do more severe engine damage as the oil gets thinned out with coolant. Make sure you get the improved design Fel-Pro kit (part #MS98004T) that includes all the gaskets you need including the improved design metal/rubber intake gaskets (vs the plastic rubber OEM design.

Is this something that I can do or should I leave this up to a garage? I need so save a much as possible. If this is something that can be done by myself is there any good site out there that has step by step intructions?

If you have any kind of ability to take something apart and put it back together again, you should be able to do it with the help of a haynes manual (~$20). Just follow it closely, and use the proper torque specs.

Check out my recent Intake job at this post. There is a lot of good information. You may also want to replace the o-rings for the coolant line above the water pump and also the o-ring for the heater hose that comes out of the lower intake. Also better replace the distributer dummy shaft o-ring, and might want to replace the lower intake bolts while your there.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=656443

Ok I noticed that in your pictures that you were able to find the leak outside of the engine. Now When I took it to a garage the guy used a pressure tester and the tester said it wasnt leaking. He said it was a head gasket. How can you know for sure its a intake gasket instead of a head gasket?

Ok I noticed that in your pictures that you were able to find the leak outside of the engine. Now When I took it to a garage the guy used a pressure tester and the tester said it wasnt leaking. He said it was a head gasket. How can you know for sure its a intake gasket instead of a head gasket?

Coolant is going somewhere. Have the mechanic pressurize the system, and then have him show you where its leaking. Or you could just take a flashlight and look down dowards the valley gasket where mine is leaking. Any coolant or seepage there, the intsake gasket is bad. GM OEM gaskets are bad because they injected plastic in such a spot that thats the failure point. Not very good engineering.

I know the coolant is going into the Oil. It isnt leaking anywhere outside of the engine. He told me bad head gaskts.

If you have any kind of ability to take something apart and put it back together again, you should be able to do it with the help of a haynes manual (~$20). Just follow it closely, and use the proper torque specs.

Where can I get this haynes manual?

Well I just got done replacing the Intake Manifold gaskets and I drove it about 30 miles and it looks like thats what the problem was. Thanks everyone for your info.

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback. We like to hear it when our advice helps. I hate it when mechanics try to soak people for a head gasket job when they know it's just an intake leaking. I see it constantly.

Hey quick question guys first time poster long time looker... i have a 95 Lumina and all of a sudden when i started the car one day(cold) the temp went all the way up to 260 and stayed hot until i came to a light and the heater is blowing cold air(about 30 seconds) i then took off and the temp dropped to a little less then normal and also started blowing hot air... after driving a little more i noticed that the temp is up and down and so is the heat blowing out of it (hot then cold then back). after about 30 min driving the engine will finally totally heat up and blows out hot air (less extreme fluctuating). I took it to a well trusted and used mechanic who replaced the T-stat last year. i told him what was going on and he bled the system of air. i got it back and he was still confused so he replaced the t-stat (free of charge) and it is still going on.... he started looking into it more and called around to different places and he doesnt do head gaskets but both the people he talked to said it would be the head gasket. he said he pulled a couple plugs and there was no anti-freeze in the oil. SO i'm wondering if this sounds like the intake manifold gasket as described in other threads... i did bring it up to my mechanic about being the intake manifold gasket... he kind of looked into it and i think shrugged it off... ANY HELP PLEASE SO I CAN DO IT THIS WEEKEND IF NEEDED!!! Thanks Matt

I'd say you blew a head gasket if the temp was at 260 and your heater was blowing cold air. Check the overflow tank for air bubbles while it's running.

is it even worth trying to change the intake manifold gasket then? Because i know that if it is a head gasket i'm going to get a new car then... but if i change the intake manifold gaskets and everything is fine then i'm all good