Flinally blew the head gasket in my truck. <sigh>

[MacFromOK]

If there's much water in a cylinder, it can destroy the block and a head when another cylinder fires.

You can pull all the sparkplugs and spin it over (with someone watching) to see if it blows water out. If it locks up, or a lot of water squirts out, I'd forget about driving it.

Just my 2¢ ...

 

[Tanis143]

You think I can limp my truck back to my house? Don't really want to leave it in the mechanic's yard on the west side for weeks - I have a ton of electrical work and stereo equipment in it.

It was running, the guy at the shop in Independence tested it and found exhaust blowing back into the cylinder, but it would run. I live 4.3 miles of light city traffic from the mechanic's shop, is it gonna make anything worse to limp it back to park it at my house? Or am I gonna have to tow it?

Honestly, I would have it towed. Yank the engine at home and take it to a machine shop and see if its salvageable. If not, but a new/used engine.

 

[Glock 40]

Tow it. If you destroy the block you will loose your core charge when you get a replacement.

 

[TedKennedy]

^^^ all above I agree with, if you're gonna rebuild, or get a rebuilt. I thought you were looking at maybe salvage yard engine and didn't care about the current engine.

 

[DaveinOKC]

You used to be able to find 5.3 complete engines for $700 all day long. But with everybody and their brother swapping them them into everything and putting turbos on them they are getting scarcer at that price. If you look enough you should be able to find a good running used one around that. Suggest joining some local and national facebook groups for LS Parts, people are always parting out trucks on them or selling a motor they were going to use for a project.

 

[tRidiot]

I guess I'll just tow it. Maybe out to my buddy's shop, I don't have a place to put it. I can't work on it in my garage, even if I cleaned it out there isn't enough space, and I can't park it in my yard or the city will ticket me. And I can't pull it on my own anyways, I have no idea what I'm doing.

 

[TedKennedy]

I guess I'll just tow it. Maybe out to my buddy's shop, I don't have a place to put it. I can't work on it in my garage, even if I cleaned it out there isn't enough space, and I can't park it in my yard or the city will ticket me. And I can't pull it on my own anyways, I have no idea what I'm doing.

FWIW - Green Country Salvage did my boy right when he had to buy a motor a few years ago.

 

[Dumpstick]

. And I can't pull it on my own anyways, I have no idea what I'm doing.

Ya just keep taking bolts loose until the engine falls out on the ground.

Easy peasy.

 

[John6185]

Look it up on the internet on how to remove an engine, it should be on youtube. If it were me, I'd forget the core charge and just buy a guaranteed used engine off of Ebay and install it. It isn't difficult to remove an engine Ive found but a bit more difficult to install one. You have to remember where all the parts go which really isn't difficult and I'd take photos with the IPhone which would be of some benefit. Don't underestimate yourself, you absolutely can do the removal and install with a bit of help. I've done it alone years ago.

 

[THAT Gurl]

@tRidiot if Grumpy can do it you can!! And much as it pains me to say it outloud where he can throw it back in my face later he is pretty good with mechanical stuff. The other guys are right about YouTube too. Grumpy will come in with a scowl on his face, muttering under his breath, watch a half hour of YouTube videos and then go back out. A little bit later he will come in with his chest stuck out like a banty rooster. "Thank God for YouTube" is all he will say while he is pouring a fresh DDP to celebrate!