Is my head gasket blown? Or leaking?

Check that your fan clutch is working properly too.

Remember;
Cooling problems can be divided in two categories to help pinpoint the problems.
Using an infrared thermometer can help pinpoint hot spots in radiator, thermostat & hoses.

Problem;
Vehicle runs fine at idle but overheats going down the road. Plugged radiator,Thermostat stuck open,low coolant level,bad head gasket.

Vehicle runs fine at speed but overheats at idle. (plenty of airflow going fast) Fan clutch, Water pump vane or bearing problem, Obstruction (bag) in front of radiator, collapsed radiator hose,missing fan shroud, broken fan blade, bad radiator cap,slipping fan belt,low coolant level, bad head gasket,electric fan or thermostat not engaging fan.
I may have missed something. Please fee free to add on.

 

Actually not sure what brand it is I can check once I head home, and I was thinking about getting all Toyota parts for now on, other than the heat being high, and I noticed a kind of pond scum looking pudge in the radiator. Would that be really old coolant that hasn't ever been replaced? Or would that be oil mixed in the coolant? I'm assuming at this point that if there's a problem with the head gasket, that it's just a leak, I don't have steam from the engine, and no loss of power

 

When the motors cold. Take off the radiator cap and start the car. If you see lots of bubbles in the radiator it probably a head gasket. If the oil level rises it's probably a head gasket.

 

pond scum. Green or brown?

 

Kind of in between green and brown

 

Mine came 12 o'clock from factory...just saying

 

Yes, the position of the V6 thermostat DOES make a coolant temperature difference (-12°F in my case)

And you can find other threads and posts discussing this.

 

I'm going to get the real answer on what's happening tomorrow, couple weeks ago I got into the auto shop class at my school, so whatever is the problem, I get to learn how fix.

 

If there are signs of a head gasket problem, you can do a couple of very cheap tests. Start with a radiator pressure test. You can get a loaner kit from O'Reily or other parts stores. You pay for it, but get a full refund when you return it. Have not tested a second gen, so hopefully somebody on here can tell you the correct test pressure....probably around 15 psi.

You can also get a loaner engine block tester (combustion leak detector) kit. You have to purchase a bottle of test fluid for $8.00, but can get the kit as a loaner. It will test for combustion gases in the radiator. I think this test is the best way to check for "internal" head gasket leaks. Cheap and very effective.

 

The auto class teacher has all the tools and stuff needed, so I don't have to spend any money on that stuff

 

But the pressure test was the first thing we were planning on doing

 

If the shop is well equipped, then maybe you will have access to an electronic combustion gas detector. With it, you essentially check the head space in the radiator for combustion gases. Same as using the test fluid, but just done via sensors vs a detection fluid.

Good luck in your class. Hope you have fun and learn a lot.

 

Yeah, he might actually have that, the shops pretty well equipped, and thanks I'm already having fun, and learning a lot it's a super great class!

 

Update, got another radiator cap, can't remember the brand of the bad cap, and the new one that's working, but my overheadting problem is solved, but came to find out the the overflow resivior tank has huge crack in it, so ordered a new one, and we'll see if that solves everything

 

you must think it is a joke because you have no idea what to look for. its okay man, figuring out if you have a blown head gasket this way is kind of a smart persons trick. Its not 100 percent, but every time I pull the oil fill cap and look down and see a bunch of chocolate milk looking shit, its been a blown head gasket every time.

 

Yea, you're right. I guess if mud makes it up that far it's pretty obvious what's going on.
If this turns out to BE a blown HG and your radiator is original, this would be a good time to change it. An original would a timebomb anyway.

 

I've been been pond scum/ chocolate shit free, so far the new cap has been working, just waiting for my new overflow tank to come in to stop the leaking, but, I've had no overheating

 

Update, I put in the new reservoir tank and I haven't lost any fluid, and after the cap no over heating, and I drove up the mountain I live on (pretty much going from 400ft above sea level to 5800 above sea level) and I was going pretty fast on the way up, so I'd say that was the fix! Thanks for everyone's help!