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What's all that Smoke?

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  • What's all that Smoke?

    Crap! Looks like my DD Caprice (Crapice?) wagon has BLOWN a head gasket as evidenced by all the smokey white badness out of the tail pipe. We still have the Jeep Commander for commuting to work, but sometimes my wife's schedule and mine don't line up. Might have to press the 57 into duty sooner than I wanted. Anyway, anyone had any luck with some kind of head gasket repair in a can? If it's blowing steam from the tail pipe is it too far gone for that? I really don't want to R&R the heads on this thing, I was hoping it would last until the end of the year when the Jeep is paid off, then get something a little newer. I was thinking along the lines of a Harley edition F150 a couple of years old. At any rate, I gotta now do something with the wagon. I don't want to haul it to Pick a Part, it's too nice for that.
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  • #2
    Maybe maybe not. If it's not overheating or pumping excess pressure into the cooling system, the head gasket repair in a can may work. They are not real expensive. Throw some in and see.
    BS'er formally known as Rebeldryver

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    • #3
      its tool cool a wagon to unload...the heads are cake, I did the ones in my truck in a weekend...

      I have never ever had any luck with any sort of head gasket leak repair...
      If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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      • #4
        Huh? The white wagon? Take half day, start to done to fix head gaskets.. You can even skimp on adjusting the valves if nothing is touched.. Took an engine out of one and put it in my flatbed in a day.. That includes 2 motor pulls and swapping the intake, headers and valve covers over from the flatbed motor..
        We often have to change head gaskets on our derby motors (they get hot), we can do it (2of us and air tools) in 2 hours start to running and valves adjusted.. (small blocks with solid lifters)
        Under $50 in gaskets... Chuck the ends of the intake gaskets and use RTV Black..

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        • #5
          don't do head gasket in a can. 1) it won't fix the problem, and 2) if you do ignore #1, when you do fix the problem, you'll then have to replace the radiator because it'll be plugged solid.
          Doing it all wrong since 1966

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          • #6
            Ok, so mostly thumbs down on head gasket in a can. This thing has the Olds 307 engine which is probably easy to work on, I've just never worked on one. So now I've got a Pontiac AND an Olds to fix... Why is all this GM stuff ganging up on me? I guess I'll take a couple of days off work and just do the repair. Surfacing the heads is probably a good idea while I'm at it. Lets get greasy....again.

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            • #7
              a crack check is a good idea too.

              for me it's always GM stuff ganging up on me....
              Doing it all wrong since 1966

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              • #8
                Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post
                a crack check is a good idea too.

                for me it's always GM stuff ganging up on me....
                You don't seem to got nuttin else....

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                • #9
                  It cant hurt, just know that most can fixes are awesome for clogging up the radiator. Sounds lame, but I would consider flushing the radiator BEFORE you add bars leaks or whatever you choose to give the stuff some chance to flow and not plug.

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                  • #10
                    I had a 307 in a 80 olds my folks bought new - that thing ran great after a carb rebuild and distributor re curve. I'd say it's worth the headgaskets (the exhaust botls are likely the worst part) and maybe a backyard valve job (suction cup stick and lapping compound) and new stem seals. Decent drivers are getting harder to find. you're probably better off keeping what you have in good shape.
                    There's always something new to learn.

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                    • #11
                      IMO, the hard part will be mapping the 32+ vacuum lines on the motor.

                      Ask how I know how many v-lines are on it...I dare you.
                      http://www.bangshift.com/forum/showt...n-block-wanted

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                      • #12
                        pull the intake and see if it's just the end of the intake gasket leaking. Common problem on the Olds, which uses a steel intake gasket.
                        My fabulous web page

                        "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                        • #13
                          man, i miss my wagon... sat just like yours, but was Tan, and had a set of Boyd wheels on it....
                          Charles

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                          • #14
                            Lol! .. Yes, it's a vacuum line jungle in there, I'm going to have to take a bunch of pictures and label them all. So, Squirrel, it's possible for the water to be getting in from the intake? That would be great, but I'm rarely that lucky... However, seeing as the cylinder that is getting water is the rearmost driver side (is that number 7 on on Olds?) that could be possible. I will check that!

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Deaf Bob View Post
                              You don't seem to got nuttin else....
                              Yep, can't afford Fords
                              Doing it all wrong since 1966

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