Head Gasket :(

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sparg93

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I have a strong feeling it is at this point...the indicator for me was leaking coolant over the last few months. I searched every hose and couldn't find the leak.

While i was doing my Mark VIII install I let the truck sit for over a week and just drove my other car....when i started the hoe up on saturday and it warmed up, smoke was rising from the back of the heads and smelled like coolant.

I need to do some more digging, but that's what i'm thinking at this moment.

What aggravates the heck out of me is b/c I bought this thing b/c it had low miles - mine's a '99 with 99k on the odometer.

Other then sticking my hands back there and feeling for coolant coming out the sides, is there any other way to diagnose a leaking head gasket?

Side note - running at temps that low is not good for your tahoe...definitely get those operating temps back up to normal.
 

SunlitComet

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Intake gasket also leak out the back. Perhaps because of the 90 degrees angle it may drip in a direction that makes it look like the head gaskets. It is possible that if they will leak with a cold engine, you can get a cooling system pressure tester and put 15 psi in there and grab a flashlight and mirror to see. Might only happen when surfaces are hot too. You could probably borrow one from Autozone.
 
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sparg93

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hmm...good idea; i'll check out the pressure tester.
 

foreverfalcon40

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When I did mine heads, there is a kit

Head gasket, intake manifold gasket and bolts.

Its really not that hard. Since you have another choice of vehicle, so go for it. If not find a mechanic who does work on the side...

i get anywhere from free, 50 to 65 an hr.

****** insentives are always a bonus!
 

retorq

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If you decide to do them yourself go with the Felpro 1003. They changed up some of the passage holes to help in cooling in performance apps. I wish I had done some more research when I had done mine. I would have used those ... I will be using them on my next and probably every old school SBC build form now on.
 

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