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head gasket gone

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 6:37 am
by delorehal
I bought a beretta 2.3 with a blown head gasket.
It will take time before I will change it, so I would like to know if it is possible to run the engine for a 2 or3 minutes at idle, at least once a month in order to have the camshaft and other parts oiled, since the car will stay outside under cover.

thanks

Re: head gasket gone

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 7:24 am
by Money pit Beretta
If there is coolant in the oil then you risk bearing damage. Could be a good time to change the water pump too. If that goes it dumps coolant right into the oil pan.

Re: head gasket gone

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 9:14 am
by ifixalot
If you run the engine for only 2-3 minutes, you will put moisture into the oil that won't get boiled away because the engine won't reach full temp. Especially in the winter. I tried this once and my oil looked milky after a short while.
If the oil has coolant in it, change the oil, loosen the coolant tank cap and run the engine just enough to circulate the new oil and then leave it sit until you are ready to work on it. I leave my sunny day cars sit through winter without starting them, it doesn't hurt them.
I too, have heard coolant in the oil hurts bearings.

Re: head gasket gone

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:43 pm
by delorehal
Thanks for your inputs.
I will follow this advices and change the oïl first.

If I see bubbles in the water tank, does that mean that no water enter the engine ?
In order to park the car unntil the head gasket is changed, is it better to fill the engine/radiator with coolant liquid, or let the engine dry ?

Re: head gasket gone

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 3:22 pm
by ifixalot
Bubbles in the coolant tank mean the engine is pushing gases into the cooling system but it can also draw coolant into the engine
as the pressure in the cooling system can push coolant into the engine on the intake stroke.
You want to have antifreeze in the system at all times but it's not a bad idea to drain the system to help keep coolant form seeping into the engine. If you know which cylinders have the head gasket leak, you can squirt oil in those cylinders and crank the engine to distribute the oil
and help keep them from rusting while it sits even if coolant seeps in.

Re: head gasket gone

Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 4:29 pm
by delorehal
I didn't think about the intake stroke !

Good idea, for the oil, thanks.
W/o antifreeze, no risk of rust inside the engine or radiator ?

Re: head gasket gone

Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 9:40 am
by ifixalot
I doubt it would be anything significant. Radiator is aluminum is it not?
Engines sit in the junkyard without coolant, waiting to be bought and installed.
I never heard of any having problems because they sat without coolant.

Re: head gasket gone

Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 4:09 pm
by delorehal
OK thanks

Do I need to change the head bolts ? In my Dodge Shadow, I know the bolts can be used 3 times, even if many don't recommand that.
What other parts should be changed (timing ?) ?
You advise me to change the water pump.

Re: head gasket gone

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 7:04 pm
by Money pit Beretta
It would be a good idea to change the water pump. It's hard to know if it is in good shape. You don't have to replace it. It is driven by the timing chain though, so if you are going to replace the timing chain(and all that goes with it) now could be the time. My dad had a Grand Am with 245k on a 2.3L and never changed the water pump or the timing chain. He did baby the hell out of that car(never ran it hard).