Blown Head Gasket/ Preffered help, please

[Trey97]

Hey everyone, its been awhile since i could get on. And hopefully i can upload some pictures of my P5 when i get the appropriate chance. But in the meantime, i have a problem. Now when this happened, it was right after school, and i was taking my friend home(wasnt far from my home). After i dropped him off, i got to the red light before going up my road to my place, and im sitting at the red light and notice light steam coming from my side of the hood( my coolant reservoir tends to bubble, shake, and steam. And also my coolant reservoir has a good inch and a half crack on its side which i dont remember it being there.) So then i quickly turned the car off as i seen the temperature gauge go up. After the light turned green i started it back up and rode past the light and parked it, because the temperature was going higher than normal temperature. And the weather was pretty cold, and plus it was raining. So i eventually got it up to my place, parked it, and then i watched the temp gauge when i took it out of gear, When its in drive, it gets hotter, but if its in park, it cools down a bit. Then like a day or two later, i went out and started it up. I let it run til it got to normal temperature. But it definally idled very differently, like the RPM's were first idling at 2,500 rpm's, then after oil started warming up, it periodically lowered its rpm's til it got around 1,000 rpm's.( the usual idle is 1,000 rpms, but it sometimes likes to idle under that around 700 rpms) Then after i turned the car off and checked all the caps and such. i checked the oil reservoir, i dont now if thats supposed to be full or not, but it was completely empty, and there was light white smoke coming from inside there. I also heard these ting noises almost every 5-15 seconds when the engine was running. Basically like a electric stove getting hot and you hear those tings. And plus all the coolant has disappeared with no apparent leak.
Now, to be honest, and im sure y'all won't care much, but im in the roughest point in life I've ever been. Im struggling to get a job, basically money is a severe problem. So im hoping to get off my feet soon and get hired somewhere, as my car insurance is due next week, then my phones off, so theres almost no chance of a job. And im looking for cheap ways to fix the blown head gasket, and ive heard of Bars-leak, and blue devil being able to fix this problem. Or i could just get a new head gasket, but thats a bit to steep. So i need help on whats best for this problem, if any of you have had this problem, and/or know the best way to fix it. It sucks cause i've had this car for almost half a year, and i still dont know all thats wrong with it, and a bit ironic to cause the head gasket blown a day before i was gonna take it to vo tech for a full check up.

 

[irwin]

There is no cheap way to fix a head gasket. Bars leaks will **** s*** up even more. Why don't you cancel insurance on a car you can't drive, and fix the head gasket?

 

[Trey97]

There is no cheap way to fix a head gasket. Bars leaks will **** s*** up even more. Why don't you cancel insurance on a car you can't drive, and fix the head gasket?

I need the car for close future reference because im graduating in a month, and im not trying to cancel insurance cause they will come and take my plate and everything, then i'll have to go through the whole registration process again. And the car isn't inspected yet either. Im sure i can get a few weeks added on as my agent is a friend of my dad, so he will help me out as much as he can.

 

[mazdadude]

Honestly you really need to park it, pause the insurance, and get it fixed.

The "quick-fix" stuff can make you cause further damage, and turn an easy head gasket repair into an engine overhaul or replacement.

 

[Trey97]

Honestly you really need to park it, pause the insurance, and get it fixed.

The "quick-fix" stuff can make you cause further damage, and turn an easy head gasket repair into an engine overhaul or replacement.

Ok but why is it seeming so bad? I've seen proof of it working in multiple vehicles. I mean, im gonna probably end up just replacing the head gasket today, or tomorrow. but just curious, why are your opinions on that stuff so bad? Does it not work with this type of vehicle? I've seen it in 50/50 debate only working on random vehicles ranging from tuners to v8's.

 

[Maroon]

Your coolant overflow has a big crack in it, but you don't have any apparent leaks? I don't think so. Why are you blaming the head gasket?

What exactly has been the coolant level this whole time?

Is there coolant in the oil? Is there oil in the coolant?

Do a compression test. Rent the tool from Autozone.

What is an oil reservoir? Are you talking about the oil pan? That's the only thing that qualifies as an oil reservoir on this car.

You certainly haven't done enough basic testing to verify the head gasket as bad. Replacing the head gasket based only on what you've described would be stupid and stands a good chance of not fixing the problem.

 

[mazdadude]

Ok but why is it seeming so bad? I've seen proof of it working in multiple vehicles. I mean, im gonna probably end up just replacing the head gasket today, or tomorrow. but just curious, why are your opinions on that stuff so bad? Does it not work with this type of vehicle? I've seen it in 50/50 debate only working on random vehicles ranging from tuners to v8's.

I agree with Maroon, before you start ripping things apart, a compression test, or a coolant system leakdown test would be appropriate. Although if you have water coming out the spark plug holes, you most likely have a cracked head, cracked block, or a bad head gasket.

In order for the miracle stuff to work, you must follow the instructions to the letter. Sometimes this includes draining, flushing, and draining multiple times to get rid of any traces of anti-freeze. Then after you perform the miracle repair, is it fixed? Can you now trust it? Or is it going to pop and leave you stranded, or cause more heat damage or water damage to the engine. I have heard from others that the miracle fix stuff can gunk up in the radiator, water pump, coolant passages, etc.

My personal opinion is that the miracle stuff should be used when you have no intention of doing a mechanical repair, and you are just trying to get a few more miles out of it before the car goes to the junkyard...

 

[Trey97]

Your coolant overflow has a big crack in it, but you don't have any apparent leaks? I don't think so. Why are you blaming the head gasket?

What exactly has been the coolant level this whole time?

Is there coolant in the oil? Is there oil in the coolant?

Do a compression test. Rent the tool from Autozone.

What is an oil reservoir? Are you talking about the oil pan? That's the only thing that qualifies as an oil reservoir on this car.

You certainly haven't done enough basic testing to verify the head gasket as bad. Replacing the head gasket based only on what you've described would be stupid and stands a good chance of not fixing the problem.

By oil reservoir, i meant the location where you refill your oil after a oil change. I didnt know another word for it. And im pretty sure its a blown head gasket since one, there is absolutely no coolant in the radiator, if any, it must've gotten very low. and the only leak i ever found was before the car tried over heating, and my dad started my car, checking it out, and then after he turned the engine off, a whole bunch of coolant was pouring onto the ground. Thats how i found that big crack, cause all of it got pushed up into the overflow and went through the crack, but yet when it was all in there, it was over the whole word "FULL" not even close to the proper line. Then i was gonna take some of it out, and then when i went back out, all of it dissapeared into the radiator, and that the last time i ever seen any coolant, except for the tiny bit that chills at the bottom of the overflow. Then it was making gurgling-sucking sounds from the overflow every 3 seconds. But yeah, no leaks at all, And no theres no apparant mixture im seeing, except a tiny bit of white stuff in the corner of the oil cap. And renting the tool, is it free? And is it even safe to drive the car there? It idles very differently than last time.

 

[Trey97]

And also how can't it be a blown head gasket? it has many of the signs like boiling and steaming coolant reservoir, Theres an unexpected loss of coolant, a crack in the overflow, which technically allows air into the system(correct me if im wrong), cars oil gauge goes over normal temp, and the car idles weird. I did research of this, and it fits a blown head gasket. And i don't know if this is bad, but even the oil smells like gasoline from the dipstick.

 

[mazdadude]

You sound as if you might be new to car repairs.

Hoping to help, we all have to start somewhere...

The item you named "oil reservoir" , is called the VALVE COVER. On top of the valve cover is the oil fill cap, the spark plug coils and wires.

The item you named "oil gauge" is actually the WATER TEMPERATURE GAUGE.

If the coolant tank has a crack, and the coolant leaked out, then there is your most likely culprit, as the lack of coolant caused your engine to overheat, in turn warping the head/block and blowing the gasket between.


Remove the oil filler cap and describe what it looks like on the underside of the actual black plastic oil filler cap.

 

[Trey97]

You sound as if you might be new to car repairs.

Hoping to help, we all have to start somewhere...

The item you named "oil reservoir" , is called the VALVE COVER. On top of the valve cover is the oil fill cap, the spark plug coils and wires.

The item you named "oil gauge" is actually the WATER TEMPERATURE GAUGE.

If the coolant tank has a crack, and the coolant leaked out, then there is your most likely culprit, as the lack of coolant caused your engine to overheat, in turn warping the head/block and blowing the gasket between.


Remove the oil filler cap and describe what it looks like on the underside of the actual black plastic oil filler cap.

Yeah, honestly i am new to these kind of repairs. Im not good with diagnosing problems occuring INSIDE the engine(unless its obvious). But i can describe things great. It is my first car also, so yeah. But where the crack is located on the reservoir, its on the side towards the top.
Last time when it leaked, it made a small mess in the location where its at. But I honestly thought there was too much in it since when it that small amount leaked out the coolant reservoir, it was still over full, then dissapeared and i just ignored it, and kept using the car.
But im at school right now, and i can describe it when i get home. It could be different, But last time i seen it, there was a very small amount of a "milky" substance in there and i know what that means. And also white steam coming out of what you said is the "valve cover".
And that water temp gauge, it seems like im losing my mind. Why is there only one temp guage and it measures the water and not the oil? Or am i stupid, and im overthinking it?

 

[Maroon]

To answer your question, you must stop driving the car to prevent further damage.

I agree with above. What you referred to before as the oil reservoir is just the fill cap. No, it shouldn't be full up to the there. You check your oil level with your dipstick. And the dipstick is what you need to consult to determine if coolant is in the oil. What is the level on the dipstick and what is the color of the oil?

Also, some white residue on the oil cap is not uncommon, and neither are small amounts of smoke coming out when the cap is removed - particularly on a bad Mazda engine notorious for bad piston rings.

Could it be the head gasket? Sure. Have you proven it to be the head gasket? Not yet. It's too big of a job to do without doing the basic tests for it first.

The reservoir could be the source of all your problems. It's been leaking for longer than you know and finally got to where there wasn't enough coolant to prevent overheating. It is the job of the radiator cap to regulate the flow between the overflow tank and the radiator. Coolant is under high pressure when the engine is hot. This pressure opens the cap and allows coolant to flow to the overflow, thus relieving pressure. After shutdown the engine cools and creates a vacuum that draws coolant back out of the overflow. The disappearing coolant you saw when your dad shut the car off is not abnormal if you're low on coolant.

You pay for the compression tester in full and upon return you get all of your money back.

Step 1: Check dipstick. What does oil look like? What is the level?

Step 2: Check compression and report numbers here. It should not take more than 2 hours to pick up the tool and do the job. You can search for instructions online.

 

[Trey97]

To answer your question, you must stop driving the car to prevent further damage.

I agree with above. What you referred to before as the oil reservoir is just the fill cap. No, it shouldn't be full up to the there. You check your oil level with your dipstick. And the dipstick is what you need to consult to determine if coolant is in the oil. What is the level on the dipstick and what is the color of the oil?

Also, some white residue on the oil cap is not uncommon, and neither are small amounts of smoke coming out when the cap is removed - particularly on a bad Mazda engine notorious for bad piston rings.

Could it be the head gasket? Sure. Have you proven it to be the head gasket? Not yet. It's too big of a job to do without doing the basic tests for it first.

The reservoir could be the source of all your problems. It's been leaking for longer than you know and finally got to where there wasn't enough coolant to prevent overheating. It is the job of the radiator cap to regulate the flow between the overflow tank and the radiator. Coolant is under high pressure when the engine is hot. This pressure opens the cap and allows coolant to flow to the overflow, thus relieving pressure. After shutdown the engine cools and creates a vacuum that draws coolant back out of the overflow. The disappearing coolant you saw when your dad shut the car off is not abnormal if you're low on coolant.

You pay for the compression tester in full and upon return you get all of your money back.

Step 1: Check dipstick. What does oil look like? What is the level?

Step 2: Check compression and report numbers here. It should not take more than 2 hours to pick up the tool and do the job. You can search for instructions online.

Yeah i already know to not drive the car. But what the oil on the dipstick looked like was just like new oil( i got it changed last month) with a gas smell to it, and it was at the full line, maybe i bit over the top.
But like i said, im at school right now, and i have no way to get to Autozone as its in the next town over, across the river, and my dad works or is gone all day, everyday.
Unless Advance Auto Parts does the same thing, as i can probably just walk there.
And i think it would be the problem as i heard it can suck in air and create bubbles, but also in the tiny bit of coolant at the bottom of the reservoir, theres tiny pieces of particles, i guess you can call it dirt? but its not actually dirt, its was really small particles. I'd have to wait to get home to fully be able to describe all of it since its been a good 4-5 days since i looked.
And correction, the coolant didnt disappear after my dad turned of the engine, i was standing next to the car door, and i looked over towards the front( as my wheel was fully turned to the right, it made it easier to see it.) and i witnessed it all drip to the ground.
And then a bit after that, i tried patching up the crack with gorilla tape for the time being. But before i patched it up, we went into the house for about an hour, then i went back out and it was all gone.
I checked everywhere for apparent leaks, checked all radiator hoses, checked the hose going to and fro from the coolant reservoir. No leak at all, nothing on the ground, or in the engine.

 

[Maroon]

Like I said, the coolant got sucked back into the engine. This is normal operation, it's only apparent to you now because you're low on coolant. Your water passages are full of air because you're low on coolant. When the engine cools, the air contracts creating a vacuum on the radiator and overflow hose. This draws coolant out of the overflow. Your coolant went back into the engine. That's why there are 2 full lines on the overflow tank: Hot and Cold.

If all of your coolant were sucked into the crankcase then I would expect your dipstick to read overfilled an be a milky brown color. Oil should not smell like gas. That could indicate a head gasket. However, many of these engines burn oil due to bad piston rings. Bad piston rings allow blow by of gasoline and exhaust gas into the crankcase and oil. This could explain the smell, and the smoke you see from the oil fill cap hole. Does your car burn oil?

Is there smoke coming out of the tailpipe?

I believe Advance does the same tool rental. Call them or look online.

 

[Trey97]

Like I said, the coolant got sucked back into the engine. This is normal operation, it's only apparent to you now because you're low on coolant. Your water passages are full of air because you're low on coolant. When the engine cools, the air contracts creating a vacuum on the radiator and overflow hose. This draws coolant out of the overflow. Your coolant went back into the engine. That's why there are 2 full lines on the overflow tank: Hot and Cold.

If all of your coolant were sucked into the crankcase then I would expect your dipstick to read overfilled an be a milky brown color. Oil should not smell like gas. That could indicate a head gasket. However, many of these engines burn oil due to bad piston rings. Bad piston rings allow blow by of gasoline and exhaust gas into the crankcase and oil. This could explain the smell, and the smoke you see from the oil fill cap hole. Does your car burn oil?

Is there smoke coming out of the tailpipe?

I believe Advance does the same tool rental. Call them or look online.

Ohh, okay. And last time i had the car running, it was chilly out with a bit of wind. And there was minimal smoke smoke coming out the tailpipe, but it was white.
And what about the RPM's going up to 2,500RPM's at start and decreased when it started warming up in idle? It never did that before it tried overheating.
And im not totally sure if it burns oil or not. Last time i checked the dipstick, it was fine. I never smelled any oil or gas during idle.

 

[bcarpenter905]

My protege idles high at first start aswell until it warms up. Always has, just the way it is.

 

[Maroon]

Many cars idle high at first, but 2500 is excessive. Certainly not unheard of on this car, others have complained. A high idle is not inline with a bad head gasket.

You should see if Advance also rents a cooling system pressure tester. As Mazda dude said, you should do a leakdown test.

 

[Trey97]

Well, big change, im just gonna junk the vehicle. Things just got to the point where i cant be patient with the car anymore, as i have to make very tough decisions. Im getting nowhere with what i planned to do with it.
You are all good people, and i greatly appreciate all your help you all gave. And maybe if i get my life set on the right path, and actually get to enjoy life, i will hopefully get a better vehicle. All my life i wanted to have a car i could enjoy, but i messed up. I won't be looking to fix what ever's wrong with it as anyway, i have no money, or possible way to get any, as it seems every job i apply for hates my guts. But anyway i probably wont be on here anymore, unless the next car i get is a Mazda, if i even get a car at all. I bet this is sudden, but everyone has problems. and as an 18 year old, i have many serious ones that affect my life.
Again, thanks for all the help, i did learn a few things, and im grateful. Good bye.

 

[bcarpenter905]

Sorry to hear that.. maybe just hold onto the car until you have some money. Atleast if once you get your sh!t together, and you find out you cant fix it then ohwell no harm done. Atleast then you didnt end up scrapping a car that maybe you didnt need to. Do you have any pictures of it? If its in good shape somebody might even just buy it. Alot of guys like the P5s, and finding them are getting harder and harder especially the ones that still have fenders left lol. Just a thought is all. If i were you and had somewhere to park it, i would hang onto it until i could figure out the issue 100%. Its your first car, its a learning experience thats forsure and trust me it never ends. Dont be so quick to just give up theres always hope

 

[Trey97]

Sorry to hear that.. maybe just hold onto the car until you have some money. Atleast if once you get your sh!t together, and you find out you cant fix it then ohwell no harm done. Atleast then you didnt end up scrapping a car that maybe you didnt need to. Do you have any pictures of it? If its in good shape somebody might even just buy it. Alot of guys like the P5s, and finding them are getting harder and harder especially the ones that still have fenders left lol. Just a thought is all. If i were you and had somewhere to park it, i would hang onto it until i could figure out the issue 100%. Its your first car, its a learning experience thats forsure and trust me it never ends. Dont be so quick to just give up theres always hope

I cant hold on to it, as it'll get towed because its not inspected, because of these stupid Pa laws. and the fenders are pretty rusted. the car really aint nothing special. Theres rust in places there shouldnt be. Its basically a rust bucket, as im told it wont pass inspection unless its by someone who will just slap stickers on it.Unless somebody was looking to redo a whole P5, I dont know about it. theres alot wrong in this car. Ive had it since new years, and still dont know what the hell all has gone bad in the car. Then with the added on problem of overheating, its overwhelming to just have all these problems and no way to fix them. besides how cheap this car is, its way out of my price range to maintain. And trust me, im not getting a job anytime soon.