1981 Toyota Corolla Head Gasket

Tiny
LUKE GARDITI
  • MEMBER
  • 1981 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 138,000 MILES
I just baught this car a week ago and the guy said it has a blown head gasket, I just want to make sure. Well the car heats up really quick and white smoke comes out of the exhaust, its kind of a sweet smell. Is there anything else that can be wrong?
Thursday, April 30th, 2009 AT 12:44 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Symptoms you have are of a faulty gasket. Most likely the head gasket, yes. May want to make sure that this hasn't caused more damage internally to the engine as well.

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Thursday, April 30th, 2009 AT 1:33 PM
Tiny
LUKE GARDITI
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I took apart the head today and I say that there is antifreeze in only one of the pistons, could my head be cracked or what?
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Thursday, April 30th, 2009 AT 11:08 PM
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
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If there's one piston top that's noticeably cleaner than the others (because of the coolant) then this just indicates that you have had a bad head gasket. Doesn't prove anyting else though. A compression test would have to be done to really know but most likely it hasn't damaged anything unless the vehicle has been driven past the overheating point.

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Thursday, April 30th, 2009 AT 11:30 PM
Tiny
LUKE GARDITI
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Okay thanks
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Friday, May 1st, 2009 AT 12:05 AM
Tiny
MMPRINCE4000
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  • 8,548 POSTS
You might be better off getting a reman'd head, it may be warped to the point that it cannot be machined enought to get it flat.
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Friday, May 1st, 2009 AT 7:10 AM
Tiny
LUKE GARDITI
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The guy who I baught it from changed the head gasket 4 years ago and he had it machined down then
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Friday, May 1st, 2009 AT 7:29 AM

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