95 3.1 Head Gasket advice

[Gigantor-LS]

Hello everyone,

First, I'd like to thank everyone for their great input on this board.

I have a 95 3.1 with what I've been told is a blown head gasket. From reading, it's a common problem. The reason I'm posting is to ask if anyone has had this done and how the repair has done so far.

The car has 105k miles. It's been paid of for about 6 months. I can't do most repairs because I live in an apartment complex.

The good stuff:

- new computer (3 months)
- new water pump (3 months)
- new plugs and wires (6 months)
- new rear struts (3 months)
- minor rust
- transmission is solid
- all electrical is good
- no cracks in glass
- no exaust problems

The bad stuff:

- heads or gaskets or both
- rear wheel barring
- driver's seat needs replacement (crappy thin brackets)

Currently, there is oil in the coolant, but there is no visable coolant in oil. I am getting air build up in coolant system. It can be bleed, but after a 100 miles or so, it needs to be done again. Intake manifold gasket was the first repair done, but the problem continued. I am apprehensive to have a mechanic pull the heads off considering the labor costs involved to determine if I just need gaskets, or if the heads need to be milled or replaced.

I was hoping that someone on here might have a suggestion. Worst case senerio is $1400 per my mechanic. That would be head replacement with refurbs. For now, I am thinking of just seeing what I can get from a mechanic or junk yard that's willing to repair or part it.

I was going to pull a driver's side seat from a junk yard and drop it in myself.

Anyway, does anyone have an opinion on the situation?

[corning_d3]

If the heads weren't overheated, I don't think they will need replaced, or even resurfaced.

[rob_drummy]

is there possibly a crack in the block or head?

[Gigantor-LS]

Originally Posted by rob_drummy

is there possibly a crack in the block or head?

Unsure. I should really call them to see if they ran a compression test. It has overheated, so it could be.

[wafrederick]

Probally not the head gaskets,Probally needs intake gaskets.The intake gaskets are most common problems on the 3100s.Fel Pro has that fixed,Fel Pro came out with updated intake gaskets that are metal instead of plastic.I know that Fel Pro updated the intake gaskets to metal for the vortec 350,305 and 4.3 engines,3.1 and 3.4 engines.If it went too far,an engine replacement is the only choice

[dz0k52]

I disagree with a wafrederick. I did my intake manifold gasket two years ago only to do my head gasket last fall. The symptom of getting air in the coolant leads me to beleive that the head gasket is gone. The cylinder acts like an air compressor and pumps air into the system. The highest point is the heater core so you probably get no heat. I know its a lot more work but if I knew then what I know now, I would have done my head gasket two years ago.

[ulies8]

Change the upper plenum gasket and the lower intake gaskets located under the fuel injectors there are two plastic gaskets under there make sure they are changed too .