head gasket symptoms

[jsmith]

i think i blew the checkout for the dreaded head gasket leak and am resigned to getting this done at some point. the reason i say this is because i saw a thread on usenet that talked about oil dripping from the intake manifolds. i didn't see any obvious leaks around the cylinder head. i just noticed that the oil cartridge cover seemed to be oily and there were other parts of the engine that seemed to have a coating of oil on it, that rubber hose that goes into the intake manifold in particular. then i read about this particular symptom on usenet. there's no oil in the coolant yet (i wonder if that was recently changed to mask the symptom). so how long do you guys think i have? i'm going to have it checked out by both the dealership and a local indy regardless but would like to get everything squared away before i turn in my current ride whose lease is expiring. otherwise, the car fires right up and the power's pretty good.

[Benzmac]

One of the hoses on the bottom of the intake carrys some oil in it. IF it gets brittle, it will seep. I'd replace the hose and clean the area. If the head is not leaking oil to the outside and there is none in the coolant, you are OK!!!

[jsmith]

you don't know what a relief it is to hear that i may be ok! yes, will do as you say, i am going to have the engine bay steam cleaned soon. thanks!

[barndoor]

check for bubbles in the coolant expansion tank while the car is cold or only warm.This indicates a head gasket going bad seeping air into the coolant passage.

[barndoor]

check for bubbles in the coolant expansion tank while the car is cold or only warm.This indicates a head gasket going bad seeping air into the coolant passage.