What causes a blown head gasket on a GM mini van?

Mainly because your 3.8L GM car or mini-van over-heated and: 1.) The cylinder head (or heads) warped and one of the two head gaskets on your 3.8L engine burned. 2.) Once one of the two head gaskets on your engine burns, it won’t be able to keep the engine oil or coolant separated…

Why does the engine oil look like a blown head gasket?

CASE 1: The engine oil is an off-white/tan color, and your car or mini-van overheats and/or doesn’t start, this confirms that your vehicle has a blown head gasket. Why does the oil look like this? Mainly because your 3.8L GM car or mini-van over-heated and:

How to test a blown head gasket ( GM 3.8L )?

Alright, this test should take you less than 2 minutes to do: Pop the hood on your 3.8L GM car or mini-van and once open, check the engine oil by pulling out the engine’s oil dipstick. 1.) Either the color of the engine oil will be an off-white/tan color or…

Can you drive a car with a blown head gasket?

Unfortunately, this test can only prove the presence an internal head gasket leak not an external head gasket leak. The easiest way to be sure you have a head gasket leak is to look for multiple signs mentioned above. Can You Drive a Car with a Blown Head Gasket?

How to repair a leaking intake manifold gasket?

Before you begin the tear-down, you will need to do some preliminary research. First, go to the auto parts store and buy the repair manual for your make and model car. Next, pick up a few car magazines. They usually have articles on replacing intake manifold gaskets and rebuilding cylinder heads.

Are there any cars that blow head gaskets?

There are some makes or models of cars that have a reputation for blowing head gaskets. One such vehicle has such a bad reputation for head gasket problems there is a group of owners trying to get the manufacturer to have a recall on them.

Where does coolant come from in a blown head gasket?

A head gasket leaking external would cause coolant to come from below the intake or exhaust manifold and often only happens when the engine is completely warmed up.

What can I do to prevent a blown head gasket?

You can also make sure your block deck and cylinder head mating surface are properly prepared for the new gasket. Similarly, using a multi-layer steel or other metal head gasket can improve the reliability of your engine. For more information, check our complete article on how to prevent a blown head gasket.

Where does the head gasket live on a car?

The head gasket lives between your engine block and cylinder head. Every modern car has this gasket but they vary in their thickness and construction based on the manufacturer’s design of the engine.