HELP!! Just changed thermostat. Car overheated bad!!!

[lessersivad]

This is only my opinion and your mileage may vary.

Parts needed;

Head gasket
Valve cover gasket

Possible parts needed;

Throttle body gasket

Exhaust pipe to manifold gasket

Parts that may as well be changed while you're there;

Timing belt

Water pump

If you desire to change the head gasket then pull the whole head, manifolds and all, at the same time.

Diconnect the battery.

Drain radiator.

Disconnect and label all wires, hoses, cables, etc. Disconnect the exhaust at the pipe/manifold connection.

Remove valve cover. This may require removing the front portion of the throttle body.

Remove head bolts.

Remove head.

Chances are there will be coolant and oil that gets into the cylinder bores upon the head being removed.

Grab paper towels and soak up the coolant and possible oil from the cylinders.

Clean gasket mating surfaces and check or have someone check the head for flatness.

Install head gasket. Install head. Torque head bolts in sequence in a couple of steps to final spec.

Install all related parts/pieces that were removed except the timing belt.

Install timing belt, aligning the marks.

Change the oil.

Top off the radiator.

Start engine.

This is a rather over simplification but gives a general gist and doesn't include absolutely every step.

It's not that difficult of a job. Simply time consuming.

[jimdigs]

Wow, thanks for taking the time and writing that it is appreciated.

[jimdigs]

Is it possible that the gasket sealed itself somehow? I have been driving the car to work still. A few days back while I was driving to work a big cloud of white smoke starting coming out of the tailpipe it lasted about 30 seconds then stopped. I knew that was a tell tale sign of a blown head gasket. But the last few days the engine does not heat up like it used to, the temp. gauge needle stays where it is supposed to. The only issue I am having is that the heater blows hot then cold hot then cold. If I could get that to work I would just keep driving the thing. What say you?

[1chrisapple]

ok so check ur coolant level sounds like its low by the heat no heat

[drddan]

Chris, ya beat me to it!

[FestYboy]

correct: the coolent level is just BELOW the level of the head gasket... when the engine warms up, the coolent expands and can circulate through the heater core and to the t-stat, but once that happens, the rad and core remove enough heat to cool the coolant and it shrinks, thus stopping the circulation and the cycle repeats.

[jimdigs]

Ok folks, what I ended up doing was buying my 4th festiva. A white 93 5 speed with only 74,000. It had a tapping sound but I bought it anyway. I drove it home yesterday, tap tap tap tap all the way home. I bought some sludge remover stuff and some preslone engine cleaner and some oil and oil filter. Ran the sludge remover (can't remember the exact name right now, comes in gray bottle) for 5 minutes. Drained the oil, changed the filter and filled her up and added the preslone cleaner. I drove around for awhile last night but the ticking was still there. This morning however as I drove to the DMV to get registerd the tapping went away! Cool. Still don't know what I'm gonna do with my other festiva, I need money so I might put in on Craigslist for $400 and explain my issues. Thanks for all the input on this guys. I just don't have the place or time to do a head gasket in this weather or the money. Jim

[crazyrog17]

Hold onto it, I'll come help with the HG when the weather breaks and you can sell it as an MPG getter to the summer craigslist crowd

[jimdigs]

Hold onto it, I'll come help with the HG when the weather breaks and you can sell it as an MPG getter to the summer craigslist crowd

I appreciate the offer crazyrog. I may need the money before the weather breaks though. I'll let ya know though, thanks. Jim

[muleskinner]

Pictures of your Festies??

Sorry just caught this thread. I would hold on to your other Festy. take crazyrog's advice, fix the HG, keep it as a project car, use at as a back up car, or a parts car. I would just keep it.

I have a red Festy I'm using as a parts car right now, but in the future I may fix it up as a project car. It still runs, but has engine issues.