I picked up this car this weekend. Probably not the best buy, but it was cheap enough I figured I could deal with a few problems.

I drove it 40 miles home on Saturday, a short trip Sunday. Back and forth to work today, A/C on all the way everywhere. Tonight, I go pick up my son at a youth activity and sit in driveway with A/C on for about maybe 10 minutes. Go to leave and car is HOT. I turn the heat on and start moving and it starts dropping but only momentarily and we pull over immediately at gas station. My wife comes to get us, we leave car there for a few hours. Go back with antifreeze.

First, I check oil. Looks golden and clear, no coffee with cream look. So I fill radiator which has a tan creamy residue at top, but I'm not sure if this is because of a poorly maintained cooling system and the radiator steaming dry? At the same time I see oil next to the overflow hose nipple and a spot of same color cream looking stuff in oil filler cap. I filled the radiator to the top. I've read that if the gasket is blown, 9 times out of 10 the coolant will jet up from the expelled exhaust gas into the cooling system.

I started car and got 1 bubble and that's it after running for 30 seconds. I turned car off. Topped off coolant for the little it fell below the top of the neck, and started again. Same, a tiny blurp at the top and then motionless. So I cap the radiator, and drive home (A mile away). When I get home, I let the car sit for few minutes. Reaches normal temp and stays. Turn A/C on, same, no rise in temp. Radiator fan operating properly....

I'm confused, and have what seems to be really conflicting info. No coffe like oil or radiator jet, but the foam residue... I'd like to drive the car to my best shop, about 20 miles away in stop & go traffic, but don't want the thing to seize on me or make a problem worse. From what I can tell it seems like, I stopped the car right as the gasket failed. I'll go back out in a bit and check the oil again and do the radiator test.

Any thoughts?

 

Would also like to note there is no coolant smell from exhaust, just good old fashioned carbon monoxide.

 

you need to compression test your motor to see if you bought a car with a bad headgasket

 

Is it ever possible for a gasket to fail and the cylinder head NOT be warped?

 

Here are some pics of the overflow, I think it's undeniable now.

 

Yupp head gasket failed, and yes it is possible for head gasket to fail and the head not be warped

 

Okay - I found out a co-worker of mine is willing to help me with this. His knowledge is immense and he has years of experience with his own Hondas. A mature adult and I trust his knowledge/judgement. I picked up Helms manual. That said....

I need to order a head gasket. Aside form this, what other ( if any) should I replace? I'm thinking valve cover gasket is a no brainer. Are there complete kits?

 

I'd call it a "head set"......if you are going there you might as well do it right.

Pull the head and have it sent to a shop - send the stem seals from the "set" with the head.

The "head set" will also come with...to name a few....vc, intake, exhaust, exhaust flange.....ect