Blown head gasket help!

[kristamarie]

Saturday I was on my way to Mesa to rescue my fiance, because his car broke down, and I got as far as the loop 101 and pima fwy/90th st when my car dies. Got it checked out and there's definitely water in the oil, but the car still runs (boys did it against my wishes) and revs up fine, just blows white smoke. It's a 95 gti vr6 manual trans. I don't know where I can get the thermostat housing, since my workplace has it on back order and I need a place to get the head machined before replacing the gasket. HELP please!!

[vortexpert.]

where is your work place?
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...mostat Housing
autohaus has everything housing related.
as for the head, is it warped? depending on the damage you may just be able to get a new gasket and be ok

[kristamarie]

I work at O'Reilly Auto Parts, and I'm not sure if the head is warped or not yet, we haven't pulled it off to check.

[vortexpert.]

definitely have the head looked at, unless it got hot you should be ok with just cleaning and replacing the head gasket

[..Derek..]

In 10 years I have seen exactly 3 VR's kill head gaskets and it was outside influence (driving while overheating)

Oil mixed with coolant is more likely a bad oil cooler.. What's the engine oil look like?

[gtiguy12]

Bad oil cooler VR's typically don't blow white smoke, unless the crankcase is severely overfilled with coolant.

[vortexpert.]

definitely water in the oil

thats what i read

[kristamarie]

The oil is like a caramel color, and it's really runny. Which is how I know it has coolant in it. Apparently, it's missing the ect so that could have made the gauge not read that it was overheating...But I was just driving on the loop 101 and my coolant light popped on and I got off the highway right after that then the car just died and started steaming really bad. But my fiance said that the crankcase is filled with coolant. So you think it could just be the oil cooler? It'd be easier if that was the problem...I'm also leaking a lot of coolant out of the thermostat housing, which I'm replacing. It's also throwing coolant out of the exhaust, which is what's causing us to believe it is the head gasket.

[gtiguy12]

That car was never missing a CTS. Coolant temperature sensors read funny when there is no coolant in the system to read. Start with a cooling system pressure test to find out where the coolant is entering the engine from (either the oil cooler or the combustion chamber) then you will have a better idea of how to proceed with repairs.

[kristamarie]

That's just what I was told, I didn't look at it. I may just get the head gasket, thermostat housing, timing chain and tensioner, and get the head resurfaced, just to be safe. I'll have the boys look at the car again and have them do the pressure test and stuff and have them take a look at the oil cooler since you all told me that could present a problem as well. But I had just checked my coolant and it was where it was supposed to be at, that's why I'm not understanding exactly what happened. =/

[MKIINIK]

That car definitely has a coolant temp sensor. It also has new tstat housing o rings and crack pipe. Sorry to hear she blew.

[kristamarie]

Well its leaking out of the thermostat housing unfortunately :/ but ill get it figured out this car is my life<3

[MkII_Matt]

did you call BAP for the thermostat housing?

[Thrasher]

Unless you wanna be doing this job again next year, I'd advise against getting anything from your employer for this car shy of brake cleaner.

[kristamarie]

I haven't called BAP yet, I was gonna do that sometime this week.

[vortexpert.]

just do a leak down test, there you will find if the head gasket is bad

[MKIINIK]

just do a leak down test, there you will find if the head gasket is bad

What London said.

[justin123890]

Unless you wanna be doing this job again next year, I'd advise against getting anything from your employer for this car shy of brake cleaner.

Why is this?

[Thrasher]

Why is this?

Unless you dig super deep, the OE parts suppliers are hard to get, and the FLAP selection of remans/aftermarket is horrible.
I know you work at O'Reily's (we've met, actually) but the quality just isnt here with most things.

[justin123890]

I wouldn't say most stuff. But some stuff yeah.

[vortexpert.]

some factory parts are **** in a box..