blown head gasket on a 2006 2.4
12-23-2013, 11:32 PM
#1
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Join Date: 07-27-2011
Location: Kansas City
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blown head gasket on a 2006 2.4
I'm wondering if anybody has pulled the head and had a good thread with a lot of photo's? I looked and searched but didn't find anything.
Wife came home tonight saying that the radiator light was on. I checked the fluid and it has oil in it. Checked the oil and it has water. I drained the oil and let it drip out good. Then I drained the anti freeze, It was total muck. I used the Bars head gasket sealer. and followed the directions. It seems to be working but I just don't trust a sealer. Seems like I should just replace the gasket. Has anyone done this before? I could take it to a shop but cash is tight.
Also, I need to really flush the cooling system, more than just the drain and fill I did tonight, not a good thing to do in the cold spell we are having right now but I think it will take some work to get the oil out of the system.
I'm not driving it right now till I get it straightened out. It still runs beautiful. No noise and hopefully we got lucky.
Wife came home tonight saying that the radiator light was on. I checked the fluid and it has oil in it. Checked the oil and it has water. I drained the oil and let it drip out good. Then I drained the anti freeze, It was total muck. I used the Bars head gasket sealer. and followed the directions. It seems to be working but I just don't trust a sealer. Seems like I should just replace the gasket. Has anyone done this before? I could take it to a shop but cash is tight.
Also, I need to really flush the cooling system, more than just the drain and fill I did tonight, not a good thing to do in the cold spell we are having right now but I think it will take some work to get the oil out of the system.
I'm not driving it right now till I get it straightened out. It still runs beautiful. No noise and hopefully we got lucky.
12-23-2013, 11:47 PM
#2
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Join Date: 04-09-2006
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I had a quick look for documentation on re and re of the head, and could not find anything here.
You didn't mention how many miles on the 2.4, but if it has high mileage (>100,000 miles) you may want to consider replacing the timing chain/guides etc. at the same time (as they do have a limited life), and perhaps the water pump.
There is a chance it is more than just a head gasket - cracked head etc. - has it ever been overheated (like when the "radiator light came on")? If so you may want to consider a remanufactured cylinder head.
You didn't mention how many miles on the 2.4, but if it has high mileage (>100,000 miles) you may want to consider replacing the timing chain/guides etc. at the same time (as they do have a limited life), and perhaps the water pump.
There is a chance it is more than just a head gasket - cracked head etc. - has it ever been overheated (like when the "radiator light came on")? If so you may want to consider a remanufactured cylinder head.
12-24-2013, 12:05 AM
#3
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Location: Kansas City
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I made a mistake, It's a 2007 2LT, It is 14 degrees today in KC so that may have helped. The temperature got to 245 she said on the DIC and it wasn't in the red on the meter. Mileage is 147,000. I bought it used with 100,000 on it and it had already had a new head installed before we bought it. I say the complete kits on line with a rebuilt head and the timing kits. This isn't going to be cheap. I also have a 2010 LS with the 2.2. Yes we are a 2 HHR family. Plus a minivan LOL.
12-24-2013, 01:20 AM
#4
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Oh no - not a dreaded minivan! lol
Well you might just get by with a head gasket but of course you would need to have someone go over the head to make sure all is good with it. Was the original one done under warranty? If so, you MIGHT have some luck in talking to GM about it if you bought it from a gm dealer.
Let's see if anyone else can jump in with some suggestions for you. Keep us posted and good luck with it.
Well you might just get by with a head gasket but of course you would need to have someone go over the head to make sure all is good with it. Was the original one done under warranty? If so, you MIGHT have some luck in talking to GM about it if you bought it from a gm dealer.
Let's see if anyone else can jump in with some suggestions for you. Keep us posted and good luck with it.
12-24-2013, 10:16 AM
#5
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Join Date: 12-24-2007
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I agree with contacting GM for help. It never hurts to ask the worst the could do is say no.
If this was mine I would consider a used or reman complete engine for this one. Antifreeze damages the bearings in a engine pretty quick and given the high miles you may have less problems with an engine replacement.
If this was mine I would consider a used or reman complete engine for this one. Antifreeze damages the bearings in a engine pretty quick and given the high miles you may have less problems with an engine replacement.
12-24-2013, 01:10 PM
#6
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X2 for the antifreeze in the oil issues Lucky stated, I had this similar issue a few years back with oil contaminated with antifreeze, I replaced the head gasket and a week later spun a crank bearing, that was enough to inspire me to replace the tired 2.8 in my 83 S-10 with a 355 SBC and 700R4 auto.
since then when I have seen antifreeze in the oil, I pull the oil pan, inspect the bearings and make a decision, usually rebuild it or replace it with crate motor, which is mostly less expensive!
since then when I have seen antifreeze in the oil, I pull the oil pan, inspect the bearings and make a decision, usually rebuild it or replace it with crate motor, which is mostly less expensive!
12-24-2013, 02:34 PM
#7
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Well I took it by a friend who is a mechanic this morning. He plugged in his scanner to check some of the stuff out. The cat convertor is running 1000-1100 degrees, He thinks it got clogged from the water in the oil possibly but it is also just at the right mileage for a new one anyway.
He couldn't hear any knocking or rods making noise. He said I may just be terribly lucky this time. His recommendation. Flush radiator once more to try to get as much of the oil out as possible and continue to use a half a can of the Bar's Leaks Professional in the antifreeze from now on. He said he would use Mobile One in the engine to help in case the tolerances are off now some. His thought was since it was cold and I jumped right on it that the oil pressure was higher than the water pressure so oil mainly went one way. He said to save any money on a rebuild and put it towards a future engine.
I will take his advice and roll the dice. Sounds like I have nothing to lose.
Advance Auto Parts carries the Bar's head gasket sealer Professional but only behind the counter. It's $44 (treats 2 HHR's except I poured the whole bottle in) and is one of the few that you can add to dirty old coolant and stops the leak permanent. Plus it stays in the coolant for future issues.
I'm crossing my fingers. I sure don't need this at Christmas time as it's been a tougher year anyway. I bet they don't offer Eco Tec's in crate engines.
For the record, I drive 40,000 plus miles a year with my work and have driven used Volvo wagons the last few decades. The venture into the HHR pair has saved me some gas money and I like the low cost parts and repairs. The economy forced me into one but I love em.
He couldn't hear any knocking or rods making noise. He said I may just be terribly lucky this time. His recommendation. Flush radiator once more to try to get as much of the oil out as possible and continue to use a half a can of the Bar's Leaks Professional in the antifreeze from now on. He said he would use Mobile One in the engine to help in case the tolerances are off now some. His thought was since it was cold and I jumped right on it that the oil pressure was higher than the water pressure so oil mainly went one way. He said to save any money on a rebuild and put it towards a future engine.
I will take his advice and roll the dice. Sounds like I have nothing to lose.
Advance Auto Parts carries the Bar's head gasket sealer Professional but only behind the counter. It's $44 (treats 2 HHR's except I poured the whole bottle in) and is one of the few that you can add to dirty old coolant and stops the leak permanent. Plus it stays in the coolant for future issues.
I'm crossing my fingers. I sure don't need this at Christmas time as it's been a tougher year anyway. I bet they don't offer Eco Tec's in crate engines.
For the record, I drive 40,000 plus miles a year with my work and have driven used Volvo wagons the last few decades. The venture into the HHR pair has saved me some gas money and I like the low cost parts and repairs. The economy forced me into one but I love em.
12-24-2013, 10:06 PM
#8
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1100 F is pretty low temp for the cat. Should run around 1400 F not above 2400 F.
I have used the nanotech stuff in an attempt at sealing the head gasket, it worked for several thousand miles.
More is not better! That stuff seals things it should not. I'm not sure about the Bar's, but most of them are "glass" AKA silica, mostly not good in aluminum motors.
I have used the nanotech stuff in an attempt at sealing the head gasket, it worked for several thousand miles.
More is not better! That stuff seals things it should not. I'm not sure about the Bar's, but most of them are "glass" AKA silica, mostly not good in aluminum motors.
12-25-2013, 08:57 AM
#9
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Well, hopefully it will buy me some time to save some money up. I will keep a look out for an engine. I'm going to keep the Bar's stuff in the antifreeze at all times for as long as that engine runs.
Funny, My last 2001 Volvo V70 wagon died because of a blown head gasket at 250K It was 104 out in July. It lasted less than a minute before it completely locked up.
Funny, My last 2001 Volvo V70 wagon died because of a blown head gasket at 250K It was 104 out in July. It lasted less than a minute before it completely locked up.
12-25-2013, 09:28 AM
#10
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Join Date: 06-07-2011
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I hope you have some better luck with that Bar's stuff than you've had recently.
For what it's worth:
I used some on another car for a water pump leak, and it worked great (over 80k miles). It was an aluminum block and aluminum pump housing. I used a bunch initially to seal it, but didn't continue adding it. I was worried about clogging the rad or something, and it did (in my opinion) swell the gaskets on a couple of radiator caps that I had to replace, but it eventually became stable, and had no more problems. So, I think it might work, but don't use too much.
For what it's worth:
I used some on another car for a water pump leak, and it worked great (over 80k miles). It was an aluminum block and aluminum pump housing. I used a bunch initially to seal it, but didn't continue adding it. I was worried about clogging the rad or something, and it did (in my opinion) swell the gaskets on a couple of radiator caps that I had to replace, but it eventually became stable, and had no more problems. So, I think it might work, but don't use too much.