Hi, you can verify a cracked head or block by checking for bubbles coming out of the radiator. I don't recall if your car has a radiator cap or not. If it does, that is the best place to check. Take the cap off, start the car, let it heat up, make sure the radiator is full, and watch for bubbles.
It might be a cracked head or maybe just a blown gasket. Is there oil in the coolant? Is there coolant in the oil?
Not sure what happened to the other expert that was helping you--did he/she give up or what? I don't want to interfere if you are still working with them.
Sorry, I was referring to the other FixYa person. This is only my second message. I cannot see what the other FixYa person was telling you, but I could see your responses.
So, I'm sure Firestone is happy to have you as a customer. There may not be any mixing of oil and coolant, but if there are bubbles coming out of the coolant, you have either a bad gasket, head, or engine block. If you can verify that, the next step is to remove the head to determine which of these is the case. Unfortunately, if you have to have Firestone doing the work and you find out it's the engine block, you may not want to complete the job--depending on the cost. On the other hand, if it turns out to be just the gasket, then it's worth fixing. Am I making sense?
OK, I don't know who is getting paid, but i will help. I don't really do it for the money.
A little water in the oil is not an issue for driving. The issue would be overheating that will stop the car and cause more damage.
So I take it Firestone does not want to take the head off? Maybe they are too busy or don't have the right mechanics available.
That doesn't mean you have to take it to Saturn.
There are good independent shops out there.
So does it overheat really fast?
On the codes, I can help you with the codes, but I need to know what they are.
If you can get the car to a parts chain, they will usually read the codes for free. Write them down for me, please.
Our comments are out of sync, but to determine the problem with overheating--assuming you are getting bubbles (please verify this to me)--the head must be removed and the gasket examined. That is a few hours labor--maybe $300. After that there are 3 possibilities:
1. Bad gasket only: ~$400 to reinstall.
2. Bad head: ~$1500 to fix
3. Bad engine: not worth the value of the car unless you do the work yourself.
As far as driving it--it depends how fast it overheats. If it doesn't overheat just getting to work, then it probably isn't a cracked head ot block anyway. So how fast does it overheat?
A cracked block is pretty rare, so I don't know why they are guessing that.
When the parts store is open, do they have free scanning? I don't need their analysis--I just need the codes starting with a "P" followed by 4 digits each.
OK, it could be losing coolant through a head gasket or cracked head/block. If it's not overheating, then drive somewhere to get the codes and we can use those to help diagnose the problem(s).
dealer may have better equipment, but they charge for it.
if the car is still losing coolant, it can go out the head gasket thru the exhaust without overheating the engine.
If it is not losing coolant, the codes may involve completely different repairs.
Can't tell without getting the codes.
Could you take car to parts place instead to get codes? Maybe they will be open tomorrow?
yes, but send me the codes so I can help you too.
OK, thanks
Yes, if you can get the codes from autozone tomorrow and send them to me, I can give you advice for what to do on monday.
:o)
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There is no timing belt, what are the codes?
did it run good when you brought it to firestone? do you know the codes?
what did they say was wrong with it when you first brought it to firestone. was coolant leaking into, or out of engine.
i will figure this out for you..... DID IT RUN NORMALY (besides coolant leak) when you first brought it to firestone.... and was the engine light on?
if the car ran good when you first brought it there(beside coolant leak) and now runs bad i i suspect that they did not get the cam timing set correctly when they put in the timing chain (belt). i would ask for my money back if that is the case.
sounds like they made a mistake, i think timing chain (belt) was installed incorrectly. i would cancel your check/credit card until they can resolve the problem, when they say to take it to a dealer that is there way of getting out of fixing it. if they can not handle that kind of work they should not have taken it in. if you beilive it is there fault i would talk to a manager, or distric manager, if you take it to a dealer you will have another big "bill" to fix there mistake. if you have any more questions or need more help feelfree to ask. hope this helped. motor62500....
sorry i missed some of your questions. it has a timing chain, not a timing belt. to replace timing chain, they must remove the head, so it should have almost all new gaskets. crack block is possible but not likely. i really think they mest up. worst case would be a new engine.
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They said they changed the timing belt and had 5 codes which they think equal a craked head or air in the Block ? They want it towed to a GM dealer and leave me w/o a car for work Monday ?
Thank you !
Is it safe to drive , it was lurching and stalling but it seems to start and make no noises...I am thinking FIRESTONE admits they don't know ...they have not charged me for the last 2 Hose changes etc ...but did charge 1200 for water pump and timing belt for the 2000 Saturn LS
I would like to pay you the $20 for help ...could you e-mail me at [email protected] ?
Thank you !
Hi ,
No it was stalling out jumping and running very rough ...has been eating alot of coolant ...they said there were 5 codes want it towed to GM dealer
I think the $20 was charged for support or did you get paid for working with me on the Saturn...you said it doesn't have a timing belt ...any chance it does have a cracked block ....but they say I can drive to to the dealer 5 miles away instead of a tow ....Firestone is lost ?
Are you still helping me ? Thank you ?
They changed all the hoses ...they thought that was the fix ...ran fine ...now this ....rough riding nearly falling apart like
Engine light has come on infrequently ....comes on and off now was off when I brought in to Firestone and running OK after running Horrible
You sais something it did not have a timing belt ...what about air in the engine or coolant in the engine blowing a gasket ?
Can you please continue to help me on this Saturn issue....coolant leak...they changed water pump and hoses ran ok for a while then more coolant leak ...they changed hoses again then it started tunning horrible now getting 5 codes ...and they think it is a cracked block ?
Need help on the Saturn 2000
Thank you ....still working on this ...I think you are closer on the right track ...could you continue to help ....I hope to see if it is a cracked block or blown gasket...why would Firestone want to give up on it ...why can't they tell if there is not coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant
Could you keep working with me....they want me to take my car to the dealer as they think it has a craked block ....they kept changing hoses for free ...so I am afraid coolant got into the oil....what do you think I should do they say I can drive it but driving it even a little with coolant in oil could do more damage ?
Can I get some more help ? Car was serviced by FIRESTONE had been leaking coolant badly 6 gallons in 6 weeks....they kept cahnging hoses then it just kinda brokedown....sputtering like it was dying...now they have several codes...they cannot fix want me to take to dealer.
Please continue with me !
They have charged my account $20 ...I do not know if you get this or noe...don't want to spend any money I do not have but need Help !
Yes ,
From the data I have given....since Firestone doesn't want or cannot fix it ....what would you do ? They say it can be driven...if they knew it was a craked block or a blown gasket would they let me drive it.....what is the chances since they are getting multiple codes it is something major at 55K ?
Thank you ...desperate
anything else you can add ? is anyone out there having any of the same problems ...for safety should I get a rental or wait for a dealer diagnosis...will they have to open it up to see the damage and how much would this cost
Waht are the worst and best case scenarios ?
Thank you so much !
It Doesn't overheat at all never has ...just started running rough like it is dying....they wouldn't give me the codes but suspected that it was the cracked block
I am stuck with take it to the dealer or in this town there are no real choices ..Firestone is lost ...obviously they don't want the work or screwed up the water pump or timing belt they recently put on ....
They are closed but said there were like 5 codes none of which they could decipher...there best bet they say is a cracked block...why would they come to this decision ?
No bubbles to my knowledge , no overheating , just terrible performance like action in Bad gasoline missing lurching etc....
no over heat no gauges ex low coolant and check engine on and off now chugging like bad gas..
they keep dealing with coolant and hoses....loss of coolant ....is the issue ....last weekend they replaced hose4s and hose clamps and all was well until the breakdown on thursday....could it be coolant finally made it into the engine causing a blwn gasket
are we caught up .....
So it can still be the cracked block or head even though it has never overheateed ? Again they put in new hoses clamps water pump and timing belt and all was well til Thursday and it flickered engine check light and acted like it had bad gas,,lurching barely staying running....they then said on inspection it was getting several error codes none of which they could decipher....I am going to take it to the only GM dealer in Clinton Iowa on Monday then rent a car to go to work....anyway it could be a sensor problem or is you guess a gaket / head issue...I am a single Mom and need to plan my week....how much time do you think to get a diagnosis from the dealer ? will they have better equipment ?
Sunday YES...I will take it to OBRIENS ??? They I think will give me the codes ? I will call them 1st ....If I get the codes then I can shop around for independent mechanics cost ?
Thank you !
Yes ..I will get the codes unfortunately FIRESTONE closed til Monday
FIRESTONE CLOSED TIL MOnday ...I will ask them for the codes plus go to O'Reilly's or Autozone for codes ...then I will pass them along to you ...I know 1 reputable mechanic here ...If we can get some narrowing down I will most likely take it there to lower costs from dealer and Firestone ...does this sound like the best solution ?
I will *** a comment as soon as I know on Monday ...Thankyou !
Thank you !
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