Hello, I just recently took the plunge and bought my first wagon. It is an '89 Chevy Caprice Estate and I am absolutely in love with it. When I was very young my family had an Oldsmobile wagon, it was a little older than the one I just bought but very similar and I have very fond memories of it. Everything about this new car takes me back, especially the smell. My new wagon appears to be in pretty decent shape cosmetically. Very little surface rust which is hard to find in older cars here in Hawaii. It does have some issues that I'll need to address, the most pressing is a leaking head gasket. Other than that one pretty large issue it seems to be in good mechanical condition. Considering what I paid for it I feel like I won the lotto but I suppose I should wait to see what else breaks in the next few days. I'm pretty handy but I'll probably be asking for a lot of help along the way as I try to restore this beast. Anyway, it's a pleasure to be here and I look forward to getting to know everyone. I'll get some pictures up in the gallery as soon as I get it back to Oahu.
Welcome to the SWF....... Is you new wagon stuck on another one of the islands, or just down for the count across Oahu? Marshall
Do not assume that until it is positively diagnosed. Most assumed HG leaks are actually intake manifold leaks. They can leak both externally and internally. Proceed carefully and don't do more work than you have to.
I like the sound of that! How can I positively tell the difference without taking the top end apart? It is clearly leaking externally but the exhaust doesn't smell like its burning coolant and the oil doesn't look contaminated on the dip stick or the filler cap; I didn't drain the pan yet. @Krash Kadillak, It's on the Big Island at the moment.
Welcome to the nuthouse we call home. That wagon sounds like a great deal. I would be extremely surprised if the head gasket were the problem. They normally last the life of the engine. The first step to figuring it out is to do a compression test. It really does sound, though, like the intake manifold gasket. I hope so, because that is about $250 instead of about $800 to repair!
Not saying it isn't so at a dealership. And costs may be different on your islands than mine. Yet the prices I see quoted always amaze me. Here on my island doing your own intake gasket swap might cost as much as $50 with small parts, sealer, and other things. By the way welcome
You have to pressurize the cooling system and then search for the leak. Dissimilar metals and a factory steel sandwich intake gasket led to their failure. Most common area was the driver side front. It would leak out and run down the exposed part of the head gasket and drip off the bottom....thus appearing to be the head gasket leaking. Could also be any of the other corners where a manifold cooling passage is located. You are lucky its external, as they can also leak into a cylinder port.
That is exactly where it's leaking from. I saw it spraying out when the thermostat opened but I didn't want to get my face too close at that moment. Thanks
I'll send you an invoice for consulting fees. If you think education is expensive, consider the price of ignorance. I often shudder at some of the free advice given by some.
