Exhaust in radiator = bad head gasket/head?

Hi, my girlfriend just bought a 1998 Venture and the guy we bought it from said it needs a new head gasket. I've read just about every post I could find on here concerning bad intake and head gaskets in these vans. I did a block test on it yesterday and the fluid turns yellow, indicating exhaust in the coolant/radiator. Does this always mean that it has a bad head gasket or cracked head/block? The intake gasket being bad can't cause it to show this can it? I'm assuming it can't but just wanted to make sure. Thanks a lot.

Yup most likley head gasket

I took a few pics. What's up with the valves being tan like that? Also, it looks to me like the head gasket was possibly leaking on that cylinder on the right. I haven't gotten the other head off yet but plan to tomorrow.

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Are the exhaust valves on these coated or somethng?

Ntrux, I wouldn't worry about the color of the exhaust valves, they run hotter so the carbon has burned off an left ash. A greater concern is the dark color on the end of the head in the gasket area. That is likely were the leak was (also coincides with the mark on the exhaust valve were coolant was getting on the edge of the valve and allowing it to get more carbon color). It would be a good idea to take the heads to a machine shop and have the surface cut to make sure it is straight and any blemishes removed. As part of the package the shop should clean the heads and check the condition of the valves, valve seats and guides.

Good luck,
Sparky

was the head gasket blown or just the intake? the reason i ask is an intake will put exhaust in the radiator and make it use little water. if the head gasket is blown also it will run hot quick. gm is supposed to have a better intake gasket set but last ones i bought a couple of months ago looked the same as i put in in 2005,plastic and some kind of rubber. i know from experience that if a 3.4 ever backfires it will blow the intake gasket on ervery cylinder it backfires through.

It had white smoke coming out of the exhaust and a lot of liquid dripping from the exhaust too. We never really drove it after she bought it, I drove it to a friends garage and took it apart right away. That one head gasket was split, the compression ring had a split in the middle of it.

did the new intake gaskets look about the same as the old ones you took out? black plastic with red or dark orange colored rubber.i believe i paid $50.00 for upper gasket set the last time i had to put intake gaskets in. and in 2005 right after we bought it i ended up putting intake and head gaskets in.and i looked at the box the 1st set came in the box was different and numbers were different but intake gaskets the same kind. my fuel pump didn't die straight out as they usually do mine had it missing and backfiring thru the intake and exhaust and blowed the back intake on the drivers side end. i ended up putting a fuel pressure gauge in where the fuel filter is and the crazy fuel pump was pumping 30lbs one minute then 3lbs the next,then back up to 25lbs then down to 5lbs. the fuelpump was only $320.00 i like to have****.i it ever starts to backfire don't run it long or you'll be back to having gm fun putting at least the intakes in.if it ever starts to loose just a little water and the temp fluctuates and you get a little milky stuff on the inside of the oil cap it will be an intake gasket. also you won't be able to hold your hand within 6 inches of tailpipe. also the back firing doesn't do to good on the camshaft,crankshaft,or throttle sensors it does a concusion number on them. i have heard of folks putting one set of intakes/head gaskets in then i heard of some having to put them in three or four times. twice is enough for me. good luck with it as these 3.4' s are something else but i can't figure out how a company can turn out ****for almost ten years and nothing is done to stop it.

The gaskets aren't the same as what were in it. I got the Fel Pro MS98003T intake set. I checked with Fel-Pro and part #MS98003T is the updated Intake Manifold Gasket set. The only way to obtain this part is by purchasing this part number . The part #HIS9071PT does not include the updated MS98003T style Gasket. I hope there are no other major problems with it. I ordered remanufactured heads from Clearwater Cylinder Head Inc. instead of having these redone. I'd rather go that route personally since it's not that much more to just get the redone heads. It was $350 for 2 heads shipped.

yeah i guess that is the only good thing about these motors[3.4] is that the parts aren't too high.but they sure are a ***** to work on. it **** to get the alternator off.only way i could get mine off was to drop the subframe down in the front.hey but good luck :runaround:

Well I got the heads today and I went to start putting it back together and noticed something strange with the one cylinder wall. It looks like it may be cracked. I didn't see it when I took it apart because the piston was covering it. I'm gonna go take a picture of it right now and post it for all of you to look at and I'd appreciate some opinions. I'll post the picture in a minute. Thanks.

The pictures aren't the greatest but here they are. I can't see a crack, it looks like pitting. :confused:

http://webpages.charter.net/nathantruax/IMG_0335.JPGhttp://webpages.charter.net/nathantruax/IMG_0337.JPG

The blocks on these engines are sound, no way in hell does that look like a crack. Just get everything reinstalled and you'll feel like you have a new motor. Personally, I had my heads reconditioned at the machine shop, $180 for both. With what you're doing to your engine, you can count on 100k miles, easily.

i don't see a crack any where but man that cylinder must have been getting water in it a long time looks like a heat pit it's a wonder that it didn't crack . what did the sparkplug that came out of that cylinder look like? some times the porcalin will crack on the plug when it is run with a blown head gasket, and cut the cylinder wall. i have seen two do that both nissan trucks. hey good luck. if you have not changed plugs and wires now is the time to do it ,as you come out of the engine alot easier on the back head.

The plug didn't look any different than the rest. you can tell they've been in the motor forever. I actually wasn't sure if water/coolant was even getting in that cylinder. But did you notice how clean that piston on the left is compared to the one in that cylinder with the pitting or whatever it is? I know that one was leaking for sure. I got it almost all back togther now, I'll have it done today. I don't have the money for spark plug wires right now (I wish I did) but I did put in new plugs before I put the heads back on. Hey I just thought of a question for you guys. Did or do you guys use sealer on the threads of the head bolts? I don't have a Haynes manual or anything for this but I did print some stuff off of Auto Zone's site so I'd have torque specs and stuff and I noticed that their information on there says to use sealer on the head bolts. But the instructions that came with the new FelPro head bolts I bought says to use oil on the threads and under the heads of the bolts. It doesn't say to use any sealer? I noticed this isn't like a 350 Chevy where the head bolts thread down into the coolant jackets so I don't know why it says to use sealer??? Anyway I didn't use any so.... I used oil. I did use sealer on the intake bolts though because FelPro says to.

Well I got it done tonight. Now I just gotta get rid of the hesitation it has. I cleaned the MAF sensor and it immediately ran much better but I have to clean it better tomorrow and see if that's all that's wrong with it.