Car Trouble, Need Help???

hello im kinda new to this forum, so whats up everyone!! now ive got this problem similar but not quite the same as these other threads ive been reading. ive got this 2000 rodeo 3.2 v6 with 60,000 miles on her. i am the second owner of this vehicle and seem not to have any type of trouble in the past since i did a car fax report and didnt find anything. i just bought this car about 6 months ago and as i was doing a coolant change i notice some black looking gunk with silvery sparkles in my coolant resvior. now what i was thinking was a blown gasket or a type of collant sealant right? well as i was fingering around the valve cover and the head on the driver side, i noticed some oil leaking. im not sure where because i saw oil coming from the head and the vavle cover. so i took it to my mechanic and he told me that it was the valve cover because if it was the head it would be leaking coolant not oil. so thats where u guys come
in, is this true or is it something else that im missing because i dont want
to pay double to have it repaired again. the leak is on the far side of the drivers side on the last cylinder, the fan is blowing the oil back and clinging to my under carrage i really need some advise because if its the valve covers it would only cost me $220 to fix it but if its the heads it gonna cost me some where around $800 so yea big differance SO PLEASE ANYONE HELP ME. ILL TAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS....THANK YOU!!!

PS. MY CEL DOEST SEEM 2 WORKWHEN I GOT IT TESTED AT AUTO ZONE? IS IT NOT GETTING ANY POWER OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE?

The black sparkly stuff in your water bars stop leak would would make me think you have a head leak (or the previous owner did and pour the junk and then sold it).

I would clean up the leak and watch it a bit and see if it is really leaking a lot of oil.


When did you buy it? I only ask because depending on when the first owner purchased it you could of been covered by the 5yr 60k second owner warranty (but it is too late for that now unless the last owner bought it in Dec of 2000)

i bought it about 6 months ago? yea i also think its a head gasket as well. thanks for your help!! ill have a tallk with my mechanic because he thinks its the valve cover, i dunno??

i bought it about 6 months ago? yea i also think its a head gasket as well. thanks for your help!! ill have a tallk with my mechanic because he thinks its the valve cover, i dunno??
If possible when the radiator is not too hot undo the cap, and start the engine. Look for bubbles once it starts to warm up. If you have bubbles it is a good indication that the head gasket has sprung a leak. Another good sign would be to pull out the oil dip stick and if it looks more like milk choc than oil.
I just went thru a similair thing with a differant car.

alright thanks ill try that!! oh yea is it also a indication when there is an exsess amount of fluid comming out the tail pipe???

oh yea another question that will anything happen if i were to keep on driving it with a blown gasket??? or should i get it fix right away?? i was asking this because the leak seems really small and thats the only car i have to get to work??

Check for coolant in one or more of the spark plug wells. That's a sure-fire sign of a head leak on a 3.2/3.5L. Other than that check for visual signs of coolant in the engine oil, or send out a sample of used oil and have it analyzed for coolant. Burning coolant will sour your catalytic converters (2) and kill all 4 oxygen sensors. A cylinder compression check can also test for a head leak. A leaky valve cover gasket would be rare on a 2000. Make sure it's not leaking oil around the PCV valve on the drivers side v-cover. Use an isuzu PCV valve, not aftermarket. Disabling the 'check engine' light by pulling the bulb or cutting its wire is a dirty trick that could cost somebody BIG time. The CEL should come on every time you start the truck, when all the dash lights go thru the self check. If it doesnt do this, someone tampered with it.

Joel

alright ill check for all that!! thanks for the info!!
i was also meaning to ask?? does anyone know where i could find an good complete head gasket set (headers all the way up to the intake manafold) for a reasonable price? i think at oriely's it around $250 for the complete set. and does $550 for labor sound right or am i being ripped off somehow???