Need help about blown head gasket

[randinator0702]

I just got a Cadilac deville about a year ago an i kno i just blew a head gasket and i was wonderin if there is anything i can do for it aside from replacing it please help thanks

[discnik]

What makes you think you have a blown HG ?

To make sure you can pressurize the coolant system, remove spark plugs, turn over engine and see if any water comes out of the spark plug holes. The ones with water comming out is where the head gasket is bad.

[randinator0702]

in know its a blown hg because i have worked on cars for my whole life and it has all the basic signs of a blown hg plus i did a pressure test on it about 4 days ago along with the spark plug test and it all confirms it an i was just wondering if anybody knows of anything else i can use to fix it without replacing it aside from silver seal
thanks

[DFBonnett]

What engine is in your Deville?

[maxwedge]

Please post the year for any meaningful help. BTW at age 15 working on cars all your life doesn't account for a lot of experience so calm down, thanks.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by randinator0702

in know its a blown hg because i have worked on cars for my whole life and it has all the basic signs of a blown hg plus i did a pressure test on it about 4 days ago along with the spark plug test and it all confirms it an i was just wondering if anybody knows of anything else i can use to fix it without replacing it aside from silver seal
thanks

Is this a 4.6 liter Northstar engine?

If yes, they have a HUGE design flaw with blown head gaskets.
The head bolts thread into the aluminum material of the engine block.
Simply put, the stress of hundreds of heating and cooling cycles (starting an engine then shutting it off) eventually allows the headbolts to rip these aluminum threads away from the block. The bolts lose their clamping force and the head gaskets no longer seal.

to fix this, the engine must be removed and the heads removed. Then the headbolt threads in the block are repaired using a "Time Sert" kit (they're like Heli-coils).This repair cannot be done with the engine in the car.
Then the gaskets are replaced and engine reassembled in the usual fashion.

Whenever a Northstar blows the HG's, this is the cause 99.99999% of the time. Also, the majority of Northstars (especially 96-99 models) will eventually experience this failure.

And no, other repair methods will not work, again, because the headbolts are no longer clamping to anything.

[randinator0702]

sORY I DIDNT MEAN TO SOUND WELL I GUESS Pissed off for lack of better words what i meant was i kno what most engine problems are and how they will act ill give you a little background info i started in my daddys shop since i can remember ive been in their with my dad almost everyday of the year an i rebuilt my first motor by myself when i was 8 with a little muscle help here and there from my dad but the cadillac my grandparents gave me a year ago that i like to cruise around in because i live in a kinda hick town i dont gottta wory about bein caught it is a 1997 and i was aware of there history in the northstar engine i was just wonderin if anybodu had any advice that i could use like onj the threads that let loose thank you i never would have even thought about that
Thanks again for all the help you guys
Sorry if i come off a little strong

[discnik]

Did not mean to give offense. It's just nice to know what the symptoms are in order to try to be helpful. Sorry.

[randinator0702]

Sry it was my bad i wasnt clear enough and i can sound more pissed off when i really didnt mean to say it like that i easnt thinkin when i typed i should have been more clear
sorry
and thanks for all the help you guys