Coolant issues Part II Please help me

[GTP_MuNkY]

GAH this car is killing me!!!

a couple weeks ago I posted about dumping my coolant all over a mall parking lot, that turned out to be the hose coming (or going, not sure) from the heater core. With that fixed the car ran nice and smooth, till today....

I drove to work and when I got there the car was over heating, not quite in the red. I popped the hood and the reservoir was full and bubbling. At this point I am convinsed that it is my thermostat stuck shut....
I get out of work and top off the rad, didn't take much. Then I fire it up, it sounds like its running on 5 cylinders... It was running for about 5 minutes before I shut it off. Once it was off a passer by pointed out that I had coolant on the ground, the source was my exhaust, where the pipe ENTERS the muffler on the passenger side. After that I tried to start it again, nothing, the starter engages but nothing happens. Everything else electrical checks out, stereo headlights all that junk work, so I think battery is ruled out.
There is no coolant in my oil and no evidence that any has been puked up through the intake, the filter is bone dry. When I had the car running there was no big white cloud, so where all that coolant came from is anyones guess.

Someone please help, offer up any suggestions.

My major question...is my engine toast???

Thanx

Jamie

[birdman]

well it does seem that you have a problem. umm, my only guess is that you have BHG. (blown head gasket) it most likley blew in one cylinder and thats why it was missing. there shoulda been smoke though. and if it is bhg it would have to be a huge hole for enough coolant to get through without burning off before getting to the muffler. id say start taking out spark plugs and looking for a green one. if thats not it i cant think of anythign else.

[GTP_MuNkY]

There was a slight amount of smoke...just not enough to explain that much coolant getting in the cylinders.

A thought I just had...could I of cracked a cylinder head? that would explain that much coolant getting into the exhaust system, if the crack was in an exhaust port would it not? If it turns out to be a cracked head, I will just have it replaced with a 96 set... but I still have my doubts its that. I had it towed to the garage I get all my work done...but labour is starting to rip me a new hole, I wish I had the tools to do a job like this my self. I wish I had the space too (n the great city of London Ontario it is against the law to work on a car in your driveway for an extended length of time)

I plan on replacing the thermostat, regardless of needing it or not, just to be safe. I've heard that some people go to a different temp thermostat. What temp would be recommended by everyone here? and what is the stock one, 190*?

Thanx again

Jamie

[birdman]

stock thermo is 195. i just put a 160 in for the summer and it seems to be working out just fine, the motor runs better when at cooler temps from my experience. im sure someone on here will say that a lower temp thermo lowers the life of the motor but its all up to you weather or not to belive it. mine went with no thermostat for a year with no problem when i first got it.

[C-bad]

I lower temp thermostat simply opens up faster. Under normal driving it should be running around 190* or so, which is when it opens up. A 180 proably would be good all year round.

I'll take a look at the car with you tomorrow and hopefully we'll get it figured out... I'll bring my new 241piece tool set LOL


This is my first post since I signed up back here. Hey everybody!