90 Voyageur 3.0 head gasket

[sammie53]

I need some information...I have a voyageur 1990 3.0 last summer the waterpump went on the van...after going just about all summer without fixing it...we finally got it done. the job cost $540.00 After driving for a day or two I notices that the van would over heat...and I had no heat..which I did before the water pump job. the machanic changed the thermostat and said that it is fine. Any way I go back to the machanic a few days later and he tells me that my head gasket is blown...I asked why..he said because you went for so long with out the water pump being fixed that now the pressure is to much and it blew the gasket. Another $850 + job he tells me... Now I have asked around a few people and they pretty much all say the same thing head gasket ....but I have checked the motor oil and it is not milky like the prestone didn't go into the oil...I have let it run and placed my hand over the tail pipe to see if it ws oily and it wasn't...I have drove the van all winter long...not a problem except that now I have no heat. Does anyone have any insight as to it might be something else and not the head gasket? The van runs really nice...smooth...can't even hear the motor..I am just having a hard time with the machanics observation.

Thanks
Sammie

[jsinton]

Well, it's like this...

If there is no antifreeze in the oil, there's no antifreeze in the exhaust, there's no antifreeze leaking out anywhere, there's no heat, and the radiator is full... I have to ask the question "Is the water pump pumping?" If there's no heat, then why not? There should be some heat anyway. Is the van overheating now? Are you loosing antifreeze anyway? If so, where is it going? It has to go someplace if you have to replace it.

Do this:

Take the radiator cap off the radiator and start the van. Let it run until it's hot and the electric fan starts to come on. Revv up the engine and look at the antifreeze in the radiator. Do you see it flowing?

[jsinton]

It's real possible you blew the head gasket if it's losing coolant. If it's leaking out someplace else, then you would see it leaking out, puddles on the ground, etc. You drove it around with no coolant for an extended time period? Then expect the head gasket to be blown.

[sammie53]

oK....we are not losing antifreeze at all....that is what I find strange...When you asked if the pump was pumping...we have checked the hoses to see if there was any flow..one day yes..another day no... we did have heat..but that stoped when he changed the pump... I don't go far with the van to find out if it is overheating...don't want to chance it...but I have gone to a couple of stores near me and by the time I get home the gague is right up there. i tried turning on the heater to see if it will go down but it doesn't.

So if I remove the cap and do as you say and it's not flowing then can I assume that the pump is defected?

Sammie

[sammie53]

Ok before we changed the pump it was leaking like crazy...but as it was the summer we kept adding water...everyday or at least every time we used the van.. right now the anitfreeze is not leaking ..it's going into the reserve...

Sammie

[ronmar1]

No coolant loss, van not over heating, no continuious air bubbles in the radiator when engine is running, no oil in coolant and no coolant in the oil, I doubt a blown gasket! Running a leaking water pump will not cause a blown head gasket after the pump is replaced. Over heating the engine will. Chances are that when they drained your coolant system this allowed a big air bubble to collect in the heater core thus blocking a suffcient flow of coolant to supply heat.

There will be no flow through the radiator if the thermostat has not yet opened, engine below operating temperature. When the thermostat is opened there will be flow through the radiator.

Warm up your engine to operating temperature, turn on the heat to hot, feel both hoses where they go through the firewall to the heater coil. They both should feel warm to hot. The supply hose should be hotter than the return hose. If one is warm to hot and the other is cool then the heater core is blocked or the operating valve is not working. If it has an air block, you can carefully disconnect the return hose from where it goes through the fire wall. Pull up just slightly higher with the hose and add water or coolant till it runs out both the hose and the heater core stub. Re-attach and try it now.

Hope this helps.

Ron

[sammie53]

Hi..that sounds like a plan...will give it a shot tomorrow and get back to you.

Thanks for all the input...

Sammie