Anyone a mechanic! I need help for my truck!

Sorry I've been gone so long...I feel bad popping in just for advice, but I've got to get my truck fixed. I hope everyone's doing ok.

I have an 88 S-10 Fuel injected, 2.8 engine size, v.6, with 71 thousand miles.

I think I may have a blown head gasket, but I'm not 100% sure. I'd like to know if you think that this is what's wrong. Here's the 'symptoms': Coming home 2 nights ago, my truck was overheating. It was driving fine and all the gauges were fine except the temperature. I know you're not susposed to drive one when it's overheating, but the temperature kept going down and I was only going about 40. The next day we checked the radiator it was only half full so we added a gallon of anifreeze and it wasnt enough. We then decided to see how it run and when we started it the truck kept dying right after I started it, but when I gave it more gas when it started to die it finally stayed running. Then the next day I put a new thermostat and took it for a test drive. It drove fine untill I got about 5 miles down the road. I went to turn into a road to head back home and it started to die. I went ahead and turned in so I could get off the main road and my check gages light had just came on. It wasnt overheating, so I think the thermostat fixed that, but the oil gauge was on zero. When I got home I checked the dipstick and I have plenty of oil, it just looks kinda white instead of clear from when I did my oil change about a month ago. To me this sounds like the coolant is leaking into the oil. My water pump may be out too because it can cause overheating and I've been hearing some sort of squealing noise sitting at lights. Currently I cant drive my truck untill I fix it. I need to do the cheapest and best thing. What does it sound like to you? A blown headgasket or what? My uncle's a mechanic and he said I have 2 options: replace the motor or take it apart, repair the gasket and hope it's just that. What do you all think? Thanks so much for your help! (Oh and I really dont want to sell my truck )

White or frothy looking oil=blown head gasket or a cracked head.
before you do anything else get that contaminated oil out of the crankcase and get some fresh oil into it.

You have to pull the head either way so start there. Get the valves done while the head is off. Put it back on with new gaskets (Pull both heads) and you're set provided you didn't fry the main and connecting rod bearings driving it.

Good luck with it. Your diagnosis was dead on about coolant in the oil, so you're already ahead of the game.

I have to go get ready for work so I'll reply when I get home tonight. If anyone knows any good car forums that can help that will be good too. I just need to decide which to do because I dont want to replace the motor if I dont have to...that's why I wanted to know for sure if this was a blown head gasket or something that will make me have to change it. Like my uncle said, with it overheating it could be more than the head gasket tore up.....

Originally Posted by grampngram

White or frothy looking oil=blown head gasket or a cracked head.
before you do anything else get that contaminated oil out of the crankcase and get some fresh oil into it.

You have to pull the head either way so start there. Get the valves done while the head is off. Put it back on with new gaskets (Pull both heads) and you're set provided you didn't fry the main and connecting rod bearings driving it.

Good luck with it. Your diagnosis was dead on about coolant in the oil, so you're already ahead of the game.

Click to expand...

If I put fresh oil in there wont the coolant get back into the oil?

Ok I'll mention this to my uncle since he never mentioned doing this. He's really big on me replacing the whole thing, but I dont want to do something that drastic unless I have to.

Thanks. I just wish I hadnt been right about the problem!

You replace the oil now in order to get the contaminated oil off the bearings. Then you fix the head gaskets.

Yep sound like a head gasket blown Since you said its a V6, hopefully only one bank is the problem. Get a compression tester and test all your cylinders. Obviously the bank with the lower compression numbers is your problem (unless both heads are at fault.) Check with the manufacturer or a manual to see what compression numbers should be.
Now you can't just go in and replace the head gaskets. If you drove it overheating, you may have warped your heads. You'll probably have to take the heads to a machine shop and have them check for straightness. While your there have them check for cracks in the head, and just for fun all the valve stuff. If its warped only a little, the machine shop can machine the heads flat again. Then you can move onto replacing the head gaskets, and reistalling the heads.
Replacing the entire engine is not your first choice. Blown headgaskets are really a breeze to fix as long as you know what your doing, and as long as your block and internals suffered no damage. If your heads are toasted but the rest is ok, then just replace the heads, not the entire engine
Oh and before you attempt to take it apart, I suggest buying a haynes or chiltons manual for it (unless you already have one). You'll need it for torque specs, and tightening orders, and all the fun stuff.

Hope this help...

Later,
Brandon

Originally Posted by Cougar

Yep sound like a head gasket blown

Since you said its a V6, hopefully only one bank is the problem. Get a compression tester and test all your cylinders. Obviously the bank with the lower compression numbers is your problem (unless both heads are at fault.) Check with the manufacturer or a manual to see what compression numbers should be.
Now you can't just go in and replace the head gaskets. If you drove it overheating, you may have warped your heads. You'll probably have to take the heads to a machine shop and have them check for straightness. While your there have them check for cracks in the head, and just for fun all the valve stuff. If its warped only a little, the machine shop can machine the heads flat again. Then you can move onto replacing the head gaskets, and reistalling the heads.
Replacing the entire engine is not your first choice. Blown headgaskets are really a breeze to fix as long as you know what your doing, and as long as your block and internals suffered no damage. If your heads are toasted but the rest is ok, then just replace the heads, not the entire engine

Oh and before you attempt to take it apart, I suggest buying a haynes or chiltons manual for it (unless you already have one). You'll need it for torque specs, and tightening orders, and all the fun stuff.

Hope this help...

Later,
Brandon

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This is what I've been wanting to do. Only think is how much will it cost to do it this way and what if it doesnt work? I'd be out of more money. I just dont know what else to do to fix it. My uncle talked to the mechanic and it's going to be 1400 to replace the motor. I'd rather do it the way you said, but I've been worried that if I did they wouldnt notice something not working and put it back together and then it would still not work and I'd have wasted my money. I'd rather my uncle and I do it, but he doesnt have the time now with his new work schedule.
I do have a manual actually! I use it everytime I work on my truck. It's very helpfull. Mine's a Haynes.

Originally Posted by grampngram

You replace the oil now in order to get the contaminated oil off the bearings. Then you fix the head gaskets.

Click to expand...

Oh

Theres not much that can go wrong though. Your manual will walk you through all the steps. If the machine shop does something wrong, its their problem and they will have to pay for it. 1400 to replace to motor? Does that include the motor, and how many miles are on it etc. Thats a pretty good deal.

Later,

Brandon

Originally Posted by Cougar

Theres not much that can go wrong though. Your manual will walk you through all the steps. If the machine shop does something wrong, its their problem and they will have to pay for it. 1400 to replace to motor? Does that include the motor, and how many miles are on it etc. Thats a pretty good deal.

Later,

Brandon

Click to expand...

My uncle and I are going to do a compression test tuesday....hopefully we'll find out for sure if it's a blown gasket or not and can then decide whether or not to spend all the money on a new motor. You think 1400 is a good deal? I dont know...to me that's alot of money for a rebuilt motor. That price includes the motor, the labor etc.

$1400 not's to bad for a rebuilt motor where I am more so if that's including labor. Also the squeal noise you hear at Lights could be your fan belt. I'm not much of a machanic but that is one noise I got to know well at one point in time. But I do know that other things can cause it too.....I just don't know exactly what. anyway I figured I would tell ya that!! Hope your truck gets better!!

Yeah Id say 1400 for a rebuilt motor plus installation is a pertty good deal. Around here its about 1K just for labor. Then again, I guess it also depends on who rebuilt the motor and how many miles it has on it.

Peace,
Brandon

Before you start thinking about changing engines have somebody check the trouble codes and the computer that can cause problems similair to a blown head don't just asume that the head gasket is blown. over heating can be caused by a bad water pump or a crack in the water jacket. the computer will shutdown the engine if it overheats or has low or no oil pressure the engine may not run right until you reset or replace the computer.