Need help with m103 blown head gasket
 

Hey guys,

My friend has a 1991 300E with 74,000 miles on it and a blown head gasket. We have an appointment with Pierre on the 17th to do the job, but need to be able to drive it there and back.

Pierre informed us that it would be okay to drive, but today my friend ran in to a problem and had to be towed. After a 20 mile drive, the coolant hose that comes off the block and goes to the heater core and windshield washer fluid heater burst.

After getting it home tonight, I flushed the system for him twice. We fired it up and it seemed to do okay, lots of brown crap everywhere which we were expecting. However as it approached 100* the coolant in the expansion tank began to bubble a lot, but did not steam. It was as if there was air escaping. Above 100*, it did it even more and now it was nearly 100% chocolate milk shake colored ooze. We shut it down, and it dropped to 80. I flushed it again, filled with antifreeze, and called it a day.

Now it will stay below 100 while driving, in fact it will be at about 85 on the highway. When the hose burst today I'm assuming it's because he had sat for too long, and it caused a build up of pressure.

My question is if we need to make the trip to Pierre's, a roughly 60 mile drive, would we be okay to do so as long as the temps stayed down?

Also the aux fan does not come on, blower is inop as well.

Thanks, hopefully we wont need a tow to get there =[

The hose most likely burst because of the oil in the coolant. The oil will degrade the rubber hoses and eventually cause them to break. That's why it's very important that the cooling system be completely flushed out once the head gasket is repaired.

As for the 60 mile drive, I think that would be a gamble if your auxiliary fan and blower motor aren't working. Might make it, might not. If you do decide to drive it just make sure to keep a constant eye on the temperature gauge and be ready to pull over and shut it off if it climbs above 100C.

Wow, seriously? TOW IT.

Rent a u-haul trailer and truck, or pay a service to bring it there. Much better idea than abusing the engine and ruining something.

yeah it cannot be driven in that condition

Call AAA...you get 100 free towing miles a year

pfft get the highest level membership you can afford.. unlimited tows up to 100 each I think or what ever their limit is.

I have AAA, problem is that it isn't my car and my coverage only gives me 4 5 mile tows.

Also I'm only 19, I can't rent a truck and trailer, nor can he.

Joe, you got any way we could get it there?

Don't drive it.

If water gets into the cylinder while its running you can risk bending rods and other cool things.

Water doesn't compress well!!

You might consider posting on Craigslist for someone that would tow it or rent you a tow dolly if you could borrow a truck.

upgrade your AAA ! quickest and easiest solution

I'd like to borrow my friends massive pickup and tow it there. But I have never towed anything before and I do not want to learn the hard way with a $55k truck

What about your friend? Toss him a case of beer for his hard work and you'll be off the hot seat should anything go wrong driving-wise. Chances are you'll need a hand loading it anyways.

I wouldn't drive it in that condition...you could make the damage to the engine much worse! Head gasket leaks can behave very strangely...sometimes you only get oil in the coolant, sometimes only coolant in the oil, and sometimes both. Sometimes only overheating and burning coolant, sometimes combustion pressure enters the cooling system (popped hoses).

If there is no coolant in the sump and it's not overheating, then technically you can drive it. The problem is that coolant could enter the oil at ANY time and destroy your rod bearings. :( Drive at your own risk.

The towing fee is a small price to pay compared to a engine that ends up damaged...

Regardless of how you get it to the shop, make SURE that they don't just slap a head gasket on it! It very possibly has a corrosion problem allowing a leak between combustion chamber and water jacket. A competent machine shop will pressure test the head and if such a problem exists, they can weld it up. They should also do a thorough valve job including valve guide attention while the head is off. Failure to do this equates to a band aid repair.