head gasket...

Ok i have been seeing a leak.. Its a little orange and kind of sticky. Its on the right side of the engine next to the 4th cylinder(farthest right) . It doesnt leak that much but i can see its leaking. Is that my head gasket? And also my oil level is going down . Will it be ok to drive for a while or will it mess up on me and it would be better to get fixed right now.. And how much will repairs be?

2.2L 97 cavalier

Ok i have been seeing a leak.. Its a little orange and kind of sticky. Its on the right side of the engine next to the 4th cylinder(farthest right) . It doesnt leak that much but i can see its leaking. Is that my head gasket? And also my oil level is going down . Will it be ok to drive for a while or will it mess up on me and it would be better to get fixed right now.. And how much will repairs be?

2.2L 97 cavalier


If it's the head gasket it'll be comeing from the join between the head and block, this will be below the line of the exhast manifold. If it's the higher up join, rocker cover to head then it'll be oil. Do you get any blue smoke from your tailpipe if you rev the motor? If so you're burning oil and that'll be why it's getting used. This can mean bad things. Is the leak on the fron side of the motor or on the actual side?! Have you smelt the orange stuff? If so what does it smell like?

there is no blue smoke and theres no smoke at all. But the leak is right on the header. Its like where it connects like a few centimeters away from it. I tried smelling it but i don't smell anything. Each time i start the engine a little bit comes out and then stops but i guess while im driving it leaks out

edit: i dont mean right on the header itself

there is no blue smoke and theres no smoke at all. But the leak is right on the header. Its like where it connects like a few centimeters away from it. I tried smelling it but i don't smell anything. Each time i start the engine a little bit comes out and then stops but i guess while im driving it leaks out

edit: i dont mean right on the header itself


Ok well does the liquid smoke when the engine is hot? Have you tried bounty, the quicker picker upper? No only joking! Ok would say that's coming from the head to block join and would show a leaky gasket. Try this. After you've driven it and it's gotten quite hot open the hood with the motor running and see if there are any bubles coming from the join. if so then that answers the problem!

there is no bubbles that i can see

All the 2.2 OHV headgasket leaks I have ever seen start as an external leak exactly where you describe. Where the head meets the block at the front corner by the #4 cyl. Cost should be about $500. Any good independent shop can handle this or you can DIY. It's not that hard to do yourself on these.

Definately the head gasket. I've been told the same from many different people that's where the Cavalier's head gasket always goes.

Oh, and blue/grey smoke means burning oil, white smoke signifies burning coolant.

Definately the head gasket. I've been told the same from many different people that's where the Cavalier's head gasket always goes.

Oh, and blue/grey smoke means burning oil, white smoke signifies burning coolant.

Grey are black smoke is usually unburnt fuel! and White smoke can also mean turbo failure ona turbo'd car!