About 2 years ago, I posted here about an odd problem I was having. CEL, lost coolant (a little), rough idling, etc.
Every single thing appeared to me to be a leaking head gasket. Everything.
At the time, I became unemployed for a while. No money to pay someone $1,500-2,500 to replace the head gasket. Not willing to go into it myself, have the heads magnafluxed, etc., and do that fairly complicated job. Not willing to take a $2,000 loss on my $4,500 vehicle. Nor able to replace it with something comparable.
So, I did some more research and investigation. After learning about a coolant exhaust gas detection kit, I thought it was worth the risk. And oh, was it ever.
3 negative test later, I felt it was worth the risk to replace the #4 injector. A year and 8,000 miles later, I now know I was right. About $40 fixed the problem. Yes, I know I should have replaced all of the injectors. And I will, during the next timing belt job.
I wanted to post this. Been meaning to, for some time. Maybe it will save someone else from spending a fortune and/or doing a massive amount of work themself. When 2 hours and $40 will fix it.
Buy. The. Coolant. Tester. For. Exhaust. Gas. Or have your mechanic do that. No telling how many head gaskets were replaced, only to have the misfire in Cyl #4 (or whatever yours may be) caused by an old, failed injector.
Every single thing appeared to me to be a leaking head gasket. Everything.
At the time, I became unemployed for a while. No money to pay someone $1,500-2,500 to replace the head gasket. Not willing to go into it myself, have the heads magnafluxed, etc., and do that fairly complicated job. Not willing to take a $2,000 loss on my $4,500 vehicle. Nor able to replace it with something comparable.
So, I did some more research and investigation. After learning about a coolant exhaust gas detection kit, I thought it was worth the risk. And oh, was it ever.
3 negative test later, I felt it was worth the risk to replace the #4 injector. A year and 8,000 miles later, I now know I was right. About $40 fixed the problem. Yes, I know I should have replaced all of the injectors. And I will, during the next timing belt job.
I wanted to post this. Been meaning to, for some time. Maybe it will save someone else from spending a fortune and/or doing a massive amount of work themself. When 2 hours and $40 will fix it.
Buy. The. Coolant. Tester. For. Exhaust. Gas. Or have your mechanic do that. No telling how many head gaskets were replaced, only to have the misfire in Cyl #4 (or whatever yours may be) caused by an old, failed injector.
