I really hope someone can help me

Hi.... I have a 95 blazer 4x4 with a vortec engine. This car was recently "loaned" to me from my sister in law who moved into Manhattan. I have changed the oil, brakes etc. on this car in the past.... SOO... I start using the blazer to and from work and after a couple of weeks the check gagues light comes on and the temp gauge is pegged past the max temp. This went away after a minute or so back to normal temp. this happened a few times during my commute. So when The car was cool, I checked the coolant level, and it was bone dry. So I replaced the thermostat and filled the rad. with fresh coolant. Engine ran fine, and heat blew HOT. A day or so later, the same thing happened, but the temp level did not go down,and when I pulled over, coolant was STEAMING out of a crack on the left side of the radiator. The following day I replace the radiator, and fill it with fresh coolant. Runs great with great heat on my way to work, but when I go to start it to go home, There is a loud ticking noise (like the lifters aren't getting any oil) and within minutes the temp gauge is pegged again. There is plenty of oil pressure, and I haven't driven it much, but it idles smoothly (besides the noise) and does not seem to have lost any power, but there is intermitent white smoke out of the tailpipe..... PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!!

(p.s. Sorry for the lenthy post)

When it got really hot from the crack in the radiator and the coolant was bled bone dry, it could have blown a head gasket. White smoke isn't really smoke at all, it's steam, an indication that water is getting through the motor. I would check the coolant levels on it again to see if they have gone down. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply, the coolant level HAS gone down again. But would a popped head gasket cause valvetrain noise?

When water get's into the engine it will mix with the oil, causing the oil to have less viscosity, which could cause the ticking noise. Pull the oil dipstick and see if the oil seems more runny or watery.

oil looks fine

Can you smell any anti-freeze in the oil? What color is the oil?

added a quart and actually overfilled it... didn't smell it, but it looked as it should.

The V6 Vortec is prone to cracking at the exhaust seats during an overheat event. Exhaust steam and fast cooling system pressure bleedown or lack of cooling pressure after the motor warms up indicate this.

The V6 Vortec is prone to cracking at the exhaust seats during an overheat event. Exhaust steam and fast cooling system pressure bleedown or lack of cooling pressure after the motor warms up indicate this.

But what about the noise?

The V6 Vortec is prone to cracking at the exhaust seats during an overheat event. Exhaust steam and fast cooling system pressure bleedown or lack of cooling pressure after the motor warms up indicate this.

And how can I tell for sure if this is it?? remove the head?

:UPDATE: I just drove the blazer from the front of my house into my driveway, and it ran ok, evcept for the noise. when i put it into park, the car stalled. when I tried to start it again, it would not start. When I looked under the hood, my brand new radiator had green and red fluid all over the passenger side.... not sure if its the trans side, or power steering.... HELP!!!

If a cylinder head gasket develops a leak from a combustion chamber into a coolant passage, combustion pressure will enter the cooling system and create more pressure than the cooling system is designed to handle. As pressure increases in the cooling system, the weakest spot will spring a leak, quite possibly the radiator. When the engine is shut down, the pressure in the cooling system will force coolant back into the combustion chamber through the leaking head gasket. If enough coolant enters the cylinder, the engine will not turn over, (coolant does not compress). When this happens, the engine is said to be "hydro-locked". Removing all of the spark plugs and then attempting to start the engine will "clear" the hydro-lock and show you which cylinder has the head gasket fault. Wear eye protection when doing this, and keep a safe distance because you WILL get a shower.

If the head gasket fails between a combustion chamber and a coolant passage, coolant can seep by the piston rings and enter the crankcase which will dilute the oil, and possibly cause lifter noise. It will definitely cause damage to the main bearings, rod bearings, and camshaft bearings.

Thanks for the replies. I won't be able to get any work done until sunday. I will give you guys updates then.

::UPDATE:: I just got finished running a compression test on the blazer... ALL cylinders were between 150-165 and no immediate leakdown..... doesn't this prove that my head gaskets are ok?? Maybe all of this is due to collapsed lifters??? PLEASE HELP

The head gasket on my Cummins held compression too, it just couldn't keep oil from getting in the water.

You might try getting the motor to operating temperature then put a piece of cardboard on the ground under the motor over night and see what's on it in the morning.

The head gasket on my Cummins held compression too, it just couldn't keep oil from getting in the water.

You might try getting the motor to operating temperature then put a piece of cardboard on the ground under the motor over night and see what's on it in the morning.

There is no oil in the water, or water in the oil... and the car will no longer run.... it just cranks...

Do the spark plugs look wet & greasy?

Do the spark plugs look wet & greasy?

Spark plugs were dry as a bone.

Sounds like it's not getting gas now doesn't it?

Sounds like it's not getting gas now doesn't it?

Does, but why would the motor havea valvetrain noise secondary to no fuel? doesn't make sense....

I need to know where to get the correct puller for the power steering pump pulley. OR how to remove the ps pump and acc. bracket off the head without using a puller... ALSO I got the lower intake off and the rear coolant passages were almost completley blocked with gunk... could this have been the source of my problem?

Does, but why would the motor havea valvetrain noise secondary to no fuel? doesn't make sense....

When a motor gets hot enough to lose it's coolant, it's hot enough to severely thin out the motor oil to the consistancy of water and the hydraulic "wedge" between parts disappears. The parts go metal to metal and start destroying each other.
Another consiquence is the plunger inside one, or all, of the lifters let this super thin oil flow by, the plunger bottoms out making the ticking noise. If the feed hole gets clogged with burned oil, it won't pump back up.

The no fuel issue most likely is unrelated to your overheated motor problem unless you cooked some fuel injection parts...it is sitting on top of the motor.

ALSO I got the lower intake off and the rear coolant passages were almost completley blocked with gunk... could this have been the source of my problem?

Crap, the dexcool/stop leak tablet monster rears it's ugly head again, the Pro's can have this one, I'm too :banghead: