How to tell the difference between a cracked block and a blown head gasket?

03 Apr 2017

My symptoms in my VQ are coolant in the oil (coolant in the oil cap) compression is at 150 psi In cylinders 1,2,4,6 while cylinders 3 and 5 are both around 90 psi. The motor has massive amounts of power loss, like I’m in 1st gear and it won’t accelerate at all, I step on the pedal and there is no power pretty much. There is no knocking or anything while the car is at idle, it doesn’t overheat at all. My spark plugs and coils are in good condition. No white smoke coming from the exhaust or anything. I really need help with this. I plan to run a block test, but I’m in school and I’m focusing on that. I have act’s coming up as well. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated

Comments

Depending on which fluid has the most pressure, that with higher pressure will leak into the other compartment. Most likely your gasket cracked near the motor oil and coolant with coolant having more pressure. Engine block not too sure.

Thanks

Either way you’d have to pull the engine and once you do that you should be able to tell with ease

Sorry to tell you but I’m 16 and I even know you dont have to pull the whole engine to replace the head gasket😂😂😂

So um i forgot to respond to this 2 days ago but um my mechanic said it had something to do with the oil….. although i find that to be bull.

Definitely not the oil haha

Okay so i asked my parents what the mechanic said about the problem and turns out the previous mechanic had used some sort of paste on the transmission and on the engine.

Did they say what was the problem?

Since the low cylinders are in the same bank and right next to each other, probably the head gasket. A compression check should yield results that show at least one cylinder over 100 psi and the other within 70% of the highest.

Is there any way that I would know for sure that it’s the head gasket or?

Okay so im back with more info that maybe is useful. But anyways what could be causing the loss of acceleration is a speed sensor located near the transmission.