Head gasket or inlet manifold gasket? HELP!

[CUR53VT]

Hey guys

I have a vt v6. The other day, started misfiring, idling rough and rough under load. 5 mins later it overheated. Now it's not idling at all, stalls after ten seconds in park, and straight away if you slot it into d.

Here is the fun bit

When I try put water into the rad with the car off, all good. Typical few bubbles. With the engine idling or even trying to kick it, it seems the exhaust is pulsing through the oped rad. White steamy gas and smells of exhaust. Seems it only does it on one stroke, not a constant surge insinuating all 6.

So.... What do u think. I think it may be the head gasket but searching the forum shows a few people had similar probs and it was the inlet manifold gasket.

Thanks for your help
Andrew.

[Killr6]

it sounds like your head gasket, have you got white milky stuff under your oil cap?

and what colour is your coolant.

[CUR53VT]

Nah no milky stuff and coolant is just water. It Lost most it's water tho and won't keep it in.

[justice4all3000]

rust on spark plugs is a dead giveaway of a head gasket

[CUR53VT]

One was a but rusted when I changed them the other day. Nothing serious. Coincidently, the rusted one seemed wet as well

[CUR53VT]

Any ideas guys?

[FstStig]

Best way to go would be to get a Compression test done on the block and the Radiator. Should give you a better indication of whats going on. The miss firing and bad idling, stalling etc does sound like its low on Compression on one or more cylinders. But this could easily be reverted back to your coil packs/dfi module or a Throttle body sensor (TPS, IACV)

Black_Stig

[CUR53VT]

Packs and dfi are less than a month old. Still doesn't explain the exhaust in the radiator scenario though hey. It's a bit of a head scratcher. If the gasket is busy between combustion and water jackets, should there be water in a cylinder?

[CUR53VT]

Any ideas? The inlet manifold gasket came off in two pieces but I don't think that's unusual, cracking a gasket usually breaks it Of between mating surfaces? I just don't want to start pulling heads of if I don't have to. Also, apart from a workshop manual, where can I find head removal instructions. Searched for ages, can't find crap

[umair]

repair manual

[FstStig]

How many K's has it done? Good Chance your injectors could just need flushing out (can be causing the smoke) either that or your piston rings are cracked and you are getting blow by.

[CUR53VT]

It's done 370tho but was rebuilt at 200000.

[jas98]

if your looseing a heap of water internally, take all spark plugs out and crank engin over and see if any water gets sprayed out of teh spark plug holes...note: stand clear of the engine and away from teh direction where it could or would spray as it will come out with force (f any water) did it with me sister magna years ago although it had a massive whole in head though

[CUR53VT]

Took the heads off today, what a pain that was. Inlet manifold came off in two pieces but head gaskets came off in one, although a bit worse for wear.

[jas98]

yeh, i took heads etc off me mate vs v6 and replaced all gaskets etc in one day, wat a #### lol if i ever gotta do it again would do it over a few days lol