Head gasket leak symptoms?

[grfnkl]

How do i know when my head gasket is leaking? Here's the specs.

It's on my 88 Grand Am, that has the 2.5 4 cyl, "4 tech" engine in it.

My girl has been driving my car for the past couple of days, no biggie except someone hit her and she didn't realize it, no actual damage to the car though.... Anyway I decided i would drive the 88 home and she would drive my 02, When the 88 was sitting there the car acted like it was gonna stall out, i would rev it up, the car would be fine, but as soon as i let off of the gas the car wanted to stall.... ( but it never did) I took a look at the car today, the car started fine, didn't studder or even act like it would stall once today... although you could here the exhaust sputter at times after revving the car... but engine was fine. So i'm figuring prolly needs a tune up or something. I know that these engines are notorious for the valve covers to leak oil down into the spark plugs... i've already replaced that a couple of times. When i was examining the engine, i noticed the whole front of the engine was covered in Oil, but it was dried up and shiney at the same time. This seemed to be more excessive then what the valve cover normally does. So now i have to check if it's leaking from the valve cover again, or someplace new.

My question is what are the symptons of the head gasket leaking? Is there anything specific that i should be looking for?

[Slade901]

The leak might be coming from the pushrod cover or from the oil pump driveshaft cover (on the left side of the oil filter).

[petey_z24]

my 2.5 has the gay filter in the oilpan, and its and oily slob on an engine as well, I wouldnt think you would be getting oil from a leaky headgasket, more like coolant, and you could have coolant in your oil

[bottomtech]

I never saw a 2.5 head gasket leak coolant externally. Usually leak coolant between center cylinders. Any possibility the leak could be oil pan blowing up onto the block?

[grfnkl]

Thanks, for all the info that everyone has provided.... It's prolly just from the valve cover that made this huge mess..... I knwo it's not the oil pan, since i know what that is like if that leaks plus there is absolutely no oil on the ground under the car. The car does leak anitfreeze, but on random occasions, like if i leave it sit for about 2 weeks and don't start it the car will leak EVERYWHERE. but so far i try to run it at least once a week so it won't leak. I've never had a car that's so random... one day the car is acting up the next day the car is prefectly fine...