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93 3.3 blown Head gasket

6K views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  DSMLVR 
#1 ·
My 93 Voyager LE has moisture coming from the exhaust pipe, more than I think would be normal, and I am loosing coolant! I don't think I have overheated the engine, but is this a common problem with 3.3 L? If so- which gasket usually blows?
 
#2 ·
Welcome Zebco.

My 93 Voyager LE has moisture coming from the exhaust pipe, more than I think would be normal, and I am loosing coolant! I don't think I have overheated the engine, but is this a common problem with 3.3 L? If so- which gasket usually blows?
I am going to ask you if your sure it is not just condensation moisture coming out of the tail pipe? The cooler weather can do that. Even IF you are loosing coolant, I would do a Coolant Pressure Test to check and see if maybe you are losing your coolant from somewhere else, before I would tear into a head gasket. It MAY be normal condensation, with a hose leak. ELIMINATE all other options BEFORE you do the major work.
Good Luck and keep us posted.

Oh,and you ask ,IF it IS a head gasket, which gasket usually blows. You can bet it will be the back one. No, not because they have problems or they are the weak point. It is because THEY ARE THE HARDEST TO GET TO. :( :biggrin:
I know, not very scientific but THE MURPHY RULE applies here. :rolleyes:
 
#3 ·
Just seeing moisture and coolant loss does not mean there is a head gasket issue. This is very rare on the 3.3/3.8 family anyway. Most likely issue(s) water pump, radiator cap, radiator or hoses. Look into these before throwing parts and money away. I watch this forum and chuckle at times at how much money people will throw away at parts trying to "diagnose" a problem so they don't spend $50 or $60 to get the diagnosis done right and perhaps even the repair.
So I seriously doubt you have a bad head gasket.
 
#5 ·
Well, I bypassed all the heater hoses with new ones direct from the block to the heater core, and from the water pump to the heater core, replaced thermostat and gasket(because gasket was seeping), replaced water pump(because it to was leaking under load). Also verified I didnt have air in the system.

But still am loosing too much water. So now I am convinced there is a head gasket or head leak. Any other ideas?

Zebco
 
#6 ·
Have you completely bled the cooling system? If not it will burp air for a while making you think it's losing it. Did you use a new style oem pump? If not it could still be losing there. Have you pressure tested? If not do so don't keep guessing. Barring these things have a shop test for combustion gas in the coolant.
Larry
 
#7 ·
I am going to ask you if your sure it is not just condensation moisture coming out of the tail pipe? The cooler weather can do that. Even IF you are loosing coolant, I would do a Coolant Pressure Test to check and see if maybe you are losing your coolant from somewhere else, before I would tear into a head gasket. It MAY be normal condensation,

AGAIN, HAVE YOU done a COOLANT PRESSURE TEST on the vehicle? That is a MUST to diagnois it correctly.


Have you completely bled the cooling system? If not it will burp air for a while making you think it's losing it.
Larry is correct. Sometimes it takes a long while to COMPLETELY BURP the system.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for encouraging me to keep looking for leaks rather than a head gasket, I was contemplating trading the baby off.

I had arranged to borrow a coolant system tester, when I discovered the hose from the thermostat housing down to the water pump had a pin hole leak! Replaced that hose-which is a real pain!!!! But thats beside the point. Not loosing coolant now!

Zebco :
 
#9 ·
Glad to see that you found the problem and it was NOT the head gaskets. With a 12 year old vehicle, if the hoses are all original, you might want to change ALL of them NOW at your time frame instead of having problems again on the road.

Good luck and glad your motoring HAPPILY again.
 
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