Blown Head Gasket? Liquid sealant?

[sirkingchase]

My 97 mark viii had been sitting for a couple of years and I have been running it for the past week.

I have to refill the radiator coolant reserve everytime I run the car and it burns white smoke when idle.

I had been assuming it was water in the gas tank because it had been sitting for so long. I have put two bottles of water remover in. I have been running it for about a week now and am starting to think it has a blown head gasket.

Has anyone had any luck with blue devil or any other liquid sealant that is supposed to fix head gaskets? I have done a heater core bypass so I do not believe I will be able to use these products.

It runs perfectly except when idle which is really rough.

Is there a possibility that it is just bad gas making it run hotter which in turn uses more coolant and the white smoke is just the water in the tank?

 

[slowmkviii]

if you try a cheep head gasket in a bottle
looks no further https://secure.steelseal.com/?gclid=CLreysjtzaoCFYYUKgodPF3Z1g&mboxSession=1313292949881-457447

 

[rayner601]

if you try a cheep head gasket in a bottle
looks no further https://secure.steelseal.com/?gclid=CLreysjtzaoCFYYUKgodPF3Z1g&mboxSession=1313292949881-457447

Waterglass is getting expensive, but cheaper than a head gasket job.

 

[johnnyjaws]

Face it motor is in trouble if you put blue devil in it might fix it to sell it but if i found out you sold me a car like that ... LETS not talk about it!!

 

[AndyT]

At the Chevy dealership I work at, we see so many people that bring vehicles in for over heating issues. 90% of these are people that need head gaskets, but instead decide to dump stop leak products into the engine instead. Now they do water pumps, head gaskets, even an occasional radiator because that stuff.destroys components. May be better off doing the head gaskets....

 

[Roadboss]

Dump the car because you are in way over your head.

 

[sirkingchase]

Wow dumping the car is no an option right now. This has to last me until I get out of college.
What other possibilities can result in fluid compensation besides the head gasket?

The oil looks as good as the car I compared it too. I put them side by side and could not tell the difference.

Its just hard to believe that it can not be anything else. The white smoke can just as easily come from water in the tank plus the dry gas additive.

The car ran great before it sat, can the head gasket just go bad from sitting for 2 years?
I just found out that the guy across has a full garage attached to his house. Im bringing it to him on monday. If it is head gasket, I hope its less than $1000 because thats all I can afford.

 

[93GreenMk8]

If you're paying the usual shop rates, you're going to be into for WAY over a grand... I've done the job - with the motor still in the car - and it's a royal PIA. Mostly all labor too, other than the gasket set new head bolts and replacements for whatever else you find that's no good or that gets totaled along the way.

It's do-able, don't get me wrong, but it's WAY more than your average DIY'er is going to be able to tackle.

You seriously might be farther ahead simply finding a whole new engine and swapping it. That might come in under a grand... with a little luck.

 

[chris2523]

You seriously might be farther ahead simply finding a whole new engine and swapping it. That might come in under a grand... with a little luck.

yep. it will almost certainly be cheaper to swap the motor than replace the head gasket.

 

[Sapperfire]

Maybe my own experience can help you decide?!?!

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=62937&highlight=sapperfires&page=5

 

[Don Pfau]

How many miles are on it.