Another Head Gasket Question
#11
So after ordering the parts my father talked to my grandfather and they came to the decision to not work on it. They are to afraid that their will be ridging on the cylinder walls and that the sleeves will soon slip due to it overheating twice. They have the shop I would use to do the work and with there disapproval I must now sell the car after 6 months of ownership. So I ask how much would you pay for a 2003 discovery 2 with 160,200. It needs a head gasket, catalytic converter, knock sensor, purge valve, new tires, headliner sags, and I think that's it. Could I make 1k and sell it for 2k? Is that too much?
#12
So after trying to find a way to save this truck I search everywhere to see if it was just the head gasket leaking or if it was also the water pump. I'm going to replace the water pump to see if this will solve the massive amount of coolant I have leaking and allow me to to get back to the slight leak to which I had before of the passenger side front head gasket. About that I believe I have found why its leaking, and its going to put the engine in the grave eventually (Look at picture). What are thoughts on what has happened here, I hope the bolt that is suppose to be there didn't snap of in the head and instead they just lost a bolt and decided to fill it up (who knows why they would do that).
P.S whats up with my radio?
Sometimes this happens
Bolt missing in front, filled with what looks to be some rubberized sealer
P.S whats up with my radio?
Sometimes this happens
Bolt missing in front, filled with what looks to be some rubberized sealer
#13
#16
I agree. A friend of mine had an '04 that when you poured water in the reservoir it came out from the front cover just as fast. It was amazing.
If the source of the leak in your truck isn't as obvious I agree with jkid that you should get a loaner cooling system pressure tester from an auto parts store to find the leak before just throwing parts at it.
If the source of the leak in your truck isn't as obvious I agree with jkid that you should get a loaner cooling system pressure tester from an auto parts store to find the leak before just throwing parts at it.
#18
Yup, they feel that the $500 is not worth the time because they are afraid of ridging and slipped sleeves. They said that of all the Buick 215 engines they have worked on the cylinder will be ridged and need to be machined since the miles are so high, the engine will be a "sludge bucket" due to the fact that there is no PCV. In the end they dislike the engineering in the 215 and are positive that this is not worth it. Told them the car is unsellable in its current condition, they feel that if it runs its can be sold.
If your heads arent warped, a weekend is all you need to get that running again.
Worse thing might be the broken bolt where the RTV is.
#19
So after ordering the parts my father talked to my grandfather and they came to the decision to not work on it. They are to afraid that their will be ridging on the cylinder walls and that the sleeves will soon slip due to it overheating twice. They have the shop I would use to do the work and with there disapproval I must now sell the car after 6 months of ownership. So I ask how much would you pay for a 2003 discovery 2 with 160,200. It needs a head gasket, catalytic converter, knock sensor, purge valve, new tires, headliner sags, and I think that's it. Could I make 1k and sell it for 2k? Is that too much?
I can't tell what I'm looking at with that head bolt photo....... if needs to be confirmed that water is not leaking out of the head stud other than perhaps through the head gasket, it is POSSIBLE for the block to crack through to where the stud is drilled. I used a plastic syringe that I stole from my wife's kitchen which just so happen to perfectly thread into that hole, then I just tried to push or pull water through the stud hole, proving it was sealed still. I expect my wife will discover this when my 7 year old tells her at some point but she'll dismiss it via the new LS swap. LOL
This vehicle is absolutely infamous in regards to it's motor issues, so while it can be sold, it will be sold between $500- 750 if I was to guess. However, in one day you could VERY likely repair this engine for $500 or even less and have it running properly for yourself or to sell. I would reuse parts, I'd skimp on things and simply do the head gasket in minimal fashion (but correctly) if the water leak could be determined one way or the other.
Last edited by 05TurboS2K; 09-22-2019 at 08:42 AM.
#20
So I preformed the pressure test, water pump is leaking the slightest bit. Actually can't notice it with the pressure test only after running the car and seeing a little wet spot and some left over mineral on the pump case. The system holds pressure pretty well being that its missing a head bolt (15psi goes to around 10 after about 4 minutes). I stuck a thin wire rod into the rubber sealant and found there to be nothing in there, so the only logical thing I can think of is that the previous own tightened the bolt to much causing the steel bolt thread to strip the block thread, and being lazy decided he didn't want to take the whole thing apart and fix it. I wont be able to do the work on this car for a while but with with all of your suggestion don't think that it is worth while to let this care go for basically free. So I ask now for future reference is it possible to use a helicoil in the block? I would think no since the aluminum expands and contracts so the helicoil would just slip out. Is there anyway to fix this stripped block (rethread?)?